Post Offices braced for Derry overflow 05.10.07

INISHOWEN'S border post offices are expecting an influx of custom from Derry in the coming days as Royal Mail workers embark on two 48-hour walkouts in protest at pay and job cut fears.

Muff Post Office yesterday reported a slight increase in business but said it expected to get even busier as the strike in the North continued. Glenda McCallion of Muff P.O., said: "We were a wee bit busier today but nothing major. We would normally notice an upturn though whenever there is a strike in the North and we do expect to be busier as this strike
continues." With the first walk-out expected to last until midday Saturday and another 48-hour walkout scheduled from 3pm on Monday, it is expected there will be no deliveries until next Thursday. As a result Derry businesses and ordinary members of the public will be taking their mail including cheques and invoices over the border to post, in the hope of offsetting the delay. At the centre of the dispute is the CWU's objection to the Royal Mail's 2.5% pay offer and modernisation plans, which it says will put about 40,000 jobs at risk. The North's Federation of Small Businesses said there was "no doubt" that the strikes would disrupt businesses in the North. "Survey after survey that we have done show that nearly 90% of all business rely on Royal Mail for vitally important things such as cheques and invoices," said a spokesperson.
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