Royal Mail strikes are called off

The postal strikes have been called off until at least the New Year to allow for fresh talks between Royal Mail and the Communication Workers Union. TUC general secretary Brendan Barber said the decision had been made to provide "a period of calm" in which the two sides could reach a long-term deal. As a result, he said Royal Mail deliveries would be "free of any disruption" over Christmas. Yet Mr Barber added that securing a final deal remained a long way away. The industrial dispute has been over the level of job losses the Royal Mail says are necessary as part of its modernisation plans. While the CWU accepts that some redundancies are required, the two sides disagree over their extent. They also disagree over changes to pay and working conditions for Royal Mail staff that remain in their jobs. "The agreement reached today is a very important step forward, but it is a long way to the end of the road," said Mr Barber. He added that both Royal Mail and the CWU recognised that trust between the two sides had to be improved.-(my view)-At least i can send packages and letters again!