Royal Mail Strike: Vulnerable Will Be Hit Hardest

12.00.00am GMT Sat 1st Nov 2003

With millions of pieces of mail a day being affected by the current postal strike in London and beyond, Simon Hughes MP, Liberal Democrat London Mayoral candidate, has called for Patricia Hewitt to intervene to bring to an end the escalating and deeply damaging dispute affecting Royal Mail.

Mr Hughes said:-

"Money to pay pensions and housing benefit is stuck in the post hitting some of the most vulnerable in society hardest. This is on top of thousands of businesses right across London who will be hit badly by the inability of post to get through jeopardising peoples' jobs.

"If Royal Mail is to continue to have the benefit of a protected monopoly to provide a universal mail service both management and workforce should accept their responsibility to resolve these disputes while maintaining the service.

"Failure to do so will accelerate the decline of Royal Mail as business goes elsewhere and undermine its ability to deliver a valid universal service at all.

"Accusations between management and employees appear to becoming increasingly bitter clearly suggesting that urgent arbitration is required. It is time Ministers intervened to get postal services moving again."