The threatened 24-hour walkout on May 8 would be the first nationwide stoppage since 1996 and would cause a fresh crisis for postal group Consignia. Talks aimed at averting the strike were expected to be held today between officials from the Communication Workers Union and Consignia.
The union's deputy general secretary, John Keggie, said that delivery staff were being asked to agree "massive changes" in working conditions which would leave postmen and women working for more than four hours without a break. "The business wants us to sign up to changes that could worsen the postal service for the public. We are not prepared to be bludgeoned into accepting its half-developed plans."
Consignia voiced concern earlier this week that "factions" within the union were intent on confrontation rather than mediation. The dispute is holding up long-running negotiations over pay, which led to an offer of a 6.9% increase. The union said 2.2% of the offer covered agreement on longer delivery spans, but it argued that this element should be separated from any pay rise.
Mr Keggie said it was impossible to calculate savings in advance of any changes to deliveries and it was "not appropriate" to include mail delivery specifications in the wage settlement. The CWU said the proposed deal would not allow a trial of any union proposals for the future of postal deliveries and would lead to a worse service for domestic customers.
"Our patience has run out," said Mr Keggie. "Our members' pay award is six months overdue and the business wants us to begin a mediation process that could last for months." Talks will be held at the conciliation service in a "last ditch effort" to avoid strikes, said Mr Keggie.
The union wants to ballot its members on a pay rise of 4.7% and to negotiate any extra payments for new delivery patterns. The pay negotiations were now at a "crisis point", the union warned.
Jerry Cope, Consignia's group managing director for Mail Services, said any approach other than mediation would be "financial suicide" for the organisation, which is losing £1.5m a day.
"Industrial action will lead to fewer customers and therefore even greater job losses, for which the union would have to bear full responsibility," Mr Cope said before today's announcement of a threatened strike next month.
A one-day strike would be a major setback for industrial relations in the postal service, which have improved dramatically in recent months.
