POSTAL staff remain wary of a deal struck to end a long-running dispute with Royal Mail.

An agreement reached yesterday is reported to include a 6.9 per cent pay rise over three years for workers, a shorter working week and greater job security.

Royal Mail and the Commercial Workers Union (CWU) have been locked in negotiations for the past two months after a spate of national strikes last year caused chaos in Staffordshire and Cheshire.

The new deal will also give workers lump sums of around £2,500 as well as weekly basic pay supplements and other improvements such as extra maternity and paternity pay.

The agreement will be subject to a ballot of union members, and representatives in Staffordshire and Cheshire are not ready to celebrate yet.

Malcolm Brundrett, pictured, area delivery representative for the Midland number seven branch of the CWU, said: "At the moment we've only got sketchy details of what the deal includes.

"Senior branch reps will be going to a national briefing on Wednesday and Thursday in Bournemouth where we will be going through what it means to everyone.

"From the little bits I've read there are certainly some major changes.

"Our job now is to scrutinise the details, then come back and explain them to our members."

Branch secretary Andy Plant said one of workers' main priorities was being ignored.

"Both sides agreed they wouldn't get bogged down by the issue of pensions, but it's a fundamental part of job security," he said.

"If there's no guarantee on pensions I will be telling members I don't think the deal's good enough.

"We don't know all the details yet, but no deal like this comes without strings attached."

Meanwhile CWU South Cheshire branch secretary Steve Wright said it was too soon to comment on the deal.

"At the moment everything is just rumours, and I'm not going to say anything until I know all the details," he said.

It has been reported that the 80-page agreement includes a two per cent pay rise in April, followed by increases of 1.4 per cent and 3.5 per cent in subsequent years.

Workers will receive a lump sum payment of £400 on ratification of the agreement, followed by £1,000 linked to delivery of workplace changes, and further bonus payments.

Dave Ward, the union's deputy general secretary, said last night: "It's been a long time coming, but this deal delivers on the major issues which postal workers have fought for.

"There's a balance of pay and operational changes which will help offset job losses and ensure members are fairly rewarded for change.

"We have always said that we couldn't face away from change. The agreement recognises the reality of automation, competition and the financial challenges facing the company, but it does so in a way that puts the interests of CWU members at its heart.

"Both sides have committed to improving industrial relations and ensuring a more positive working relationship in the best interests of everyone at Royal Mail.

"There has been a lot of talk about the future of the company in relation to competition and the pension deficit. Now that we have reached this agreement it is clear that business transformation can be delivered. As a result we're determined to address the pensions issue and establish whether the Government will now finally accept its responsibilities to find an acceptable solution."

Hundreds of collection and delivery workers in Stoke, Burslem, Hanley, Newcastle, Kidsgrove, Biddulph, Leek, Cheadle, Uttoxeter, Stone and Stafford, as well as Crewe, Congleton, Nantwich and Sandbach, manned the picket lines during strike action last year.