POSTAL workers have urged the public to be patient after hundreds of staff went on strike in protest at the Royal Mail's "Draconian" approach.

Workers from 11 depots across the region took to the picket line yesterday to continue their fight against modernisation plans, which they believe are leading to high-pressured unrealistic targets.

The action left thousands of families without mail for the day as local workers joined almost 80,000 colleagues from across the country in the planned walkout.

Collection and delivery staff from depots in Stoke, Hanley, Burslem, Newcastle, Kidsgrove, Biddulph, Leek, Cheadle, Uttoxeter and Stone took action after claiming Royal Mail had pushed them to "breaking point".

Workers at depots in Leek Road, Stoke, and Scotia Road in Burslem formed their picket lines at 5am yesterday morning.

More strike days have been pencilled in for next week, with collection and delivery staff set to walkout next Saturday.

Communication Workers' Union area delivery representative, Malcolm Brundrett, has refused to rule out increased levels of strike action if negotiations remain at deadlock.

"The action we took yesterday was very well supported throughout all the postcode areas which really does show the strength of feeling among some postal workers," he said.

"I think we have the public on our side as they have seen their deliveries getting later and they will see the postman struggling.

"Royal Mail calls it modernisation, but all the things we have seen are anything but modern."

He added: "The last thing our people wanted to do was take strike action and lose out on pay, especially in these times.

"We understand the company needs to change but that must be agreed with the trade unions.

"We want a fair day's pay, for a fair day's work."

Jason Cornwall, pictured below, CWU representative for the Burslem branch, and a postman, said: "My delivery should take three-and-a-half hours but it takes over four hours.

"Now they are trying to take people's pay if they under-perform.

"We will strike until all the issues are sorted.

"We are sure Royal Mail has destroyed the service. People will have already noticed they get one delivery instead of two. We hope the public stay behind us and remain patient.

"Royal Mail is harassing us to achieve unrealistic targets. These strikes are not about money."

Post worker Jane Mellalieu, aged 58, from Norton Green, who was at yesterday's picket in Burslem, has worked for Royal Mail for 25 years.

She said: "I have witnessed the ways people have been treated and I have been close to tears at times.

"The public need to understand that we have reached breaking point."

Former postal worker Paul Dawson, aged 40, from Ball Green, was sacked by Royal Mail after staging a roof-top protest in March to seek a public apology from the company after being exonerated from an investigation into alleged bullying.

The father-of-one, who is trying to regain his job, said: "I have worked as a postman for a total of 20 years and you can see the business going down.

"It's all about cutbacks now which are not going to make things better."

A striker at the Scotia Road picket, who did not wish to be named, added: "Royal Mail's methods are Draconian, things have gone back about 30 years."

Bosses at Royal Mail claim the volume of post is down with more people using e-mail or text messages.

Officials insist any changes are to help the company keep costs for the customer down.

Royal Mail managing director Mark Higson slammed yesterday's strike.

He said: "The CWU leadership is well aware it has already agreed all the changes Royal Mail is making and we urge them to recognise the tough economic conditions faced by our customers and Royal Mail itself and to live up to their claims to support modernisation and to focus – as the company is doing – on delivering the service on which so many depend."

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