[NettoSuperstar!]

"Mark Baulch, a postman since 1983, and on the national executive of the Communication Workers Union, said: "Royal Mail are trying to portray us as dinosaurs when, in reality, the modernisation they are proposing means customers will be getting later deliveries and effectively worsening the service. The scale of the change that is being proposed is huge, and we want the right to be involved in that change."

He accused the management of "terrorising" workers. "Management are forcing their will … increasing workloads to an impossible level then punishing people for not being able to do it."

Merlin Reader, a full-time CWU union rep, said that today was the 15th time he had been on strike in recent months, costing him over £1,000. "This is a key battle. We're at the vanguard of an attack … on public services. The bankers' bonuses are back, there is money back in the city, and working people are having to pay for it. We have to win otherwise it would be a disaster, not just for us but for anyone who works for the public sector and believes in service before profit in this country."