Strike likely to cause more mail disruption http://www.news.com.au/breaking-news/strike-likely-to-cause-more-mail-disruption/story-e6frfku0-1225811121435THE union that represents postal workers has warned mail services will deteriorate further with strike action likely to continue at least until the end of the week.
Strike action and picket lines at some mail centres completely stopped deliveries in Victoria today with about 4.1 million items prevented from reaching their destinations.
The union has since agreed to stop the delay of mail trucks and harassment of workers trying to cross picket lines in Victoria following Federal Court action by Australia Post.
Lawyers for Australia Post had sought an urgent injunction to discontinue the alleged abuse and obstruction of trucks by 6pm (AEDT) to ensure the movement of mail.
They claimed the picket lines breached national workplace laws.
The application singled out union action which blocked mail trucks at centres in Dandenong, Melbourne Airport, Geelong and Ardeer during the busiest period of the year.
Up to 20,000 postal workers across Australia walked off the job or were involved in rolling stoppages today.
Strike action took place in all states except South Australia where workers agreed to stay on the job until tomorrow to ensure school students received their Year 12 exam results.
The action was initially set to last for 48 hours but the Communications, Electrical and Plumbing Union (CEPU) has warned mail services cannot be relied upon until the dispute is resolved.
"Services will further deteriorate. They will not improve,'' CEPU New South Wales state secretary Jim Metcher said.
Australia Post employees want a new workplace agreement which protects penalty shifts, rosters and take-home pay, and are calling for improved workplace safety conditions.
The CEPU has been locked in an industrial dispute with Australia Post since 2006, with the most recent round of negotiations breaking down earlier this month.
"Why is it that this is the third Christmas that 32,000 postal workers across Australia have had to wait to reach a new agreement, an agreement that protects their pay, that protects their safety at work, but also that protects their job security,'' Mr Metcher said.
Australia Post spokesman Alex Twomey said he was confident mail services would continue in most states, but had concerns over the situation in Victoria.
About a quarter of the state's Australia Post staff did not show up for work today while picket lines prevented mail from getting out of mail centres.
"We've got excellent arrangements in other states and we're getting a lot of support from our staff and having very minor disruptions, so we've got not a lot of concerns,'' Mr Twomey said.
"But in Victoria we have real concerns because we knew that we could handle it with two thirds of our staff willing to work but illegal picket lines is another thing altogether.''
The Communications Union dismissed claims its members had obstructed trucks or harassed workers on sites, although it said those people responsible had been asked to move by union delegates.
Counsel for Australia Post rejected the argument, saying the picket was organised and under the complete control of the union.
In an eleventh-hour move, the union agreed not to prevent access to the postal sites or abuse people entering Australia Post sites.
It also agreed to notify members at picket lines at Ardeer and Dandenong by 8pm (AEDT) today.
Picket lines at Geelong and the airport had since ceased, the union said.