Royal Mail staff deliver warning on strike dates

The union representing about 115,000 postal workers at Royal Mail is threatening to announce new strike dates, raising renewed concerns about the future of the lossmaking British business.

The Communication Workers Union is understood to be preparing to outline plans for industrial action next month, dealing a blow to hopes of a breakthrough in protracted talks with Royal Mail about below-inflation pay rises and changes to working conditions.

Relations in the 11-month dispute have become further strained in recent days after the union was understood to have been told that a failure to reach an agreement risked tipping Royal Mail’s lossmaking regulated delivery business in Britain into administration.

It prompted a warning from Darren Jones, the Labour chairman of the Commons’ business select committee, who