Royal Mail management hopes to thrash out a peace deal with Bradford postal workers to avoid a damaging strike.

Talks between managers and the Communication Workers' Union continued yesterday after union members voted for industrial action.

The dispute arose after 170 postal workers were moved to a new £3.7 million delivery office in Valley Road which they claimed was isolated and inaccessible.

In a ballot on Monday, 105 out of 165 union members who voted were in favour of action which could lead to a strike. But union representatives say they are now continuing negotiations with management after yesterday's meeting.

Eddie McTigue, CWU Bradford branch secretary, said: "We are continuing dialogue with Royal Mail management. We're hoping that they can provide us with evidence that some of our grievances can be resolved.

"And while negotiations are taking place, it is likely that the threat of industrial action will be put on hold.

"We will be holding a meeting with CWU members on Friday when we will update them on what is happening and see whether they want us to continue negotiations.

"Royal Mail have given us a time scale of three weeks to make some changes but it is a case of listening to what our members want."

A Royal Mail spokesman said the meeting was very positive.

"We will continue with our talks with the CWU in the hope we can avert industrial action which will only impact on our customers in the Bradford area," he said.

Postal workers who are based at the new Bradford North delivery office claim it is too far away from the city centre and is inaccessible by public transport.

Their other grievances include the size of the canteen and a 5am start time.

The Royal Mail said a bus service had been started to take workers to the site.

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