ROYAL Mail workers have today voted in favour of a national strike, as the dispute which is crippling the postal service intensifies.

The Communication Workers Union (CWU) is in a dispute with Royal Mail about job security and changes to pay and conditions.

The last few weeks have seen a series of strikes, both official and unofficial, across London and the rest of the country.

A large majority of voters have now said they are in favour of a national strike, although the CWU is saying it will give Royal Mail 10 days to reach an agreement.

John Ayres, CWU East London area distribution representative, said: “This is a massive endorsement from our members.

“Hopefully any national industrial action will be avoided.

“We want Royal Mail to come to the table talking properly and constructively with regards to a national agreement about how we implement change in industry, instead of imposing change by diktat.”

The situation in east London has been particularly severe, as Royal Mail is not allowing the East London Mail Centre, in Bromley-by-Bow, which sorts Waltham Forest's posts to process items.

An estimated two million items of undelivered post are sitting in the centre, and Mr Ayres says that even if the dispute ends now, it will take a month to clear the backlog.

Royal Mail has said modernisation is essential to combat a fall in postal service usage.

It has even drafted in managers to volunteer to help sort the post in an attempt to ease the chaos in east London.

Paul Tolhurst, Royal Mail's operations diurector, has slammed the CWU, saying it is determined to damage services.

Another London-wide strike will take place tomorrow for 24 hours.