There can be no mistaking that this is a crossroads for postal workers and our customers.

Never before have we faced such a savage onslaught on our jobs, our pay, or our terms and conditions of work.

The Royal Mail board, including John Neill, of Unipart, is hoping, and maybe even praying, that 130,000 or more postal workers will commit the industrial version of suicide, giving itself a mandate to complete its process of reducing this once great public service into an empty, lifeless shell.

But I have a feeling that Oxfordshire's loyal workforce of scandalously underpaid, grossly overworked and yet, despite that, dedicated, thoroughly professional postal workers, will deliver a blow that will rock chairman Allan Leighton and chief executive Adam Crozier back on their heels.

We must have a decent rise in basic pensionable pay, our pensions protected, our jobs secured and an end to Leighton and Crozier's dictatorial approach towards negotiations and partnership with the Communication Workers' Union (CWU).

I have great confidence that every postal worker in Oxfordshire will play their part in what will no doubt be a historic victory for them and our customers. The consequences of our not making a stand really don't bear thinking about.

Noel Fay, Postman,Former branch secretary, CWU, Field Avenue, Oxford