UNION leaders in Oxford have welcomed the announcement of the first national postal strike in more than a decade.

Up to 130,000 members of the Communication Workers Union will walk out for 24 hours on June 29, as the bitter row over pay and conditions comes to a head.

Bob Cullen, Oxford representative of the Communication Workers Union, said: "There have been no negotiations - all management has done is reiterate its case.

"We are trying to defend the service, members' wages and public expectations."

Workers based in main post offices will also strike and there will be further industrial action in the first two weeks of July unless the dispute is resolved.

The union has rejected a 2.5 per cent pay offer and warned that the Royal Mail's modernisation plans would lead to a cut in postal services and the loss of 40,000 jobs.

Royal Mail chief executive Adam Crozier said he was "disappointed" by the move and repeated his willingness to negotiate with the union.

He added: "We remain very willing to sit down with the CWU to explain again the absolute need for Royal Mail to modernise and to underline how damaging a strike would be for postmen and women, and our customers.

"If we don't modernise then the future for everyone in the company will start to look bleak."

The strike will take place just two days after Gordon Brown becomes Prime Minister, giving him an early test of whether the Government should intervene in a national public sector dispute.