The postal strike was spreading today, Tuesday, April 6, after workers walked out at Oxford's Headington delivery office.

Stephen Timms, minister for energy, e-commerce and postal services

A total of 28 staff at the depot which controls deliveries for the OX3 postcode area, covering Headington, Barton, and New Marston, have joined the week-long dispute in support of hundreds of colleagues at the Oxford mail centre in Cowley. Sixteen remained at work.

Communication Workers' Union representative Bob Cullen said: "The Headington office is out and there will be a further meeting tomorrow.

"I would not be surprised if the strike spreads further."

Royal Mail spokesman Jane Beese said: "We are bitterly disappointed that the action has spread, particularly because it does not serve any purpose - all that is happening is more disruption for customers."

The unofficial strike was sparked by alleged by bullying and harassment by a group of seven workers. While management has agreed to disband and transfer the group, some staff would have faced a two-week overtime ban because of their strike. The postal workers in Oxford voted yesterday to continue their strike until at least Thursday. One worker said: "We don't consider this to be a strike, we are protesting about health and safety and the duty of care management should be adopting with staff. Management don't seem to care if staff are attacked or if these thugs visit their children's schools. Now we are being punished for taking a stand."

But managers were unrepentant, saying Oxford workers had to be taught a lesson after a series of unofficial disputes over the past year.

Royal Mail spokesman Richard Hall said he was "bitterly disappointed" the management plan had been rejected.

He added: "We cannot continue to have these unofficial disputes in Oxford -- it has been far too frequent an occurrence, particularly since September.

"Staff need to be aware we can't continue in this vein."

The strikers will receive a further boost at 5pm today, Tuesday April 6,when members of other Oxford unions support them on the picket line.

Oxford and District Trades' Union Council has called a mass rally, with members from Amicus, Unison, the TGWU, the National Union of Teachers, and the Fire Brigades' Union taking part.

CWU spokesman Steve Peck said post destined for Oxford was now being stockpiled around the country to avoid a huge backlog at the Oxford mail centre in Cowley.