Oxford's postal delivery service is in one hell of a mess.

Forget the cut in deliveries. Ignore the looming increase in charges. Look instead at the Cowley mail centre where overtime has been banned for a section of workers who claim they are being bullied by a group which is snatching all the extra hours -- and pay.

They say they and their families are being threatened and this led to the walkout -- a move that in turn led to a 45-minute walkout last week, which in turn prompted management to ban them from overtime working.

Somewhere along the line, management at the Cowley centre is failing. If it is necessary, as seems to be the case, to call in an independent company to investigate, then the management can also be accused of ineptitude. Hiding behind the argument that there are proper procedures to follow in the event of internal disputes is dodging the issue.

No wonder the service is in a mess.