The latest postal strike was called off when Royal Mail managers agreed to reinstate a sacked postman Kevin Tunstall with full benefits, the Oxford Mail understands.

About 100 staff based at the Abingdon delivery office in Ock Street walked out on Tuesday in support of postman Kevin Tunstall after a row broke out over the terms and conditions on which the 41-year-old was being taken back. The strike hit deliveries in Oxford and Abingdon. Mr Tunstall, who had worked for more than 12 years in the town before being sacked for the alleged non-delivery of a test letter earlier this year, was given his job back after a tribunal found he had been unfairly dismissed.

But the Royal Mail offered him terms and conditions as a new postman, ignoring his senior status and the benefits that came with it.

The unofficial strike, which also involved about 50 staff based at the Oxford Mail Centre in Cowley, ended on Tuesday afternoon, with Royal Mail and the Communication Workers' Union issuing a joint appeal to all employees to return to work.

Both agreed not to release details of their agreement publicly, but the Oxford Mail understands Mr Tunstall has now been reinstated with full benefits.

Sources suggest that staff in Abingdon would not have returned to work otherwise.

The Oxfordshire branch of the CWU was keeping tight-lipped about the agreement today (Thurs, Sept 17).

Royal Mail spokesman Paula Elwood said: "He (Mr Tunstall has got his job back and that's as much as we're going to say.

"We are not viewing this as either a victory or a defeat. All we hope is that this unnecessary action is over."

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