Don't be surprised if your post is delayed this week. Amongst a whole raft of strike action taken by the Communication Workers Union, workers at the Swindon mail centre are going on strike today in a dispute over pay. Swindonhas recently taken over the work of the Oxford mail centre, so post to mostof Oxfordshire could be affected. Postal strikes tend to engender littlesympathy with the public at the best of times, but in the current climatewhen so many people are looking for any work at all there will be even moredisquiet. Much like the disputes of the 70's the Unions find themselves ableto hold a struggling Labour government to ransom. We also have the threat ofstrikes threatening the fire services across the country, and this is afterthe Government have sold off the Green Goddess fire engines used to coverwhen civilian services are suspended. Not a happy state of affairs.