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Thousands of Post Office workers are today staging a pay strike, which comes after separate industrial action by postal workers was called off last week.

In the latest walkout to hit Britain's postal service, staff employed at crown post office branches are striking after 5,500 members of the Communication Workers Union (CWU) rejected a two-year pay freeze proposed by the Post Office.

The union says that 465 crown post offices will be affected by today's strike, which will run from 14:30 BST until the end of business.

A similar strike is also planned for Wednesday, with staff also disgruntled at plans to close 70 crown post office branches – main branches sited on the UK's high streets – and transfer services to retailer WH Smith.

CWU representatives have agreed to meet again with Post Office management tomorrow in a fresh bid to resolve the dispute, with both sides stressing in a statement that they are "committed to working towards a mutually acceptable solution".

Today's strike, the latest in a series of walkouts staged by workers at crown post office branches, comes after union leaders called off separate industrial action by postal workers on Thursday after agreeing to further talks with Royal Mail bosses over a row concerning pay and conditions.

At the centre of the dispute are Royal Mail's modernisation plans, which union leaders claim will result in the loss of up to 40,000 jobs.

The CWU claimed last week that the plans involved "significant changes including later delivery start times and permanent reductions in customer services" and represented an "unnecessary attack on postal workers' jobs, pay and conditions".

However Royal Mail has said that the union is "ignoring the harsh commercial reality" of the UK postal market, which was recently opened up to full competition.

The postal services provider insists that modernisation is necessary because it is losing business to rivals who have more efficient operations and lower prices.