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UK postal workers will today begin the latest in a series of strikes as union leaders continue to battle with Royal Mail bosses over pay and jobs.

Staff in mail centres and at airports will start 24 hours of industrial action from 19:00 BST, which will be followed by strikes by other groups of employees including delivery staff.

Members of the Communication Workers' Union (CWU) have already staged two walkouts after rejecting a 2.5 per cent pay deal out forward by Royal Mail bosses.

Union leaders also claim that modernisation plans put forward by the publicly-owned postal group will result in the loss of up to 40,000 jobs.

Earlier this week the CWU claimed that Royal Mail chiefs had revealed in negotiations that the first stage of the company's modernisation plan will be implemented on August 13th, a charge denied by the postal operator.

The union claims that plans involve "significant changes including later delivery start times and permanent reductions in customer services" and represent an "unnecessary attack on postal workers' jobs, pay and conditions".

"All Royal Mail have to do is take a step back and engage in meaningful negotiations," said CWU deputy general secretary Dave Ward.

However Royal Mail claims 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.