THE possibility of a Post Office strike in Worcester has been averted after workers were offered an extra one per cent on their pay deal - on average £161 more.

The Worcester News can reveal a summer ballot on whether or not to approve a strike did not go ahead as planned - after a last-ditch offer was made to bump up the annual pay rise to 3.9 per cent.

The average salary for a Post Office worker is £16,172.

Brendon Allen, spokesman for the Worcester & Hereford Communication Workers Union, said the strike ballot had been replaced by a new one on whether or not to accept the offer.

"We have managed to secure an agreement of an extra one per cent on the pay deal, and also other assurances on job security and pensions," he said.

"Because of that we cancelled the last ballot on the possibility of strike action. The new ballot has started with members and goes on until early September.

"We are reasonably satisfied with the offer and have recommended it be accepted. It's obviously good news as the possibility of strike action had reached a critical stage - it went to the brink.

"We are expecting a 'yes' vote on accepting the offer and will find out next month what the outcome is."

Around 1,100 workers in Worcester and Hereford are currently completing the ballot, which is set to close the first week in September.

Mr Allen also said the union had struck an offer to avoid compulsory redundancies, and had been "given assurances" that staff would not be forced to go part-time.

The Worcester branch has 600 workers, but lost 10 full-time and five part-time staff this summer without anyone coming in.

"The employer is saying there will be no compulsory redundancies," he said.

"There has been lots of concern recently that staff might be forced to leave or go part time. There is also a promise that the pay offer will be reviewed quarterly. It has been a positive outcome."

As reported in the Worcester News in June, Royal Mail said the market is "increasingly tough", but indicated at the time it was willing to talk to the union.

Providing the offer is accepted, the threat of strike action is now over.