POST Office counter staff at Worcester's main branch in Foregate Street will be on strike tomorrow in a row over pay.

It follows a strike by Royal Mail workers on Friday, which saw 600 workers in Worcestershire walk out.

Brendan Allen, branch secretary of the Worcester and Hereford Communications and Workers Union, said: "We are expecting about 12 counter staff from Worcester and 10 from Hereford to be on strike between 6am and noon.

"It is the second part of the strikes in the disputes over pay."

Mr Allen said the strike was also partly because of plans to close 85 so-called crown offices and move services to WHSmith stores, including in Worcester.

"It is more to do with pay and the future of the service provision," he said. "But I guess that covers the proposed moves to WHSmith also. I hope that we get good support."

The union regards the WHSmith move as privatisation and has warned that 1,500 jobs will be axed and workers who remain will suffer pay and pensions cuts worth thousands of pounds.

National officer Andy Furey said: "Members have been left with no alternative but to take strike action as management are steam rolling ahead with closures of crown post offices across the UK.

"The plans announced by the Post Office will have extremely negative impact not just on postal workers but also for the public."

The CWU warned there will be further strikes unless the Post Office returned to negotiations with an improved offer on pay and job security.

A Royal Mail spokesman said: "We will try to keep as many crown offices open as possible."