Postal deliveries to thousands of York addresses were disrupted today after scores of workers walked out in protest at the suspension of a colleague.

The lightning strike at the Birch Park Sorting Office, off Huntington Road, meant there were no deliveries to homes and businesses in the YO3O, 31 and 32 areas, including Haxby, Wigginton, Clifton, Huntington and Heworth.

Between 80 and 90 workers stood outside the main gates of the sorting office after their walk-out as union negotiators went in to talk to management.

After negotiations failed, angry staff went home, and it was not certain when they would return.

Dave Dowling, area representative for the Communication Workers Union, said: "An individual has been suspended and at 6.50am the lads walked out."

The workers said their colleague, who works on the midnight shift, had been asked to take responsibility for opening up the building on his next shift without any extra pay and had refused. He had then been suspended without pay.

Alison Wright, area manager, arrived to negotiate with Mr Dowling at around 8.30am.

Mr Dowling came back out to tell his members that the management had offered to suspend the colleague on pay, but they wanted nothing less than a reinstatement.

With angry cries, they rejected the offer, and drove home sounding their horns in solidarity about 9.15am.

Mr Dowling said: "We have met with the area manager and have not been able to resolve the key issue. They are not going back into work. Negotiations will continue throughout today to try and resolve the issue and get people back to work as soon as possible."

The workers said today's incident had followed a period of dissatisfaction with management.

One man said he had worked for the Post Office for 35 years and had never felt so dissatisfied.

Another man said: "The managers treat us like children."

A spokeswoman for Royal Mail said: "Around 80 staff took unofficial industrial action a 6.45 this morning over a local issue. We apologise to all customers served by the Birch Park delivery area. Staff in other areas in York have not been affected."

Updated: 12:23 Thursday, February 15, 2001