The Post Office is to become the latest service to be hit by strike action following a vote by members of the Communication Workers Union.

Otherwise known as Consignia, the company has offered a pay increase of two per cent, although workers are seeking a five per cent rise, with a minimum £300 per week salary by next year.

The union's general secretary, Billy Hayes, welcomed the result, but said that his union was prepared to meet managers.

"I am pleased that the members have shown their feelings so clearly," he said.

"We will discuss arrangements to implement industrial action early next week, but I sincerely hope that the result will encourage management to look again at their position so that we can reach an agreement rather than take action."

Dates for the action, the first since strikes were held in 1996, have not yet been set.

In a statement, the Department of Trade and Industry said: "Clearly the prospect of industrial action is always deeply regrettable, particularly the disruption to the general public and businesses.

"Under government reform, we have given Consignia the market freedom the unions and managers have always wanted. We urge the managers and unions to continue working together in their talks with Acas to find a solution to this current dispute."

Shadow trade and industry secretary, John Whittingdale, described the British postal service was "in crisis".

"Consignia is suffering record losses, its management have announced their intention to declare some 30,000 job losses and service targets are being missed, all while a million items of post are being lost each week. The last thing the Post Office needs now is a national strike," he said.

"The growing tide of trade union militancy in the public services is a direct result of the extra powers the trade unions have been given by this government. In doing so, the Labour government is rewarding its union paymasters, and it is the public who will suffer as a result.

"A national postal strike would cause enormous damage, particularly to small firms whose cash flow is dependent on the postal service. If a strike does go ahead then the government should lift the monopoly and allow private sector competitors to step in to fill the gap."