British postal workers have gone on strike. Unions predicted that 40,000 people would lay down their tools today and 80,000 would stop work on Friday in the first national postal strike in two years.

The dispute between postal workers and management is about pay, employment opportunities and the modernisation of the company.

Prime Minister Gordon Brown has said the strike is counterproductive. He says he will do everything in his power to help the state-owned Royal Mail reach agreement with its employees.

British Trade Minister Peter Mandelson says Royal Mail has to modernise to survive. In recent years, the amount of post has shrunk by ten percent a year.