UNION officials have advised postal workers in Merseyside to return to work this afternoon following unofficial strike action earlier today.

The workers took the step just hours after ending a 48-hour strike in a bitter row over pay, jobs and pensions.

Staff at the Royal Mail depot at Copperas Hill in Liverpool claim they had arrived for a shift starting at 5am but were told the Royal Mail had implemented changes to shifts so they could not start until 6am.

The unofficial strike action saw workers sitting in the Copperas Hill canteen and standing outside the building in protest.

Staff in West Lancashire and Wirral also took part in sit ins.

Regional secretary for the Communication Workers Union, Karl Web, said: “We have advised the workers to return to work because it is unofficial action.

“We are back in negotiations with Royal Mail locally and hope to resolve issues.

“The workers object to the hours being changed by executive action and not negotiation”.

A Royal Mail spokesman said: “Royal Mail is extremely concerned at the unlawful unofficial strike action taking place at a handful of sites this morning, despite the end of the official strike and the fact that the vast majority of our people are back at work. Unlawful action is wholly unacceptable and must be condemned by the trade union.”