Royal Mail issues warning about increasing costs for anyone using first class stamps

[TrueBlueTerrier]

https://www.mylondon.news/news/uk-world ... g-25795881

Royal Mail has warned that the price of a first class stamp could hit £1 if it doesn’t cut back on delivery services. The postal service is warning that the cost of a stamp could reach a record high if they don’t axe its Saturday deliveries.

Royal Mail already raised the price of stamps from 85p to 95p in March with the price of a second-class stamp also rising to 68p. Royal Mail boss Keith Williams predicted a “considerable” increase - warning: “You’re delivering the same number of letters over six days when you could be doing it over five. So that is forcing up stamp prices.”

Current industrial action over pay and conditions has led to many union bosses and workers warning of the direction Royal Mail is going. Ministers were told last week that transforming the Royal Mail into a "gig economy courier" would have huge implications for its future and the Commons must debate it.

On top of Royal Mail workers, nurses, paramedics, rail workers, and Border Force officials will also stage walkouts over jobs, pay, and conditions this month. Labour MP Justin Madders (Ellesmere Port and Neston) said: "Today is the fifth day this month that members of the Communication Workers Union are taking industrial action at the Royal Mail, and having spoken to a number of superb postal workers in my constituency I have real concerns about the way the company is being run.

"It has gone from making a huge profit to losing hundreds of millions of pounds in 12 months. It has prioritised parcels over letter delivery and it now wants to drop the universal service obligation.

"I think that if the future of the Royal Mail is to become a gig economy courier company, that will have huge implications not only for the quality of service but also postal workers' terms and conditions and I think that is something this House ought to have an opinion on."

Royal Mail said it is "doing everything we can to deliver Christmas for our customers", and thanked an "increasing number of posties returning to work each strike day, temporary workers and managers from across the business who are helping to keep the mail moving".