Union disappointed over Royal Mail prioritising parcels

[TrueBlueTerrier]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cd12d137pv0o

The union representing postal workers in Luton and Milton Keynes said it was “disappointed” that postal workers were told to prioritise parcels over letters.

The Communication Workers Union (CWU) said it was due to a combination of industrial action and the weather.

Issues have been made worse in Luton with 25 vacancies in the sorting office, the union said.

Royal Mail said it does not prioritise parcels except at particularly busy times, such as after a strike.

Neil Kidwell from the CWU in Luton and Milton Keynes told BBC Three Counties Radio: "Senior management are asking their local managers in Luton to prioritise parcels over letters.

"I’m extremely disappointed... the goal is to deliver every item of mail, parcel or letter, with equal importance."

He said postal staff were "going to houses with parcels knowing there are letters back in the office that could have been delivered".

Royal Mail, in a statement, said it "does not operate a policy of prioritising parcels".

But it added: "At particularly busy times, such as in the recovery days after a strike, we may occasionally at a local level clear parcels to free up space and address health and safety concerns so that we can keep all mail - including letters - moving efficiently through our network."
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Postal workers belonging to the CWU took industrial action on four days earlier this month, and are due to go on strike again on Friday and Saturday.

Workers are striking over pay and conditions but Royal Mail accused the union of "holding Christmas to ransom".

[pieoftheday]

Due to industrial action and weather? Wtf! It's been happening for at least 2 years at our DO, good grief

[Dorset Plodder]

I'm sure it's just a coincidence that Manager's BONUSES are worked out on the ammount of TRACKED that their Office clears.

They're not affected by how many LETTERS & CARDS are left in the Frame.

No surprise then that Managers ARE prioritising Tracked to inflate their already over generous salaries.

[matthew68]

I didn’t realize we had been striking for 2 years!

[Grinder64]

I'm sure it's just a coincidence that Manager's BONUSES are worked out on the ammount of TRACKED that their Office clears.

They're not affected by how many LETTERS & CARDS are left in the Frame.

No surprise then that Managers ARE prioritising Tracked to inflate their already over generous salaries.

Something that I've been at pains to explain to customers when they ask why they're still waiting on important letters, documents etc when I knock on them with a tracked. I've no qualms at all telling people that the blame lies fairly and squarely with the shower of corporate vermin that we have at the helm of this once-great company.

[matthew68]

I'm sure it's just a coincidence that Manager's BONUSES are worked out on the ammount of TRACKED that their Office clears.

They're not affected by how many LETTERS & CARDS are left in the Frame.

No surprise then that Managers ARE prioritising Tracked to inflate their already over generous salaries.

Something that I've been at pains to explain to customers when they ask why they're still waiting on important letters, documents etc when I knock on them with a tracked. I've no qualms at all telling people that the blame lies fairly and squarely with the shower of corporate vermin that we have at the helm of this once-great company.

Exactly right, I tell them as well and say unfortunately it’s a management decision to leave letters and priorities tracked. We’ve never had so many complaints but they really don’t care anymore so how can they expect us to

[iHateD2Ds]

We been prioritising parcels since the start of pandemic.

[enskied]

We been prioritising parcels since the start of pandemic.

We've been doing it 2 years before the pandemic. No replacement Staff for over 10 years now.... Bar the odd three 20 HR PT replacement for over 15 lost ft duties.

[TopperGas]

Why haven't the union been "disappointed" for the last two plus years, as all their reps have known Tracked parcels have given priority during that time? I'd imagine if you did a survey must customers would say they wanted parcels to have priority in any event.

[Mr Rush]

I'd imagine if you did a survey must customers would say they wanted parcels to have priority in any event.

Perhaps, but not just the Tracked ones - the class of packets that RM happens to have a commercial interest in seeing delivered on time. The 'universal' part of the USO also applies to packets.