Striking postal workers 'holding Christmas to ransom' says Royal Mail

[TrueBlueTerrier]

https://www.newsletter.co.uk/business/s ... il-3961184

Royal Mail has accused postal workers of “holding Christmas to ransom” as the Communication Workers Union (CWU) prepares for further tri this week.

CWU members are expected to be on the picket lines again this Friday and Saturday in a protest described by one union leader as a “fight for their survival”.

A Royal Mail spokesman said: “Christmas is our busiest time of year. In a typical December, we deliver 50% more parcels than usual. With Christmas cards, a quarter of the stamped mail sent in the whole year is sent in December.

"The CWU’s planned strike action is holding Christmas to ransom for our customers, businesses and families across the country, and is putting their own members’ jobs at risk.

"The CWU have engineered these strikes to take place at a time where it causes maximum disruption for our customers – by refusing to talk about change for months and stalling over ACAS for a month.”

He added: “We apologise to any customers who have been impacted by the CWU’s strike action. We are doing everything we can to deliver Christmas for our customers, and would like to thank the 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. However, this task becomes more challenging as Christmas nears.”

Erin Massey, the CWU’s Northern Ireland regional secretary, has called for the public to support the striking postal workers “who need you all behind them now more than ever,” and added: “By now you will all be aware of the attack on our term and conditions, in what we believe to be a race to the bottom and an asset stripping attack on the business of Royal Mail by poor management.

"This will do nothing more than decimate out members, mentally, physically and financially as the company’s intention is to get rid of tens of thousands of workers, to then replace them with ‘owner drivers’ on an up to 20% lesser contract, while also retaining their eleven thousand agency workers.”

Ms Massey went on to say: “This goes against all agreements we have with the company, even those recently agreed in the last fifteen or so months.

“Our members have been blindsided by these attacks and are now literally fighting for their survival, during this cost of living crisis, so determined are our members, they are prepared to stand by recent strike action and the loss of pay that comes with that including some even losing sick pay”.

Meanwhile, a small business owner who relies on a dependable postal service has accused Royal Mail workers of “shooting themselves in the foot” with repeated walkouts.

Wishing to be identified only as Chris, the Larne-based trader buys radio control equipment from as far away as Japan which he then sells on a number of leading internet sites.

He said his reputation for reliability is now in jeopardy due to severe disruption to his distribution network during the period of industrial action.

"I have gone out of my way to support my local post office, even though I’m aware the main competitor would be about 30p a package cheaper,” he said.

"And every time there has been a strike I have had parcels go missing.

"Obviously I am insured but doesn’t help when you consider the damage that can be done to your business by bad reviews on Amazon.

"Quite often you are dealing with people who will be quick to give you a very bad review if something doesn’t turn up for a couple of weeks.

"I’ve had packages getting to Paris quicker than I’ve been able to get them to Scotland.”

He added: "I’ve been speaking to Evri [parcel delivery service] and I’ll probably have to move away from Royal Mail altogether.

"I am by no means a big business, but it’s my livelihood and it’s how I pay my mortgage.

"I think they are shooting themselves in the foot by driving business away – particularly those who rely heavily on a dependable postal service.

“It is lunacy, and I’m sure I’m not the only small business that is moving away from them.”

Royal Mail said that on days when the national strike action is taking place, it will deliver as many Special Delivery and Tracked 24 parcels as possible and prioritise the delivery of COVID test kits and medical prescriptions wherever possible.

There will be no letters delivered with the exception of Special Delivery.

A Royal Mail spokesperson said: “We are very sorry for the disruption and delay that CWU strike action is causing.

"We continue to deploy contingency plans to keep communities, businesses and the country connected throughout the CWU’s industrial action, and are doing everything we can to deliver Christmas for our customers.

"The latest information on our services to customers during industrial action can be found on our website at: www.royalmail.com/latest-news

[deltaforce]

Man moans about his parcel going missing during strikes then turns to Evri as a alternate courier. …….Out of the frying pan into the fire comes to mind

[tractorboy2]

Man moans about his parcel going missing during strikes then turns to Evri as a alternate courier. …….Out of the frying pan into the fire comes to mind

I think it is time , that every time something is doorstepped you complain you never received it.

[smartin1982]

cracks me up when they wheel out these "its destroying my livelihood' and "they're shooting themselves in the foot" comments .
Like we aren't fighting for our livelihoods you absolute cretins.
yeah, ok, ill sacrifice all of my terms, conditions and probably the ability to pay my mortgage in the future so you can pay yours and get your little parcels on time.

[BenacreNick]

The comments by the RM spokesman absolutely beggars belief.
This truly should have been sorted out 9 months ago, its farcical.
We are absolutely not holding anyone's Christmas to ransom and if you think we are then you are mis-informed.

[Marshamp11]

Man moans about his parcel going missing during strikes then turns to Evri as a alternate courier. …….Out of the frying pan into the fire comes to mind

I think it is time , that every time something is doorstepped you complain you never received it.

I always do. I have never paid for anything that has been doorstepped.