Unions claim Royal Mail wants to scrap some collection days
Royal Mail wants to scrap all Sunday and Bank Holiday collections, York postal union leaders have claimed.
The Communication Workers Union says the proposal is part of a nationwide move to cut weekend working and reduce overtime payments.
The claims are made in a newsletter issued to York posties by the union’s North East Division. The document was passed to The Press yesterday, within hours of the paper reporting that postal staff across the country are to be balloted for possible strike action over pay.
The letter suggests Royal Mail aims to deliver only first class mail on Saturdays, with second class mail moving to Mondays.
“Royal Mail will introduce this by July 2. They are also in discussions with both Postcomm and Postwatch to cease all Sunday and Bank Holiday collections.”
The newsletter also claims that massive TV screens costing GBP 6,000 are being installed in every delivery office, mail centre and Post Office counter in the country.
It claims that, with 2,000 delivery offices, about 450 Post Office counters and 78 mail centres which have had more than one screen installed, the cost has come to about GBP 15 million.
The newsletter states: “And they say they can’t afford to give us a pay rise!”
It says Royal Mail chiefs will probably use the screens to plead with staff to vote no to industrial action, and the union is asking members to “turn your back” on the screens.
A Royal Mail spokeswoman said that under its licence, it was obliged to deliver and collect six days a week.
“However, we would consult with Postcomm and Postwatch if we wanted to make changes to the service we currently provide,” she said.
“We are talking to the union about making changes to the way we work, such as less weekend working and some shift changes, to match workload more closely and therefore make our operation more efficient.
“We are installing screens in our buildings because it is normal, good practice for any large company to have effective and swift communications with its people, especially when operating out of many different sites.”
