Public would pay more for better postal service
MOST people would be happy to pay an extra 2p to post a letter if it made the service more reliable, a poll conducted for postal union CWU revealed last night.
The National Opinion Poll survey of 1,000 people found that 89 per cent would be prepared to pay the extra cost.
CWU general secretary Billy Hayes called for prices to be increased immediately to save some of the thousands of jobs which are due to be axed.
An extra 2p on stamps would generate more than £364 million in revenue and virtually halve the Post Office's losses.
Mr Hayes said: "It is a remarkable fact that the commercial freedom offered to the Post Office does not include control over prices."
The Post Office applied a year ago to increase both the 19p second-class and 27p first-class stamp prices by 1p, but was refused permission.
More than 1,000 postal workers from across the country will stage a lobby of MPs in London on Wednesday as part of the campaign to save jobs and maintain deliveries.
Mr Hayes said: "Our members will demand that MPs put pressure on the government to save a vital public service."
The union is calling on the industry's regulator Postcomm to withdraw its "irresponsible" plans to open up the postal market to more competition.
The deadline for responses to Postcomm's proposals is Friday.
A new report revealed a dramatic reduction in the number of days lost through unofficial industrial action in the postal service in the past few months.
The report by Lord Sawyer, who is a former official of public-sector union UNISON, said that there had been no official industrial action since a moratorium had ben agreed by the union six months ago.
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MAJORITY `WOULD PAY 2P MORE TO SAVE POST JOBS'
By Alan Jones, Industrial Correspondent, PA News
Most people would be happy to pay an extra 2p to post a letter if it made the service more reliable and helped save postal workers' jobs, according to a new opinion poll today.
Research for the Communication Workers Union showed huge support for a price rise among members of the public.
The National Opinion Poll survey of 1,000 people revealed that 89% would be prepared to pay an extra 2p on a stamp to ensure a more reliable postal service and avoid job losses.
CWU general secretary Billy Hayes called for prices to be increased immediately to save some of the thousands of jobs set to be axed.
An extra 2p on stamps would generate more than #364 million in revenue and virtually halve the losses of postal group Consignia, the union argued.
"It is a remarkable fact that the commercial freedom offered to the Post Office does not include control over prices," said Mr Hayes.
Consignia applied a year ago to increase the 19p second class and 27p first class stamp prices by 1p but was refused permission.
More than 1,000 postal workers from across the country will stage a lobby of MPs in London on Wednesday as part of the union campaign to save jobs and maintain deliveries.
"Our members will demand that MPs put pressure on the Government to save a vital public service," said Mr Hayes.
The union is calling on the industry's regulator Postcomm to withdraw its "irresponsible" plans to open up the postal market to more competition.
The deadline for responses to Postcomm's proposals is on Friday.
Meanwhile a new report has revealed a dramatic reduction in the number of days lost through unofficial industrial action in the postal service in the past few months.
About 320 days were lost during January and February compared to 45,793 between April and June last year.
There has been no official industrial action at all since a moratorium was agreed by the union six months ago.
The details were disclosed in a review of industrial relations published by Lord Sawyer.
"Royal Mail remains committed to achieving the best possible industrial relations and to make the business a better place in which to work.
"Achieving these goals will play a vital part in giving customers a high quality service," said a Royal Mail spokesman.
