Strikes threaten Royal Mail future
Strikes threaten Royal Mail future
Read MoreTag: Royal Mail
Use Your Postal Service or Lose It
Hardened unionists, determined to stand on picket lines to the last, are a big part of Royal Mail’s present troubles.
There are of course many that will be doing so because the changes ahead at Britain’s monopoly postal provider will affect their way of lives, there is also a proportion who feel its in the interest of their customers, but by and large, activists make up a large percentage of strikers, particularly in areas that have in the past seen mining strikes.
Such memories are not easily forgotten – particularly in the north and parts of Wales but certainly Royal Mail has had a great deal of influence from the union in its lifetime, and its a strength that is not easily given up by its members.
In the private sector, flexibility has been key to maximizing profits and arguably with little reward for those doing the actual work but in most cases, productivity bonuses and reward payments have been welcomed. On the reverse side, the fat cat culture has swelled in some industries and understandably unions are becoming somewhat restless. That said, industrial action in the form of strikes also has a negative effect. Loss of revenue can weaken a business to the point of no return and Royal Mail is determined not to be bullied by strikes as it reorganizes the way it works simply to survive.
Read MoreRoyal Mail Sets Out Vision For Future Working – updated
Royal Mail has set out its plan for the future in its ‘full and final offer’ to its workers and is pressing on with change whether in total agreement with the CWU or not.
It emphasizes the need to be flexible and the way in which employees presently work has to change and goes on to say that Royal Mail and CWU have agree that in order to achieve these aims an unprecedented focus is required on driving up the efficiency of the operation and the productivity of its people.
Night shifts are to be removed from all mail centers with the exception of busy city centre units. Delivery times are to be pushed back in step with legislative change to 7.5 T vehicle maximum speeds on 7.5 ton trucks. Weekend working at premium rates is to be cut back drastically. Seasonal changes will also be taken into account allowing greater flexibility for holidays but staff will be expected to cover other duties as required. Door to door products are to be increased from 3 to 5 items but payment for these capped at 3.
Read MorePost Office launches over 50s life cover
The Post Office announces its launch into the life market with its new Over 50s Life Cover, available now.
The over 50s plan builds on the Post Office’s existing range of financial services and offers affordable and comprehensive peace of mind to people who want to avoid passing on funeral costs or outstanding debts to their family.
Acceptance is guaranteed for everyone that applies. Only three simple questions need to be answered to receive a quote, with no medical questions or checks needed.
Customers can choose how much cover they want with premiums starting at just £7 a month up to a maximum of GBP 50. Post Office® Over 50s Life Cover offers higher sums assured than the leading products currently on the market and will pay out the full sum assured after just 12 months (see comparison tables below).
And customers can choose a free gift – a Freeview box, digital camera or box of wine – after their third monthly payment has been collected.
Post Office director of insurance Phil Ashkuri said: “This is the first of a suite of products the Post Office is launching into the life market. Our Over 50s cover is easy to understand and apply for, with guaranteed acceptance. We also offer our customers more comprehensive cover than some of the leading plans on the market by paying out the full sum assured after just 12 months.”
Read MoreA Conservative view on UK Post Offices
The Conservative Party’s Quality of Life taskforce report, chaired by John Gummer and Zac Goldsmith, was released today. It has some interesting views on the future post offices:
“Shop, post office, church, pub, and primary school – these are some of the indicators of a vibrant rural community, but few villages possess all five. However, they remain vital for the minority of the population – e.g. young people, mothers in one-car families, the elderly – who do not have access to a car. Conservatives should aim to minimize the closure of these services and stimulate innovative ways of providing alternatives for villages that do not have them.
Sub post offices play an important role in village life and could become again a vibrant centre for rural services. In the age of the internet, they already perform a useful role in mail order fulfillment. Their demise is partly because of the failure of Government to design modern benefit delivery packages that would make use of their services and partly the legacy of Post Office history where labyrinthine systems, a lack of interest in the network, and a failure to keep up with modern retailing was bred by a belief that the system had a God-given right to survive.
There are clear indications that the Post Office has changed significantly and would be capable, given the chance, of running a sensibly sized rural network providing a wide range of services in communities that would otherwise be without. Instead of complaining when supermarkets do not want to continue to house a post office, we should be redesigning the sub-post office so that it becomes a much sought after adjunct to a business as well as a business in its own right.
To that end we should initiate an independent enquiry chaired by a successful retailer and with full access to Government Ministers and Departments, to recommend innovative structures and technologies to make the Post Office rural network modern and indispensable. It should also be charged with advising Government on the redesign of its services so that they could be provided better through the agency of the local post office.
In the meantime, Conservatives should pledge to keep the GBP 150m a year subsidy for rural sub post offices in order to maintain the network while exploring radical solutions for service delivery in rural areas, which might include their being the agent for suitable local authority services, the centre for parish council transport-sharing schemes, and the provider of an emissions-saving means of taking services to rural customers.”
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