Tag: Royal Mail

UK strike hits postal services

Posted by | Jul 2, 2007 | |

Some main post offices could be closed on Monday as the Royal Mail is hit by a fresh strike in a row over transferring services to WH Smith stores.

Hundreds of members of the Communication Workers Union took industrial action from 6am to midday in protest at plans to close 85 so-called Crown post offices and move their services to the high street retailer.

Workers at the UK’s 465 Crown Offices staged a similar walkout on Friday as part of the national postal strike, which crippled deliveries.

The union regards the WH Smith move as privatization and has warned that 1,500 jobs will be axed and workers who remain will suffer pay and pensions cuts worth thousands of pounds.

The union said it expected Monday’s strike to lead to Crown post offices being closed or badly disrupted until lunchtime.

The CWU warned there will be further strikes unless the Post Office returned to negotiations with an improved offer on pay and job security.

The postal organization said managers will be drafted in to work in affected offices, while the 13,800 sub post offices are not involved in the dispute and will all be open as normal.

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GLS Germany acquires 400 trailer units

Posted by | Jul 2, 2007 | |

GLS Germany has invested €3 million in 400 new “jumbo-size” trailer units to build up capacity for increasing volumes.
Thirty of the trailers are already in operation, and the remainder will be integrated into the network ready for the autumn peak season, the parcel delivery company said in a statement.
GLS currently has about 2,800 trailer units in operation, including 1,100 jumbo-size units with about 15% more loading capacity.
GLS Germany belongs to General Logistics Systems International Holding BV (GLS), which was founded in 1999 and is headquartered in Amsterdam. It is a Pan-European company providing parcel and express services as well as value-added logistics solutions. The company offers its services through wholly owned and partner companies in 33 European states.

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Post Offices hit by Royal Mail strike

Posted by | Jul 2, 2007 | |

A strike by Royal Mail workers led to the closure of 25 larger post offices across the country today.

The company said most of its network of crown offices opened despite the walkout by members of the Communication Workers Union in a row over transferring services from post offices to WH Smith stores.

A Post Office spokesman said: “The overwhelming majority of branches were serving customers today. We’re very sorry for any inconvenience caused by the CWU strike action which meant we were not able to open a small number of offices.”

Half the counter staff turned up for work, and together with management volunteers managed to keep open all but 25 of the 458 crown branches, said a spokesman.

Hundreds of union members were on strike until midday in protest at plans to close 85 crown branches and move services to the High Street retailer.

The union regards the move as privatisation and warned 1,500 jobs will be axed and workers who remain will suffer pay and pension cuts worth thousands of pounds.

The union’s national officer, Andy Furey, said: “Members have been left with no alternative but to take strike action as management is steam-rolling ahead with closures of crown post offices across the UK.”

The union warned there will be further industrial action unless the post office returns to negotiations with an improved offer on pay and job security.

The Royal Mail said its crown network, which includes the largest branches in high streets and shopping centres was losing around GBP 70 million a year on its operations, which was unsustainable long-term.

Meanwhile, postal workers were clearing the backlog of mail caused by last Friday’s 24-hour strike in a separate row over pay and jobs.

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Royal Mail in negotiations with postal union leaders for guaranteed deliveries of Harry Poter

Posted by | Jul 1, 2007 | |

Royal Mail in negotiations with postal union leaders to appeal to them not to disrupt deliveries of J.K. Rowling’s latest novel.

Royal Mail chiefs are using Harry in negotiations with postal union leaders to appeal to them not to disrupt deliveries of J.K. Rowling’s latest novel.

Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows, the seventh and last in the series, is due to be published on July 20 and Royal Mail has promised next-day delivery to thousands of retailers across the country.

But with postal workers threatening a series of walkouts in a dispute over pay, bosses have asked the Communication Workers Union to ensure that millions of children are not disappointed.

In a letter seen by The Mail on Sunday, Royal Mail human resources director Kevin Green has pleaded with CWU deputy general secretary Dave Ward to abandon any plans for industrial action in the week of the book launch.

Mr Green’s letter says: “J.K. Rowling’s book, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, is due to be released on Friday, July 20, for delivery on July 21, and we will be providing a next-day delivery service for many major book retailers.

Royal Mail has not heard back from the union. But when asked if the CWU would give an assurance that it would not strike on a certain day, a union spokesman replied: “No.”

Royal Mail is also concerned about the launch of millions of Harry Potter stamps on July 17.

On last Friday the union’s 180,000 workers were called out, bringing chaos to the postal service.

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Wales’s minister looks to ban junk mail

Posted by | Jul 1, 2007 | |

Wales’ minister is looking to ban junk mail as part of the Assembly’s commitment to green issues.

The move to boot unwanted competitions, loan offers and credit card applications off our doormats forever would rank alongside the smoking ban as another bold piece of legislation introduced here in the wake of devolution.

The Environment Agency estimates junk mail from households and businesses helps to create 4.6 million tonnes of landfill in Wales every year. In 2004 a National Audit Office report predicted Wales will run out of space for dumping rubbish by 2010.

Ms Davidson’s words echo her proposal last month to ban or enforce a levy on plastic bags in Wales. It is a reflection of the rising importance of environmental concerns among voters.

But any such move would face opposition from Royal Mail, which makes millions every year from contracts with private firms to deliver junk mail.

Responding to the Welsh Minister’s idea, a Royal Mail spokesman spelled out how vital junk mail is to its business.

“Our future depends on it competing effectively in all parts of the market and that includes unaddressed mail. The revenue from unaddressed mail helps keep Royal Mail’s stamp prices among the very lowest in Europe and we believe our customers would prefer our uniformed postmen and women to deliver this mail rather than someone else,” he said.

Figures from industry body the Direct Marketing Association claim junk mail accounts for 814,000 jobs in the UK. In 2005 alone, it generated business worth GBP 107bn.

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