Tag: UK

Postal workers have voted to accept a deal aimed at ending a long running dispute over pay, it was announced.

Members of the Communication Workers Union voted by more than 2-1 in favour of a deal covering pay, London Weighting allowances and working practices.

Deputy general secretary Dave Ward said there had been a “moderate” turnout in the ballot which was a “health warning” to the Royal Mail.

Charity finance organisations have criticised proposals to abolish the Royal Mail’s VAT-exempt status, warning of a massive hike in the cost of direct mail.

The Royal Mail does not currently charge VAT for its postal services, but other postal operators are required to, at 17.5 per cent. The postal services regulator Postcomm says that although this has little effect on those businesses that can reclaim VAT, many major mailers, including charities, are not able to, putting Royal Mail competitors at a disadvantage.

Royal Mail have created a new database product to help charities keep their supporter records correct and up to date, after it was revealed that incorrectly addressed direct mail cost UK businesses and charities GBP163m in 2002.

The latest research from Royal Mail showed that up to 69 per cent of charity and business-related letters are incorrectly addressed, with 172 million items of mail sent to the wrong address in 2002. The Royal Mail’s new database product, the Business Changes File, has been designed to help charities keep track of existing and potential supporters, as well as assisting companies to follow their existing and potential customers. The database compiles data from Royal Mail’s business movers list, as well as details of new phone connections and listings for businesses that are no longer trading.