Tag: UK

An extra delivery of completed postal ballot papers will be made to polling centres on the evening of June 10, election day, says Royal Mail. As ministers insisted the all-postal voting trials in four regions remained on track, Royal Mail said it had delivered all the ballot papers it had received from councils, about 95 per cent of the 14m due to be printed.

Executives at Royal Mail are deferring or waiving bonus payments, even though the postal organisation has made a profit for the first time in four years.

Chairman Allan Leighton is to defer his entire bonus, worth pounds 144,000, until the group meets quality of service targets in the 2004/5 financial year and if the targets are not reached he will lose his entire bonus.

The Communication Workers’ Union (CWU) deputy general secretary, Dave Ward, has written to Royal Mail chairman Allan Leighton calling for ‘straight talking’ about his role in a rumoured ‘privatisation’ plan for Royal Mail.

Royal Mail is considering a plan to sell part of its postal business to its own employees amid fears of a government push to privatise the industry.

The UK’s Royal Mail has released its annual results for 2004 showing a significant turnaround in its fortunes. Whereas the postal operator made a loss of GBP197m (EUR288m) in 2003 it achieved operating profits of GBP220m (EUR321m) in 2004. Its revenues rose by 4percent to GBP6.3bn (EUR9.2bn) compared with the year before. Management of the company put the improved performance down to a number of factors. Most importantly it implemented a 1p rise in the costs of stamps which resulted in additional revenues of GBP200m.