Royal Mail update on strike action
4/11/2009 at 10:28
Whilst the strikes due to take place on Friday of this week and Monday of next aren’t inevitable, it would appear pretty likely that they’ll go ahead. Talks are still continuing between Royal Mail and the CWU so there’s the potential agreement might be reached, but the good news is that so far the mail is getting through.
Currently Royal Mail say the backlog caused by last weeks strikes is down to 14 million items and Royal Mail expect them to be cleared tomorrow. To put 14 million into perspective Royal Mail handle around 75 million items of mail every day so it’s only about 20% of one day’s mail that’s currently delayed by no more than a couple of days for most of the country. The exception is London where a few SE and SW postcodes have experienced longer delays.
At the moment Royal Mail are suspending delivery guarantees for Special Delivery from Thursday 5th November to Monday 9th November but will prioritise delivery of these items along with their other premium service – Royal mail tracked.
The CWU is also in the High Court on Friday to apply for an injunction against Royal Mail using temporary staff to clear mail backlogs. They claim that Royal Mail is breaking the law because it is illegal to take on staff to cover workers involved in a strike. Royal Mail dismiss this claim stating that temps are being used to clear mail backlogs in the run up to Christmas and not to replace striking workers.
SimonL says
10:57 am on 04/11/2009
So far what I have posted has been getting through and quite quickly, so ell done to the post office, just wish the customers wheren’t so scared off buying.
Andy says
12:21 pm on November 4th, 2009
Simon, it’s not the Post Office who deliver mail. It’s Royal Mail. The Post Office only take post from the public which is then passed to Royal Mail. They then have absolute control over delivery from that point.
SimonL says
3:56 pm on November 4th, 2009
I dont really give a monkey’s who it is as long as my items get delivered in a timely fashion, it could be Elvis for all I care
Andy says
12:20 pm on 04/11/2009
I find it hard to believe that Royal Mail are telling the truth about the backlog. Their and the CWU figures are so far apart I’d probably be more inclined to believe a figure somewhere in the middle.
We have not had any good experiences getting mail delivered during the strikes. We have sent, as I’ve mentioned here before, a number of test packages. In our last batch we sent 15 last Friday when supposedly everyone was working except the manual inputting people. 5 were delivered on Monday, 5 yesterday but 5 of those packages have still not been delivered.
And all of our Special Delivery packages posted last Thursday – with the guarantee in place – were only delivered on Monday. So post and hope we won’t be doing.
Deb says
1:20 pm on 04/11/2009
Post we have sent has got through the next day & similarly we’ve received mail as normal. It’s perceptions & concern putting people off purchasing on the Net. Postal workers talk about their right to a job but they don’t give a care for the livelihoods of others they are ruining. At least they get paid on the days they turn in for work too. Our business is suffering every day as a result of their action.
Bamford Trading says
1:49 pm on 04/11/2009
The strikes will go ahead – RM need to see how many posties come to work and the CWU need to see how this injunction is judged. Only then will the children stop bickering in the playground and act a little more grown up. (or worst case one side will put two fingers up at the other).
Meantime we have had to put our team of 7 on short time at a time they should be earning good bonus’s. I wish the two parties had had to have that conversation and not me.
Once this is settled we will do all we can to negotiate delivery contracts with reliable companies who want to work.
Chris Dawson says
4:00 pm on 04/11/2009
Don’t forget if you’ve got something to send tomorrow we’ve a couple of free deliveries via myHermes left for the first to ask for them
Keith says
10:16 pm on November 4th, 2009
I’ll have em if they are still up for grabs..
Bigpoppa says
10:45 pm on 04/11/2009
I heard a little bird saying that the strike may be called off…Hmmm we’ll see, fingers crossed….
…The union is going to be making an announcement tomorrow.
Sue Bailey says
10:57 pm on November 4th, 2009
http://www.cwu.org/news/archive/update-on-postal-dispute.html
Andy says
1:23 pm on November 5th, 2009
Draft Deal Agreed By Royal Mail And Union
http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/Business/Postal-Workers-And-Royal-Mail-Have-Agreed-On-A-Draft-Deal-According-To-Sky-Sources/Article/200911115439667?lpos=Business_Carousel_Region_1&lid=ARTICLE_15439667_Postal_Workers_And_Royal_Mail_Have_Agreed_On_A_Draft_Deal,_According_To_Sky_Sources
Steven Morrissey says
6:47 am on 05/11/2009
The strikes will be called off today, Thursday. FACT.
Chris Dawson says
10:19 am on November 5th, 2009
Makes no difference if they do – the damage is already done.
I’ve just heard that a major high street games store has just switched delivery of pre-orders of Call of Duty which is due for release tomorrow to ParcelForce.
People just don’t and won’t trust Royal Mail at the moment no matter how well they’re coping with industrial action
Andy says
1:22 pm on November 5th, 2009
Agree completely Chris. Sky reporting that the strikes are about to be called off but the damage is done. IMRG did research showing 60% of online retailers had used alternatives to Royal Mail during the strikes and that 100% (that’s right 100%) thought the alternative had been more efficient than Royal Mail and they wouldn’t be going back. Good luck to the 80,000 odd posties left. You’ll be down to 60,000 in 2 years. Mark my words.
Richard says
1:24 pm on November 5th, 2009
Draft Deal Agreed By Royal Mail And Union http://tinyurl.com/ye4uv5v
Bigpoppa says
1:53 pm on 05/11/2009
Looks like i’ll have to trust that little birdie in the future…