30,000 postal staff to be recruited

My Account
Logout

Create an Evening Standard Account

Use your social network

Save time by using your existing account to sign in to Evening Standard

We'll never share your information or post anything to your account without your permission

Welcome! Sign in here

Use your social network

Save time by using your existing account to sign in to Evening Standard

We'll never share your information or post anything to your account without your permission

Forgot your password ?

Registration

* indicates fields that are mandatory

Email *

Password *

Confirm Password *

First name *

Surname *

Postcode *

Country *

Mobile phone number

Username *

Gender *

Year of birth *

When you sign up...

You will have access to all our online competitions, discounted offers and can post comments on our site.

You will also receive The Weekender newsletter sent every Thursday - it’s full of fantastic offers and ideas for the weekend. You can update your email preferences in your account page when you log in.

Other newsletters and emails

Homes & Property Newsletter - Yes I want to receive the weekly email with all the latest news on property in the capital

Occasionally we would also like to send you relevant emails detailing specific offers either from ourselves or carefully selected partners. If you would prefer not to receive these then please tick the appropriate boxes below. We will never pass on your details.

I do not want to receive additional offers and information from the Evening Standard

I do not want to receive additional offers and information sent by Evening Standard on behalf of carefully selected partners

Terms and Conditions

* I have read, understood and agree to be bound by the terms and conditions of Evening Standard

Registration

Mail Sent for Registration Confirmation.

A confirmation email has been sent. Please activate your account by clicking on the activation link sent in your mail box.

The company, facing two national strikes next week, said it was hiring twice the number of extra staff it usually takes on in the run-up to Christmas.

The Communication Workers Union accused Royal Mail of being more interested in "sidelining" the views of its staff than resolving the bitter row over jobs, pay and services.

Royal Mail said that as well as dealing with the extra mail sent in the weeks running up to Christmas, it wanted to offset the impact on customers of the CWU's "unjustified and irresponsible" strikes.

Royal Mail said the recruitment drive was not aimed at bringing in staff to do postmen's work when they are out on strike, but to make sure there were enough employees to help clear any backlogs between walkouts as well as to help with the seasonal build-up of mail.

Managers said the recruitment was fully in line with all employment law.

Royal Mail chief executive Adam Crozier said: "We are continuing to urge the union to halt its appalling and unjustified attack on customers. At the same time, we are absolutely determined to do everything we can to minimise delays to customers' mail, especially in the run-up to Christmas.

"Every year, Royal Mail recruits thousands of additional fully vetted, temporary staff as part of the operation which successfully delivers the Christmas mail. This year we'll have twice as many people on board, and we'll have them in place much earlier in the autumn."

Around 5,000 managers will be sorting and delivering mail during strikes, while five additional sorting centres are to be set up.

Royal Mail said around 85,000 people had applied for temporary Christmas work.