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Why the postal strike is happening ... and how you can beat it
22 Oct 2009What is going on today?
Tens of thousands of mail centre staff and drivers are walking out today and tomorrow in protest at plans to modernise the service.
The Communication Workers Union says the Royal Mail has failed to consult them on job losses that could result from the introduction of a “walk sequencing machine”. This device organises letters into the order the postmen and women will deliver them the next morning and the CWU fears the national roll-out of this machine will mean thousands of jobs will be lost.
Today mail centre staff and drivers will strike so the processing, movement and collection of mail will be limited. Tomorrow delivery and collection staff will walk out, meaning services will be “very limited”.
Special Delivery and Royal Mail Tracked items will still be delivered on strike days.
Post Office branches will be open as usual, although collections will be affected and Parcelforce will operate as normal, as it has its own collection, distribution and delivery network.
What can you do instead?
The Service Point scheme, operated by DHL, operates from many WH Smith stores, plus outlets of Staples, Ryman and Cartridge World.
It will deliver to anywhere in the UK or overseas. Prices start at £5.95.
If you want to send a letter or parcel weighing above 350g, use any delivery or courier firm that accepts the business.
For items that weigh 350g or less, only 30 companies are licensed by regulator Postcomm. But these companies are not obliged to offer a universal service across all parts of the UK, unlike Royal Mail, so they can choose to turn down your business or may charge hefty fees.
Why is Royal Mail making the changes?
Royal Mail says the number of letters and parcels its core business delivers is falling by 10 per cent each year, costing it £170 million a year.
To respond to this decline in business, it says staffing cuts are inevitable.
In 2008, the Royal Mail Group went into the black for the first time in 20 years and profit at the main letters and packages unit was £58 million from a turnover of £6.7 billion.
Royal Mail says this margin is very small considering the size of the turnover. The group also has a £6.8 billion pensions deficit.
