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Royal Mail is urging its customers to send out their post earlier than usual if they want it to go out in time for Christmas.
The company is under pressure from workers who will be taking part in industrial action in the run-up to Christmas. It has issued an update on the recommended posting dates for international and domestic mail, while considering the impact of planned strike action by members of the Communication Workers Union on December 9, 11, 14, 15, 23, and 24.
The changes have been implemented to help transfer mail at a time of year when postage use is higher than normal. It comes after the Royal Mail said it will continue to deploy contingency plans in the face of strike action.
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Nick Landon, chief commercial officer, Royal Mail, said: “The CWU is striking at our busiest time, holding Christmas to ransom for our customers, businesses and families across the country. We apologise to our customers for any disruption and delay that the CWU strike action is causing. We ask our customers to post early for Christmas to help us deliver Christmas.”
Royal Mail now suggests that customers using second-class should post their parcels and letter by December 12 while those using first-class should use the service by December 16. Laura Joseph, Post Office customer experience director, said: “December 12 is now likely to be even busier in Post Office branches as customers race to take advantage of the cheaper postage as this is now the last recommended date for sending second-class parcels to arrive for Christmas.
As soon as you’ve got your parcels ready to go, don’t wait to come into branch and get them in the post – many Post Office branches are open long hours and some are open seven days a week so pop into your local branch and get your gifts sent in time for Christmas.”
CWU members are taking action as part of a long-running dispute over pay, jobs and conditions.
CWU general secretary Dave Ward said last week: “Royal Mail bosses are risking a Christmas meltdown because of their stubborn refusal to treat their employees with respect.
“Postal workers want to get on with serving the communities they belong to, delivering Christmas gifts and tackling the backlog from recent weeks.
“But they know their value and they will not meekly accept the casualisation of their jobs, the destruction of their conditions and the impoverishment of their families.
“This can be resolved if Royal Mail begin treating their workers with respect and meet with the union to resolve this dispute.”
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