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The company previously denied that a delay in postal ballots arriving for the 2024 general election were due to backlogs.
Royal Mail has failed to meet its annual first and second class delivery targets since 2019, and was fined £21million in October for breaching its universal service obligation.
Even accounting for exceptional weather events, Royal Mail only delivered 77% of First Class mail on time and 92.5% of Second Class mail on time between April 2024 and March 2025.
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The Communication Workers Union (CWU) on Wednesday sent a briefing to all Scottish MPs and MSPs warning that current backlogs, staffing shortages and managerial decisions pose a real risk to the delivery of vital and critically important mail; including the timely delivery of election material and postal ballots for the upcoming Scottish Parliamentary elections.
According to the union, Scotland has the highest staff attrition in the UK, with over 21% of new starters leaving within 90 days.
It said deterioration is severe with reduced flights and rail capacity, later mail arrivals, delivery backlogs and a growing prioritisation of parcels over mail, all harming communities across Scotland, especially rural, highland and island areas that depend on the universal network.
The CWU warned of a tangible electoral risk as current operational failures could compromise the delivery of party mailings and, critically, postal ballot papers, potentially undermining voters’ ability to participate in the Scottish Parliamentary elections.
Craig Anderson, CWU Scottish Secretary, said: “Our posties are speaking out because they care about the public service they provide and about the communities they serve.
“CWU Members are disappointed and alarmed by management decisions which favour short-term cuts over a properly resourced, safe and reliable postal service. Across Scotland, we are hearing reports of important mail, such as medical letters and legal correspondence, being delayed.
“This is not just a jobs issue; it is a threat to vital public infrastructure, and now, with the imminent Scottish election, we fear that there is a potential threat to democratic processes in Scotland.
“Scotland’s politicians must unite and intervene now. We need a clear guarantee from Royal Mail that every Scottish election mailing and postal ballot will be delivered on time and properly, and assurances that our democratic process won’t be put at risk by Royal Mail failures.
“Scotland’s posties keep our communities connected, it’s time our politicians ensure they deliver for them.”
The CWU is asking for MPs and MSPs to “urgently” press for a formal, written guarantee from Royal Mail that all Scottish election material and postal ballots will be delivered on time to every constituency.
The union is also calling for a five-way meeting between Ministers, EP Group/Royal Mail, MSPs, MPs and the CWU to review operations in Scotland and stronger regulation to prevent unfair competition from gig-economy couriers and to protect the sustainability of the universal postal network.
The service, which was privatised in 2013, was sold to Czech billionaire Daniel Křetínský last year.
As previously reported by The Herald, staff have alleged that the service prioritises tracked deliveries over first and second class mail.
The company denies this, stating that it has “contingency plans” which may lead to parcels being cleared first at busy periods due to them taking up more space.
The Business and Trade Committee group of MPs has written to Royal Mail’s interim CEO, Alistair Cochrane, asking for concerns to be addressed with a response expected by March 2.
A Royal Mail spokesperson said: “We reject claims that postal services in Scotland pose any risk to the delivery of election material or postal votes. We take our role in supporting UK democracy extremely seriously and have successfully delivered elections for many years.
“Our dedicated elections team plans year-round and has been working with the Electoral Commission, Scottish Government, local authorities, political parties, printers and suppliers to ensure candidate mail, poll cards and postal votes are delivered securely and on time. Robust processes and daily operational oversight are in place throughout the election period to maintain service stability and resolve any issues quickly.
“These well-rehearsed measures mean we are fully prepared to deliver election mail across Scotland, and suggestions that the delivery of election mail is at risk are simply wrong.”
