Postal workers in vaccine plea amid deliveries backlog

POSTAL workers say they should be considered for priority Covid-19 vaccines to help keep the service afloat.

The calls come amid a Royal Mail delivery backlog due to coronavirus-related absences, which has seen Highbury and Upper Holloway among the worst-affected areas in the country.

A spokesperson for the Communications Workers Union (CWU) said “the nature of their job puts them [postal staff] at a higher risk than the general population”, adding: “Throughout this pandemic, our members have gone to work every day, risking serious illness or death to keep Britain connected.

“Just like care workers, teachers, shop workers and many others, our members provide an essential service, and we urge the government to consider them for priority vaccinations after all other vulnerable groups have been vaccinated.”

Postal staff are working later hours to reduce the backlog but due to the high numbers of online shoppers throughout the Christmas period the service has struggled to keep up. Royal Mail hired 33,000 temporary workers to help with the huge demand for parcels.

Highbury councillor Caroline Russell, who is also a Green Party London Assembly member, said: “Our posties have done an incredible job throughout the pandemic delivering Christmas and birthday cards along with practical letters with hospital appointments or new bank cards.

“Workers in frontline services in London – including people delivering our mail – need to be protected from coronavirus rapidly. Prioritising vaccination for the people keeping the city running is a sensible step once the most vulnerable groups have been reached.”

The Royal Mail has ordered staff to focus on parcels rather than letters due to the shortages. The process has also been slowed down due to social-distancing measures at sorting offices.

The Tribune has been contacted by several residents who said they have been left waiting for bank cards, bills and hospital appointment notes.

A Royal Mail spokes­person said: “Right from the start of this crisis, we have played a key role keeping the country connected. Like most organisations, we have a number of employees who are self-isolating in line with government guidance.

“This has a direct impact on our staffing ­levels, especially in areas where there are higher ­levels of local outbreaks.

“We are working hard to deliver as normal a service as we can, drawing in extra resources and offering additional overtime where possible.”