POSTAL services in Gloucester face chaos

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POSTAL services in Gloucester face chaos next week when workers protest against planned changes at their sorting office.

According to the Communication Workers Union (CWU), the Royal Mail has told all delivery offices to cut their budgets by 10%.

It has left staff in the dark over their futures, and caused widespread discontent in the sorting office at Olympus Park, Quedgeley.

Paul Trehearne, CWU branch secretary for Gloucestershire, said: "There is a revision of duties being introduced next week, and the staff at the Quedgeley sorting office have taken exception to it.

"We attended a meeting there last week with half of the staff, and they have decided to withdraw the extra work they have been doing.


"The service has basically been operating by people coming in early each day to sort the post out.

"They do not get paid for that extra work, it has been done on a goodwill basis.

"However, the Royal Mail has taken advantage of that, and now the staff have decided they are not willing to do it any more."

If the staff stop the practice of arriving early to sort post out before their shift starts, it will mean serious delays for postal deliveries across the city."

However, the Royal Mail has insisted it does not expect any long-term problems when the new system comes in.

A spokeswoman for the business said: "We are introducing some changes to the way that we work at Gloucester South Delivery Office.

"We do not envisage any adverse effect on the service we offer our customers in the long term and would apologise for any minimal disruption whilst the new arrangements bed in."

However, Paul Trehearne warned: "It is going to be absolute chaos for the south of the city and the city centre next week."