RM exceeds First Class quality targets despite strikes

[TrueBlueTerrier]

09/08/2009


Royal Mail’s national First Class quality of service was well above target in July despite localised industrial action by the CWU, preliminary figures disclosed today.

First Class performance in the five week period to mid July was 93.9% - ahead of the 93.0% target figure - and the preliminary figures also showed Second Class hitting its 98.5% target during the same period. In addition, almost all business mail services including Royal Mail’s new tracked and traced service for business packets and parcels - Royal Mail Tracked - hit or beat their targets in July with the preliminary figures showing the huge bulk of all mail arriving on time.

Paul Tolhurst, Royal Mail’s operations director, said the robust First and Second Class performance in July showed that contingency plans to ease the impact of localised strike action for customers had been effective and that round the country more than 90% of people were working normally despite the industrial action.

"We are sorry that some customers faced disruption because of strike action by the CWU, mostly in London, but we remain determined to do everything possible to ease the impact of any disruption," said Mr Tolhurst.

"We again urge the CWU to call off its plans for further strike action and to stop blocking change and modernisation. The CWU is not only failing to live up to what it says and what it signed up to under the 2007 Pay and Modernisation agreement but is actively opposing change on the ground. Royal Mail has a clear vision of creating a modernised and market-leading business in which we are investing around £2bn. Modernisation means investment in new equipment throughout our operations and changes in working practices to reflect the fast-moving market we are now in - and we again call on the CWU to help us secure a strong future for the business, its people and its customers rather than repeatedly acting to undermine it.

"More CWU strike action will do nothing but damage Royal Mail’s ability to protect the Universal Service and preserve as many jobs as possible at a time when mail volumes are falling by almost 10% year on year."


Ends

Issued by Royal Mail:
100 Victoria Embankment
LONDON
EC4Y 0HQ
http://www.royalmail.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;


http://www.royalmail.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;