Businesses say postal services getting worse

[Geezer]

http://www.northamptonchron.co.uk/news/ ... 5561934.jp

Published Date: 18 August 2009

Businesses on an industrial estate say they are continuing to have problems with getting their post delivered after Royal Mail imposed cuts.
The delivery company cut back on the number of staff delivering to the area last Monday and postal workers have complained to the Communication Workers' Union (CWU) that they cannot get the job done.

Businesses have also complained that they have not had their post until very late in the day.

Anne-Marie Cook, consumer sales manager at Gilt Edged Promotions , said: "We are not happy. The main thing is that if you don't get the mail until 2pm it makes banking cheques very difficult on that day.

"We have got a mail order business so it means you can't get orders in and out in the same day."

She said some of the post received yesterday was posted on Thursday, so it was not only getting there late in the day but a working day later than expected.

Her colleague, Elaine Skinner, said: "We are sorting out a letter of complaint because we call up six times a day now asking 'Where's our post?'"

Martin Andrew, one of the directors at Hightec Roofline, said the company received no post on Saturday, but it was not a major problem because payments were mainly by means other than through the post.

A Royal Mail spokesman said all the post for Saturday was delivered and if any businesses did not get any it was because they did not have any.

Mick Fitzmaurice, secretary for the Northamptonshire branch of the CWU, said: "It doesn't surprise me. They have knocked out 40 per cent of the hours that used to be devoted to the Moulton Park area.

"From day one delivery staff were telling management that it's just not achievable. They have been sorting out the mail and taking out what they could and management were then going out later in the afternoon and delivering the rest."

He said a ballot for industrial action over the changes had been sent out to all the union members.