POSTIES AFRAID OF ICY ROUNDS

[TrueBlueTerrier]

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POSTAL workers refused to go out on their rounds in the early morning for fear of slipping on icy pavements.

Deliveries in the Congleton area were disrupted yesterday after postmen and women only embarked on their routes at 11am.

The delay came because members of the Communication Workers Union were in discussions with management about whether Royal Mail would take responsibility if a worker was injured by falling on the ice.

After the talks, a Royal Mail spokesman said: "All our postmen and women are working hard to keep the mail moving and deliver as much mail as possible where it is safe to do so.

"Over 90 per cent of staff went out on delivery from Congleton Delivery Office yesterday, although they left the office slightly later than usual."

Temperatures in the town plunged to below –10°C yesterday as the region suffered another day of wintry weather.

Staff from Royal Mail's delivery office in Congleton usually start going out on their rounds from about 8am.

Yesterday's delay meant homes and businesses in Congleton and the surrounding area, as far as Holmes Chapel, suffered a disrupted service just weeks after a series of strikes were staged by postal workers at the end of last year.

Pensioner Joyce Clarke, who lives in St John's Road, Buglawton, said: "We didn't have any post yesterday, but we didn't see any postmen in Buglawton at all."

Across North Staffordshire and South Cheshire, some areas which have suffered the worst snow and ice have not been served by postal workers.

Areas most affected included parts of the Staffordshire Moorlands.

Malcolm Brundrett, union area representative for the Midlands, said in recent days, slips by the region's postal workers had caused harm including an injured back and a broken wrist.

But he added: "We have struggled through most of the town deliveries. It has just been some of the rural routes which have been affected.

"Royal Mail has taken a sensible view that it is in everyone's best interests to avoid deliveries in the most treacherous areas."

[TrueBlueTerrier]

Ah the Sentinel - a postman's friend - not a biased rag at all

[smokerjim]

Comment left

lee, meir, postal workers like me don't like not delivering mail ( for one thing, it means when deliveries resume our bags are heavier, the outdoor part of our day is longer & the surface is usually just as treacherous ). Do you expect us to travel to work against official advice? Do you expect us to work in dangerous conditions against H&S law?

And if we choose to do so, so we can continue the service we enjoy providing, should we not first make sure that if the worst happens, we can still pay our rent or mortgage, our gas & electric bills and feed our families?

You use the example of your son going out on his paper round as a stick to beat us with there is a world of difference between the workload of a postman & a paperboy, but I won't argue that point....however, you make no mention of your experience with the snow and ice? Do you drive a gritting lorry? Maybe your work is connected to the emergency services? Or perhaps you drive 2 miles to your heated office - or most heinously - you have arranged to work from home, and you have little real idea of what most people are dealing with? If so, I have more respect for your son's opinion than yours!

let's see if it gets posted ( mind you, there is a lot of supportive comments up there already )

[Puppetmaster]

How come they normaly goout delivering at 08.00 ,all tied up and redirections done,must have it easy in our office,we leave around 10.00 sometimes earlier sometimes later
depeneds how bust we are .Misorts dont even hit our office till 9.00

[eccy92]

All they have done at our office is get rid of the missort van which hasn't helped as we are still getting out the same as usual with all the work. They also told us not to go down paths if they think we might fall over just to cover them self's I suppose. I think we should have been let off doing households this week then again pigs might fly