Royal Mail may not deliver for four days over Christmas

[POSTMAN]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/ ... stmas.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Children could have to wait four days for their Christmas presents this year after it emerged that Royal Mail is set to skip deliveries on Boxing Day

Children could have to wait four days for their Christmas presents this year after it emerged that Royal Mail is set to be allowed to skip deliveries on Boxing Day.

The UK’s national postal service has asked for permission to skip deliveries on Saturday December 26 because it says so little post and mail is still in the system after the pre-Christmas rush.

Ofcom, which regulates the country’s postal service, has said that it is likely to agree to the change, which will become permanent for all future days when Boxing Day falls on a Saturday.

The news will mean that any Christmas presents ordered late over the internet and not delivered by December 24th will not be delivered until Tuesday December 29th.
This is because Royal Mail - which was privatised by the Government last year - is also not delivering on Monday December 28, which is designated a Bank Holiday.

It will also mean that postmen and women will have to wait until the following Tuesday to collect their traditional Christmas “boxes” from homeowners.
As part of the Universal Service obligation to collect and deliver mail every Monday to Saturday, excluding public holidays, Royal Mail has asked for regulatory approval for the change.

Ofcom, the regulator, has said it is “minded to agree” to the request, although members of the public have until Thursday of next week (September 10) to lodge any protests on its website as part of a consultation on the plans.

Iain Wright, chairman of the House of Commons Business Innovation and Skills Committee which has oversight of the work of Royal Mail, said it was vital the changes were communicated to customers.

He said he would be writing to Royal Mail to seek assurances that the universal service was not being “chipped away”.

He said: “Do customers get a decent service from the Royal Mail between Christmas and New Year? Is this getting rid of the universal service by the back door?

“The universal service is being eroded here. What will they do for Easter Saturday?

“Is it appropriate that people at home who are expecting parcels could be waiting several days? I don’t think that is acceptable.

“It could be a miserable Christmas for children who might be expecting the latest Star Wars toy from their Grandparents.”

Peter Kyle MP, another member of the committee, said: "Christmas is an essential time for the post office but its also unique - we need to understand who is impacted most by boxing day deliveries before any changes are implemented'
Chuka Umunna, the shadow Business Secretary, added that it was an example of the privatised Royal Mail having its commitment to a universal service “being chipped away”.

He said: “Consumers and small businesses which rely on Royal Mail will rightly question why this decision has been made, leading to a reduction of service over the busy Christmas and New Year period.

“I am concerned that this may be a sign of things to come and that we are going to see a further whittling away of the service Royal Mail provides.”

Ofcom said that it would expect Royal Mail to “make clear when deliveries and collections will be made over the period in question”.

Sources said the Boxing Day exemption was previously granted in 2003 and 2009. A Ofcom spokesman said it would not comment until after the completion of the consultation.
He said: “We have invited views on Royal Mail’s request, and we will decide whether to approve it in the coming weeks.”

A Royal Mail spokesman said “the overwhelming majority” of people “would not be disadvantaged” by the change, as they were not in 2003 and 2009.

Posters and leaflets in delivery offices and post offices, regular Tweets and a “proactive PR campaign” would make customers aware of the change.

He said: “We will ensure we effectively communicate last recommended posting dates for delivery ahead of Christmas well in advance, as well as the dates for collections and deliveries over the Christmas period.”

The last recommended posting dates for this Christmas to arrive by December 24 are December 19 for second class and December 21 for first class. The change would not affect Easter Saturday.

[POSTMAN]

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Royal Mail to give its posties FOUR days off over Christmas: Anger over plan to suspend services after Boxing Day

Royal Mail services usually suspended on Christmas Day and Boxing Day
This year Boxing Day falls on a Saturday so there is a bank holiday on the Monday in lieu - but the company is asking for permission to take both off
With Christmas Day and the Sunday, it will mean no services for four days

It is more than three months away but Royal Mail is already drawing up plans for the Christmas post – which could see services suspended for an extra day.

Services are usually suspended on Christmas Day and Boxing Day. This year Boxing Day falls on a Saturday so there is a bank holiday on the Monday in lieu – but the company is asking for permission to take both days off. Together with Christmas Day and the Sunday, it will mean no postal services for four days.

Royal Mail argues that most post has been delivered by Christmas and it is cost-effective to suspend deliveries and collections over the whole four days.


Ofcom, the Royal Mail’s regulator, has said it is likely to agree to the change. It will then be applied to future Saturday Boxing Days.

Postal workers were given the day off when Boxing Day fell on a Saturday in 2003 and 2009.

Concern was voiced last night by Labour MP Iain Wright, chairman of the Commons business, innovation and skills committee.

He told The Daily Telegraph that he will write to Royal Mail to make sure it maintains a speedy service. Mr Wright said: ‘The universal service is being eroded here. What will they do for Easter Sunday?

‘It could be a miserable Christmas for children who might be expecting the latest Star Wars toy from their grandparents.’

A Royal Mail spokesman said: ‘The overwhelming majority of consumers and business customers would not be disadvantaged as a result.

‘In previous years, figures have shown that mail volumes drop very significantly in the period immediately after Christmas.’ She added: ‘We recognise Royal Mail is at the heart of delivering Christmas for households up and down the country.


‘We take on thousands of additional staff and open dedicated parcel-sort centres to process the additional mail volumes.
‘Our advice to customers is always to post early for Christmas.
‘In line with our usual Christmas planning process, we will ensure we effectively communicate last recommended posting dates for delivery ahead of Christmas well in advance.’
Last year, an unprecedented rise in internet shopping led to a huge backlog of Christmas post and parcels. Thousands of Christmas shoppers faced delays to their online orders after a courier giant announced it could not cope with the number of packages in its system.

Yodel – which delivers up to a million parcels a day at Christmas for firms including online retailer Amazon – had to stop collecting packages ten days before Christmas Eve because of the high demand.

The Royal Mail was reported to have recruited an extra 19,000 workers to help over last year’s Christmas period.

[Tman]

What century do these numb-nuts live in? It's no longer Victorian Britain and people don't send cards and parcels on Xmas Eve anymore, and if they did, it was because they've forgotten someone and fully expect the item to be received after Christmas anyway.
And so much for Chuka Umunna...once touted as the next Labour leader....what a dickhead.

[borgpicard]

What century do these numb-nuts live in? It's no longer Victorian Britain and people don't send cards and parcels on Xmas Eve anymore, and if they did, it was because they've forgotten someone and fully expect the item to be received after Christmas anyway.
And so much for Chuka Umunna...once touted as the next Labour leader....what a dickhead.

[borgpicard]

I bet that dick wouldnt work over xmas

[priority102]

And not ONE of those idiots who are trying to totally ruin our short Christmas break will be working throughout the Christmas period themselves. As for presents sitting in the system over Christmas......again if those idiots actually did any shopping themselves they would see that Christmas has already begun in the shops, if 4 months isn't long enough to buy Christmas presents then there's no hope for any of us.

Nothing was said the last two times this happened, and quite honestly it is a sign of typical Britain today that these idiots focus on such a trivial and unimportant thing rather than national issues that are absolutely ruining this country. But then again, they haven't a bloody clue how to even begin dealing with national issues so it's far easier for them to ruin a humble postie's Christmas isn't it?

[Theghost]

What a f***ing idiot!
Trying to make out the postmen will be ruining Christmas by having 4 days off?
The only person that will be doing that is the idiot who hasn't got the present there before Xmas day,Boxing day is irrelevant!!
I cant believe the s**t some people will actually report.

[trythat]

As others have said what do we deliver after Christmas, normally stuff ordered on Christmas and Boxing day, and of course all those summer holiday brochures. MPs won't be working much of December or January, I do a 1 in 6 system, MPs still have more time off than me!

I hope RM and CWU stand firm on this, especially getting it setup for years in the future so it's the norm.

This is where I want to see the CWU using their media guys to get our side out there.

[bustedflush]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article ... g-Day.html

Royal Mail to give its posties FOUR days off over Christmas: Anger over plan to suspend services after Boxing Day

.................................

‘It could be a miserable Christmas for children who might be expecting the latest Star Wars toy from their grandparents.’
..................................

Typical Daily Mail poor journalism. What the hell has this got to do with the USO? Idiot Labour MP needs reminding (when he's on his 6-week xmas break, or while on his 10-week summer one) that this happens every 6 years and has bugger-all to do with the USO.

As for the 'miserable' Christmas for the poor Star Wars recipient:

1. Most Grandparents are retired and have sod-all to do and all day to do it. Therefore they are generally the first to get organized for Christmas, cards in the post as soon as December arrives. Bad example.

2. Should 'miserable' little Johnny (whose pile of presents is one down from 16 to 15 as Granny slipped on an icy pavement or choked on her Werthers Origiinal thus delaying her posting of said gift) begin suffering PTSD as a result, show the spoilt little **** a short film of 2 million Syrians sleeping in tents in Egypt, Lebanon and Jordan on Xmas day.

Talk about labouring the point.

[rambo1]

Am I missing something or are we talking about kids not getting their xmas pressies for Xmas because we're not delivering on.... Boxing day? Huh, isn't that, like, the day AFTER Xmas day? Btw I'm long weekend off so does anybody know for definite if I'll get days in lieu back for boxing day and the Monday b/h?

[TrueBlueTerrier]

Am I missing something or are we talking about kids not getting their xmas pressies for Xmas because we're not delivering on.... Boxing day? Huh, isn't that, like, the day AFTER Xmas day? Btw I'm long weekend off so does anybody know for definite if I'll get days in lieu back for boxing day and the Monday b/h?

Monday Yes - Saturday No

[rambo1]

Am I missing something or are we talking about kids not getting their xmas pressies for Xmas because we're not delivering on.... Boxing day? Huh, isn't that, like, the day AFTER Xmas day? Btw I'm long weekend off so does anybody know for definite if I'll get days in lieu back for boxing day and the Monday b/h?

Monday Yes - Saturday No

How come? So that week I'm a day off down on the rest who aren't sat off, doesn't seem right or fair to me at all.

[sean3838]

Same for me long weekend but the saturday is going to be classed as a non service day,so cant be claimed as a day off in lieu what a shitter!

[rambo1]

That really is very very unfair. May try change my day off then!

[obiwanknobe]

New Bird Fle Epidemic Predicted

A newly identified strain of bird flu is expected to sweep through Britain this Xmas. It is highly virulent yet the extremely disabling effects only last a matter of 24 hours. Most unusually it targets a very select type of individual - one who works outside and walks for long periods carrying heavy sacks.

While the timing of this epidemic can't be confirmed as yet experts believe that it is likely to hit on or around the 26th December.

May the flu be with you

Obi