Casuals postal workers hired to shift mail backlog

[TrueBlueTerrier]

http://www.theargus.co.uk/news/9633523. ... l_backlog/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Royal Mail bosses have hired casual postal workers from across the region to shift a backlog at a troubled city sorting office.

Last week The Argus launched the Sort It Out campaign to put pressure on the company to improve service levels in Brighton.

Cost-cutting changes to delivery routes have caused confusion and weeks of delays since being introduced last month.

A spokeswoman refused to divulge how many workers had been recruited, saying the numbers “fluctuated”, and insisted the part-timers were only working inside the depot rather than delivering packages.

But Sarah Croft, who missed two important hospital appointments because her letters arrived late, told The Argus her new postman appeared not to know the area and wore no uniform.

“Surely this is a security risk,” said Sarah, who lives in Stanmer Park Road, Brighton.

“How are we to know the person is a postman? They could have been anyone. This person was a casual worker but this is no excuse.”

Another customer said: “I opened the door this week to find a very polite gentleman who told me he had been brought in from Croydon.

“I don’t know where our usual postman has gone but deliveries have been very bad over the last few weeks.”

Lena Johansson, who lives in Miller’s Road, Brighton, complained: “My postman told me said that there are loads of casuals working on the round at the moment.”

A Royal Mail spokeswoman said: “As part of our efforts to deliver mail in Brighton, we did recruit a limited number of temporary workers at Brighton delivery office. This is part of a wider practice that enables us to manage any variation in mail volumes. All our temporary workers are always fully vetted.”

The spokeswoman also claimed “there is no delayed mail at our Brighton delivery office”.

But yesterday long-suffering customers continued to complain that their packages had still not arrived.

Wheelchair user Elfrid Walkingtree, of Bristol Place, has been waiting three weeks for medicines sent from America. He said: “I don’t know where they are. I think they are probably in the North Road sorting office.

“I don’t feel comfortable ordering my medicines now because I have no idea when they are going to arrive. It is clear the Royal Mail needs to sort its problems out. The system is not working.”

The Royal Mail spokeswoman said: “We have been working very hard to ensure that all mail is delivered in the Brighton area. The delivery office is currently fully staffed.

“We would like to assure all customers that all mail we have for delivery is being delivered every day.”

The Argus has asked to visit the North Road sorting office to see how the delivery changes are bedding in but a spokeswoman we could only visit on April 16 at the earliest.

[clashcityrocker]

The Emperor has no clothes.

[fishtank]

The spokeswoman also claimed “there is no delayed mail at our Brighton delivery office”

The old Jedi Mind Trick.
I tried that once with a girl from Govan....it ended badly.

[Straight4ward]

Who could have forseen that it would be busy at this time of year?
That pesky little new Tax Year, it catches you out every time.

[POSTMAN]

Ali.gif

[clashcityrocker]

That is a terrible slur on the reputation of the Iraqi Information Minister.

[oypostie]

Wondered where he'd gone. The new face of RMTV

[CORTINA]

Don`t forget ...confusion creates profit.......