• Luke writes to Business Secretary Alok Sharma in support of postal workers
• Government has changed Royal Mail regulations without proper process.
• Luke: “Postal workers in Plymouth have been in heroic throughout this crisis”

Plymouth Sutton and Devonport MP, Luke Pollard, has written to the Business Secretary Alok Sharma in support of Plymouth’s postal workers. This comes in response to the government’s decision to change the amount of days that Royal Mail has to deliver letters and parcels, it’s Universal Service Obligation (USO), from six days to five days.

The government is seen to have not followed the correct process in doing this, as this change is supposed to be made by Ofcom after a period of consultation.  

This will be damaging to businesses in Plymouth, and put strain on the government’s relationship with postal workers.

The local CWU, Royal Mail management and postal workers in Plymouth took the initiative early in the crisis, with proactive solutions on keeping postal workers and mail delivery safe during the outbreak. They have been pioneering one person per van delivery and staggered start times to maintain social distancing.

Luke has asked that the government put on record that this will be a temporary change for the Coronavirus crisis.

Luke Pollard said:

“Postal workers in Plymouth have been heroic throughout this crisis, representing the very best of our city. When they are giving so much to the national effort, I am disappointed that they were not a larger part of the decision making in regards to the USO.  

 

“I am fully in support of keeping the USO for letters and parcels at six days a week as are the postal workers I have spoken to. If Ofcom were to conduct a review into changing this, as I believe is the correct process, that should be centred on maintaining the USO at six days a week with no reductions.”