Royal Mail’s service is facing severe criticism, described as “terrible” as an estimated 16 million people encountered postal delays last month, sparking demands for the industry regulator to step in.
A third of respondents, in a survey conducted by Citizens Advice, reported that Royal Mail, owned by International Distributions Services PLC (LSE: IDS), failed to deliver their letters promptly.
A representative from Royal Mail described the previous year as “exceptionally challenging”, attributing the deteriorated service quality to a “prolonged industrial dispute”, and, in some regions, “elevated levels of staff absences”.
The Communication Workers Union (CWU), which represents the majority of the company’s workforce, stated: “It’s been almost seven months since any strike action. The fact that Royal Mail continues to cite this as a reason for their poor performance is frankly humiliating.
“Moreover, the company notes high levels of sick leave, without any introspection. The deplorable treatment of frontline workers has resulted in an unprecedented number of postal workers quitting the industry, leading to a crisis in morale.
“The prevalent culture of intimidation and fear has left many workplaces across the UK severely understaffed and incapable of providing the level of service that the public deserves.”
