Local posties keen to get their message across to the public before Christmas
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Local postal workers are calling for public support during their long-running dispute with Royal Mail over jobs, pay and conditions.
Wick-based postman Norman Millington (64) explained that they were having a hard time making deliveries just now with people asking why they were not accepting the nine per cent pay rise offered.
"We keep telling them this is not about our pay, this is an attack on our terms and conditions," he explained. "Time is running out for us, this is a busy time of year – after Christmas nobody will care."
The local postal workers are among 115,000 Royal Mail staff taking part in strike action in the run up to Christmas. Members of the Communication Workers Union (CWU) took part in a two-day strike on Wednesday and Thursday of last week, with another six days of picketing due to go ahead before Christmas Day – Friday, December 9, Sunday, December 11, Wednesday and Thursday, December 14-15, Friday, December 23 and Christmas Eve.
Mr Millington, who lives in Lybster, has written to Maree Todd MSP outlining their plight and asking her to raise their concerns in parliament.
He mentions various points in his letter, including Royal Mail's plans to do away with morning deliveries by pushing start times back by three hours.
"This means that in Caithness we shall be starting work at 11.05am and not getting away from our depot before 12.30pm," said Mr Millington. "It is very unfortunate that people will not receive their doctors or hospital appointments, bank statements etc., or legal documents that same day. There is also a threat that businesses will not receive their mail or parcels that same day."
He also highlights the plans for closing callers offices, like the one in Green Road, Wick, which would mean people will no longer be able to collect parcels or use the delivery office for returns.
Local postman John Gunn (57), who has worked for the Royal Mail for 30 years, has been surprised by the reaction he has received on Facebook, particularly about the callers office in Green Road, Wick, and the number of younger people who were concerned about having nowhere to drop off or collect parcels.
He said: "We need to let the public know how this is going to affect them."
The local postal workers believe Royal Mail wants to prioritise parcels and packages over other mail, as well as stop Saturday deliveries.
Mr Gunn pointed out that if they accepted the nine per cent just now it would not be backdated to April 5 when pay negotiations started. "They are refusing to give back dated pay," he said. "They also want to get rid of our allowances – basically they are asking us to take a pay cut."
The local postal workers are finding it hard to understand, particularly when Royal Mail recorded profits of over £750 million last year with £400 million going to shareholders. They feel it is "gross mismanagement" and just want to correct the balance.
Mr Gunn explained that they had been in talks with ACAS for weeks and said that while there had been improvements in certain areas Royal Mail's chief executive Simon Thompson was digging his heels in on other things.
He pointed out that Royal Mail was actually saving month during industrial action as the postal workers are not paid while on strike.
Mr Gunn has been in touch with far north MP Jamie Stone asking him to join them on the picket line in Wick.
Mr Stone said: "I have every sympathy for them and I hope to goodness that a suitable solution can be reached. I think it would be useful if the government could step in and sort things out."
Wick and East Caithness councillor Jan McEwan said: "It is a sorry situation that postal workers, nurses, teachers to name a few are having to go out in strike to get there point across that they need a decent pay rise to keep up with the cost of living.
"Postal workers showed the commitment to us by working throughout Covid."
