Change would create a more stable future
A Royal Mail spokesperson said: “Our proposal for the future Universal Service retains a six-day service for First Class letters. Furthermore, parcels would continue to be delivered up to seven days a week.
“The proposal is based on listening to thousands of people across the country to ensure it meets their needs. It is good for our customers, good for our people and would allow Royal Mail to invest in products and services that the UK wants.”
In its submission to Ofcom’s consultation on the future of the universal postal service, Royal Mail said its proposals would see all non first-class letter deliveries – including second class and bulk business mail – reduced to save it up to £300 million a year.
But it would keep a six-day-a-week service for first-class mail in a climbdown on previous calls for all Saturday letter deliveries to be scrapped.
Royal Mail revealed the proposals, if given the go ahead, would lead to “fewer than 1,000” voluntary redundancies as the plans would mean daily delivery routes cut by between 7,000 and 9,000 within two years.
The group insisted it would not expect to make any compulsory redundancies and hopes the roles can be reduced through natural staff turnover among its 130,000-strong workforce. It claimed the proposals would not need a change in legislation, given it would still be delivering first-class post six days a week, and called for Ofcom to put the changes in place by April next year.
Royal Mail said: “The proposal is designed to create a more financially stable future for the business and its shareholders, protecting tens of thousands of jobs and the best terms and conditions in the industry.
“It closely aligns to changes successfully made in comparable countries – in Europe and around the world – over recent years, with limited changes for customers.”