What a terrible excuse?

[Buckman]

During the lockdown mail continued to be posted and delivered on time probably more so than normal. However the Royal Mail have now taken the decision to restructure laying off 2000 staff using the excuse "due to Corona virus". I think we are going to see a lot more of this as firms use the virus as an excuse to lay off staff. Great shame for those being laid off.

 

[Guzzilazz]

All management layer. You forget that the Royal Mail stopped Saturday deliveries in the lockdown

 

[otherclive]

During the lockdown mail continued to be posted and delivered on time probably more so than normal. However the Royal Mail have now taken the decision to restructure laying off 2000 staff using the excuse "due to Corona virus". I think we are going to see a lot more of this as firms use the virus as an excuse to lay off staff. Great shame for those being laid off.

It’s unfortunate for those involved but RM has been loosing market share to the other delivery businesses. And it’s profits were significantly down with no dividend being paid this year. I suspect with coronavirus and home working there have been a big reduction in mail with an increase in parcels. But like any other business they are required to make a profit and if their longer term forecasts don’t see a good outcome changes have to be made.
I think once furloughed staff have to be paid for there will unfortunately be many more redundancies to come, with many of those jobs gone permanently as businesses change their models.

 

[Buckman]

However would it have happened anyway even if there was no corona virus pandemic?

 

[RogerL]

All management layer. You forget that the Royal Mail stopped Saturday deliveries in the lockdown

Only in some areas - in our area Saturday delivery was retained - weekday deliverys have been earlier during lockdown than normal!

 

[RogerL]

It’s unfortunate for those involved but RM has been loosing market share to the other delivery businesses. And it’s profits were significantly down with no dividend being paid this year. I suspect with coronavirus and home working there have been a big reduction in mail with an increase in parcels. But like any other business they are required to make a profit and if their longer term forecasts don’t see a good outcome changes have to be made.
I think once furloughed staff have to be paid for there will unfortunately be many more redundancies to come, with many of those jobs gone permanently as businesses change their models.

Royal Mail is trying to be competitive despite it's handicap of obligation to deliver everywhere for the same price - their private competitors can pick & choose what and where they deliver.

 

[Jcloughie]

All management layer. You forget that the Royal Mail stopped Saturday deliveries in the lockdown

We still have a Saturday delivery.

I don’t know that they are using the virus to hide behind or not. But nevertheless these, and numerous other redundancies that are to come. Are all sad for the individuals, the families and the country.

John

 

[Clifford_374377114]

I often have a chat with our postie (lovely guy) who says they have more work than they can cope with!

 

[Beachball]

We also have Saturday delivery where we live our postman always gets a christmas present he sometime takes the odd letter for me .

 

[otherclive]

All management layer. You forget that the Royal Mail stopped Saturday deliveries in the lockdown

We had Saturday postal deliveries throughout. Possibly there were areas where staff sickness made it more difficult to maintain a full service. Like any other group postal staff will have had EV, self quarantine, shielding, children at home, and undoubtedly some will have caught the coronavirus too.

 

[JezzerB]

Yes ours asked us to sign a petition to stop them cutting the saturday delivery-they were using it as an excuse to then cut jobs. Cost cutting at it s worst. Letter deliveries are slowing of course but parcels are on the up and we still get that on sat but not letters apparently!

 

[Raywood]

My son in law works for the Post Office and sadly e mail has reduced the volume of letters to the point where a reduction in numbers was inevitable.
The idea of dropping the Saturday post was put forward by the previous CEO but since he has been replaced it is not clear if it will go ahead but it would need government permission to go ahead because of the universal franchise.
Having said that the parcels business is doing very well and expanding although the ending of lockdown might see a reduction if people reduce web buying.

 

[ProfJohnL]

People losing their jobs is dreadful news and sadly i'm certain these wont be the last

I second the posts that have tried to point out that Royal Mail have been squeezed by new competition in the market, and the constraint of having to deliver to every address. I know that RM were moving towards a new model before the virus arrived, so its likely this announcement on roughly this scale was coming anyway.

However C19 may have accelerated the process.

 

[Beachball]

i know someone who works for Royal Mail i just hope his job is safe he worked some years and he has more work then he can cope and not enough hours ,

 

[Raywood]

I am told that they have a last in first out policy which should mean those with a long service record will be safe.

 

[Beachball]

I am told that they have a last in first out policy which should mean those with a long service record will be safe.

I would agree with you (Ray) That was same policy at the Hospital NHS where i was working i was a Chef been there some years (Long Service Record )