The World Socialist Web Site (WSWS) is publishing correspondence from postal workers exposing the brutally exploitive regime being imposed by Royal Mail, with the help of the Communication Workers Union (CWU). The latest comments are from postal workers opposing the CWU’s sell-out joint agreement with Royal Mail announced April 21.

Redhill: 28 years in the job and I have to say I’m disgusted. Dave Ward... hang your head in shame. I would have understood if you told us the truth: if we don’t accept this deal the company will go into administration. But to tell us this is a good deal? Where’s my backdated pay, overtime, SA [sickness allowance]? 500 POUND, and 33 pound a week (before tax and NI [National Insurance])? 4PM LAST LETTER DELIVERY? NO REDUNDANCIES (BUT ONLY FOR LENGTH OF THE DEAL)? THAT'S ONLY 2 YEARS THEN TIL THEY COME AT US AGAIN... if this gets voted in, watch people leave the union in droves... All those postmen and women who marched on Parliament Square… you sellout.

Swansea: I have been a member of the CWU for 39 years and they have sold us out, I want out of my union now!

Macclesfield: 35 years a postie, 50 years a trade unionist, this is a shambles of a deal. 500 years of history, taken the present board 5 years to destroy it. All the reasons why we gave a large strike vote was to oppose what they have implemented by executive action, but as usual for RM they have fallen short in applying all this new way of working. Result is failure of the USO [Universal Service Order enforcing letter delivery] every day in my office, but the managers report everything cleared, so they will still get their bonus. I stood on a picket line for 18 days, not for me, but for a service that’s the best in the world, for the younger ones who need a job, or so I thought, but even those people crossed the picket line for whatever reason. The job as it is now would break anyone, as it has done both mentally and physically. 2 years ago, we were told [we were] Key Workers, keeping the country connected. £470 million profit, now all gone and posties reward--a deal that defies logic.

Ulster: Why isn’t Simon Thompson jailed?

Coventry: Vote no to this stitch up.

Leamington Spa: Workplaces being run by absolutely clueless managers does not make job any easier. Complete discontent amongst fellow colleagues. Slipshod working conditions. Poorly maintained vehicles. It’s actually shocking. No regard for health and safety. Clueless organisation.

Birmingham: They took 4 walks out of our office giving us an extra 175 drops each. There are full walks of letters being left in sometimes for 4 days. We cannot finish most days. It’s totally unacceptable.

Bournemouth: Impossible duties, mine has increased by 100 additional addresses, 3 miles from my existing duty. Have never completed full duty since revision. Have been told whatever I don’t complete one day should be covered next day, with another area not delivered to following day. This is surely in breach of USO, as certain customers will only get delivery every other day.

Glasgow: Postal workers are angry with [CWU General Secretary Dave] Ward and [Deputy General Secretary (Postal) Terry] Pullinger who have consistently sold out. The latest one was a Friday afternoon video with no feedback or right of comment. Surprised it wasn’t behind a pay wall.

London: I believe we are sold out from the union. They asked to fight with them, and we fight together but to me is a waste of everything. Especially sick agreement is so rubbish. Living crisis is hard but pay rise not much at all. We are struggling. Top of that it’s scary from the mafia management.

Newcastle: Blaydon D.O. Our office 450 hrs taken out equals 12 deliveries which we have to absorb. Longer delivery not enough time to do it, parcels and tracked take priority, bring mail back if can’t complete, managers seem to think they can do what they want.

Plymouth: Conditions are abysmal at Plymouth Mail centre. Management is riding roughshod and doing what they want. Managers carving workers’ jobs and filling jobs with managers where possible. I think the morale amongst the postman/woman grade is one of anger and dismay and the way they are being treated and of the deal the CWU has agreed too!! I shall be voting NO to it. Unless you are planning on retiring in the next 2 years, we will be going through exactly the same in 2025.  The Royal Mail board and shareholders are laughing at us!!

Waltham Cross: Royal Mail is saying that letters are decreasing, but we all know that is not true. The volume of letters is massive. We are delivering more NHS letters, council tax, tv licence, bank statements, etc., but Royal Mail says they are losing a million pounds a day because there are no letters. With this new revision agreed with the CWU postmen are unable to finish their rounds. Mail to be sorted is insane and Royal Mail does not care. They only look at parcels. Area managers and planners have no knowledge of the job. Now I do question myself, how can Royal Mail run a company like this?

Glasgow: 90% of overtime stripped away from duties.

Preston: Ward and the rest have definitely been paid off.

Retired postie: As a retired OSG with Royal Mail and local delivery rep I am not surprised that the rank-and-file union members are disappointed with Dave Ward and Co. When I needed their support, they turned their back on me, and I fought and won my battle with Royal Mail on my own, and at my own financial cost.

South Wales: Currently exhausted myself, my work colleague is leaving this week after 18 years’ service. We’ve had roughly 7 people total since Christmas leave due to the unbearable workloads in our office of 50 with practically everyone looking at new employment. Our manager is an ex-postie but has been very much in manager mode and has done everything for his bonuses. 

And now on top of everything else, we’ve spent 11 months having our union suddenly come to an agreement after a week ago having not settled on anything. Our local rep is none the wiser either. So an entire year of uncertainty and having all our terms and conditions ripped up for those at the top to get a quick buck and an Uber style service. USO has gone to crap. The last week alone, our office has brough back about 25% of letters. Let down by Royal Mail, let down by the CWU. So I’m here trying to find out more about the postal rank and file committee. Any information you have, I’d love to hear about it.