Union disappointed over Royal Mail prioritising parcels

Union said the issue was made worse in Luton due to 25 vacancies in the office

The union representing postal workers in Luton and Milton Keynes said it was “disappointed” that postal workers were told to prioritise parcels over letters.

The Communication Workers Union (CWU) said it was due to a combination of industrial action and the weather.

Issues have been made worse in Luton with 25 vacancies in the sorting office, the union said.

Royal Mail said it does not prioritise parcels except at particularly busy times, such as after a strike.

Neil Kidwell from the CWU in Luton and Milton Keynes told BBC Three Counties Radio: "Senior management are asking their local managers in Luton to prioritise parcels over letters.

"I’m extremely disappointed... the goal is to deliver every item of mail, parcel or letter, with equal importance."

He said postal staff were "going to houses with parcels knowing there are letters back in the office that could have been delivered".

Member of the CWU have veen striking over a number of day in December

Royal Mail, in a statement, said it "does not operate a policy of prioritising parcels".

But it added: "At particularly busy times, such as in the recovery days after a strike, we may occasionally at a local level clear parcels to free up space and address health and safety concerns so that we can keep all mail - including letters - moving efficiently through our network."

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Postal workers belonging to the CWU took industrial action on four days earlier this month, and are due to go on strike again on Friday and Saturday.

Workers are striking over pay and conditions but Royal Mail accused the union of "holding Christmas to ransom".