Post delay causes 'chaos'
THIS undercover picture shows the piles of backlogged mail at Lynn's Austin Fields sorting office following weeks of strike action.
A Royal Mail spokesman said the backlog should be clear by the end of the week and is no more than one average day's mail intake into the office.
But experienced postal workers claim it is the worst backlog they have ever seen.
The pictures came to light yesterday as postal workers' union leaders met to discuss whether to accept a deal to end the nationwide strike action, which began in June.
The disagreements, centred around pay, pensions and working practices, have led to a series of 48-hour stoppages and walkouts, bringing chaos to the postal network across the country.
Leaders of the Communication Workers' Union were yesterday presenting a deal, brokered on Friday, to their executive for approval.
Friday's deal came hours after the Royal Mail won an injunction in London's High Court outlawing a new wave of scheduled strikes, but the ruling did not stop wildcat stoppages in London and Liverpool.
Union representatives in Lynn and West Norfolk were awaiting news from the executive meeting at the time of going to press.
The sacks of backlogged letters in Lynn contain bulk-posted mail, much of it junk mail, but also including vital post such as bank and credit card statements. Deliveries of first and second class stamped mail have been cleared.
One postman said he believed the only way to clear the mounds would be through overtime, which the Royal Mail would not pay.
Communications Workers' Union area delivery representative Adam Oakes, who has almost 20 years' experience, said: "Christmas is usually a busy time but this is worse than any Christmas I have seen."
Mr Oakes said a games room at the office had even been piled up with mail and estimated there were tens of thousands of items among the backlog.
He added: "I think members in Lynn are hoping it is going to be a good deal to allow them to get back to delivering mail. It seems we are struggling to clear the backlog.
"We have very good relations with members of the public and would like to keep them going. Members, certainly in West Norfolk, thank the public for the support they have shown."
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Weather for King's Lynn
Sunday 27 May 2012
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