50 Most Popular 2009 Hellmail Articles >>
The following list shows the 50 most read news items from Hellmail Postal News for 2009. They are generatated automatically and displayed in order of the most read article.
Eagle Couriers To Help Maintain Print Archive
20 March 2009
Delighted staff at Eagle Couriers in Scotland, are celebrating after winning a prestigious contract to help maintain the UK’s historic print archive. Five of the nation’s most important libraries have the power of Legal Deposit – meaning publishers are legally obliged to submit copies on request of everything they produce...
(This article read 5970 times)
Royal Mail Strikes - How Long
03 September 2009
The standoff between Royal Mail and the Communication Workers Union in the UK continues, with Royal Mail pushing home its tough message that change is essential for the future of the service and the underpinning of the universal service, and that further dithering merely compounds the problems it faces. The CWU in turn, maintains that workers are...
(This article read 5640 times)
New Royal Mail Delivery Offices For Coventry
27 December 2009
The construction of the Royal Mail Coventry North delivery office is apparently now finished with only interior fittings required to bring the unit into full use. The site, along with a similar unit to be built on the southern perimeter of Coventry behind the Airport Retail Park (see inset) will replace the Bishop Street sorting office in the centre of the City....
(This article read 4901 times)
Eagle Couriers Uncover Forgotten Hotline Number
16 April 2009
Scotland’s leading independent courier firm have received an unexpected bonus following a recent takeover deal – a catchy new 0845 phone number. Directors at Eagle Couriers, which has bases in Bathgate, Edinburgh and Glasgow, were left surprised when they found they had inherited the 0845 123 1230 number after taking over one of their oldest Edinburgh rivals...
(This article read 4711 times)
Scottish Courier Eagle Supports Pet Welfare
11 June 2009
A leading independent courier firm is helping to make a difference to the welfare of family pets across the east of Scotland. Eagle Couriers is carrying out work with vets surgeries in Edinburgh and performing a daily, high-profile delivery run which takes blood and tissue samples to Scotland’s leading veterinary research centre....
(This article read 4616 times)
London Businesses To Pay Price Of Royal Mail Strike Action
18 June 2009
The Direct Marketing Association (DMA) is warning of the damage that a postal strike will have on businesses across the capital. Mail deliveries are set to be severely disrupted on Friday 19 June as Royal Mail workers hold a 24-hour walkout in protest of the operator’s modernisation plans....
(This article read 4539 times)
Royal Mail Strike Action Declared Illegal
15 June 2009
Three postal centres in London will not now be taking part in this Friday's postal strike at Royal Mail due to an administrative error which would have made strike action illegal. The three offices affected are said to be Nine Elms, Mount Pleasant the largest automated processing centre in the UK which serves city deliveries, and Rathbone Place....
(This article read 4414 times)
Scottish Eagle Couriers Opens New HQ
06 April 2009
Scotland’s leading independent courier firm has carried out a major expansion into West Lothian after opening a new operational headquarters. Eagle Couriers has relocated its head office to new premises in Bathgate as part of a move to maximise and expand its deliveries across Scotland and the rest of the UK....
(This article read 3568 times)
The DX Opens North London Service Centre
27 May 2009
DX, the UK & Ireland’s leading independent mail and courier company, has opened a purpose built facility near Staples Corner, North London following an investment of £750,000. The North London Service Centre was officially opened by three of DX’s long standing customers – Malcolm Polley of the FMO, Jeremy Dawe of the US Embassy and Jonathan King from Mailsource UK Ltd....
(This article read 3548 times)
Red Van Shortage Stumps Scottish Couriers
27 May 2009
Never mind white van man, Scotland ’s top delivery firm, Eagle Couriers, has discovered the red van man could become a dying breed after a European-wide shortage of red vans....
(This article read 3179 times)
Mailing Preference Service Shrugs Shoulders At Junkbuster
13 May 2009
The Mailing Preference Service (MPS), the most well-known junk mail opt-out scheme in the UK, has told junk mail campaigners that it will ignore householders requesting an opt-out pack via the website www.junkbuster.org.uk....
(This article read 3119 times)
Conder Leaves BPMA After Five And A Half Years
27 May 2009
On 20 February, Tony Conder the CEO of the BPMA announced he would be leaving the organisation at Easter after five and a half years. During that time he was involved in the negotiation to set up The British Postal Museum & Archive and in the development of its early stages....
(This article read 3087 times)
CWU Members Split Over Further Strike Action
28 November 2009
The Communication Workers Union, which represents thousands of Royal Mail workers may yet call for more strikes before Christmas, despite an interim agreement established earlier this month to establish a period of calm. However, some postal workers are concerned that continued action will alienate them from the general public at the busiest time of year. One postal worker said...
(This article read 2993 times)
Royal Mail - Strike And You Will Not Get Paid
28 July 2009
The Communication Workers Union said this week that it intends to continue to support industrial action to force Royal Mail to rethink its modernisation plans, whilst Royal Mail maintains that a fall in mail volume makes it essential for the company to forge ahead on change, that there is nothing more to be gained by further discussion and that it must provide the service customers want....
(This article read 2956 times)
Scottish Courier Firm Fights Parking Ticket Charge
23 June 2009
Scotland’s leading independent courier firm is gearing up for another fight against Glasgow City Council over parking tickets issued on its vehicles. Eagle Couriers, which has offices in Garscube Road, has appealed against a ticket that was issued on one of its courier bikes in the city centre earlier this month...
(This article read 2924 times)
DHL Closes Crick Distribution Centre
12 March 2009
Following the announcement that the supermarket chain Tesco is to end its contract with the DHL Fastway operation at Daventry, DHL is being forced to close the site with the loss of 150 jobs. Tesco said the Crick site near the Daventry Rail Freight Terminal, lacked the capacity needed and had decided to end the contract....
(This article read 2708 times)
CWU Says Negotiation Is Only Way To End Royal Mail Strike Action
19 August 2009
The Communication Workers Union today said it was pushing ahead with further strike action across the country as the deadlock between the union and Royal Mail continues. The CWU said action is over cuts to jobs and services and Royal Mail's lack of willingness to negotiate on modernisation, accusing Royal Mail of abusing work measurement systems to increase workloads to breaking point....
(This article read 2685 times)
The Facts About Paper-Free Mail - Part 2
06 December 2009
This week I discuss the functionality of paper-free mail technology, a few factors you may not have considered, and if and when we can expect the paper-free postal revolution to become a larger part of our everyday lives. I can almost hear those following this, sniggering into their coffee cups....
(This article read 2616 times)
P2P Mailing - Fresh Approach To Mail Market
27 April 2009
April 2009 sees the launch of P2P Mailing Ltd based out of a 14,000 square foot facility near London’s prestigious Docklands. A joint venture between CYC Logistics and Distribution Ltd and the Management Team behind P2P Mailing Ltd itself P2P Mailing offers innovation, transparency and pro-activity in the objective design of multichannel distribution solutions serving many industry sectors, such as Mail Order...
(This article read 2591 times)
Roy Mayall - Granny Smith Also About Being Human
30 November 2009
For Britain's postal workers, the changes at Royal Mail under the fanfare of 'modernisation' can hardly be described as welcome. For those who walk the streets delivering the country's mail, the job had always been seen as very much a social service, with many customers knowing their postman or postwoman by their first name. The fact that the social aspects are now being played down hasn't been too well received...
(This article read 2522 times)
The DX - Keeping Business Mail Moving During Postal Strike
30 August 2009
The DX, one of a handful of independent mail operators in the UK which do not rely on Royal Mail for any part of its service, is gearing up for a boost to sales as the postal dispute looks set to intensify over the coming months. "The CWU’s plan to hold a ballot for a national mail strike by Royal Mail workers concerns many businesses, but we've had over 30 years experience providing a reliable delivery and collection service for business mail...
(This article read 2424 times)
Royal Mail Customers Looking For Alternatives As Prospect Of National Postal Strike Looms
23 September 2009
LinkDirect, a nationally operating door drop marketing company said today that Royal Mail customers were increasingly turning to alternatives such as couriers for their parcels and door drop distribution companies for their leaflet promotions....
(This article read 2423 times)
More Postal Strikes In London Today
23 September 2009
According to the Communication Workers Union, there will be further postal strikes today, disrupting many services in the south and east of London. The union said it was continuing to urge Royal Mail to engage in meaningful negotiations to agree changes for the business...
(This article read 2420 times)
Royal Mail - Why CWU Peace Deal Is No Go
15 October 2009
Royal Mail rejected an offer by the CWU this week to cease all strike action in exchange for a rethink on its modernisation plans and a revised pay deal, describing the CWU's offer as 'A list of fresh demands'....
(This article read 2416 times)
UK Postal Strikes - Affected Areas
14 August 2009
Further disruption to postal deliveries and collections in the UK are expected this week as the CWU members step up industrial action with a series of 24 hour strikes at Royal Mail. Areas affected include East Anglia, London, the South West and other parts of the UK. Royal Mail network drivers will again be striking affecting all cross-country mail services. Full list is as follows....
(This article read 2245 times)
Royal Mail - Less Talk More Action
04 October 2009
Muted rumblings of progress from the CWU last week, gave little away in terms of bringing the present dispute at Royal Mail to an end - not that anyone else cared too much. The press has busied its time with scathing comment on the potential for national strikes and as has been pointed out numerous times, customers do not have any interest in what the dispute is about...
(This article read 2147 times)
Postal Strike - More Disruption In Months Ahead
18 July 2009
The CWU has announced that it is to step up strike action next week in an effort to force Royal Mail to renegotiate its modernisation plan. Three days of action are planned next Saturday and the following Monday and Tuesday (25th, 27th and 28th July). The CWU said the industrial action was a result of "illogical cuts" and that Royal Mail must return to negotiations or face further industrial action....
(This article read 2142 times)
Royal Mail Facing Real Problems In Depressed Postal Market
27 July 2009
Dutch-owned TNT NV, has reported a 60% fall in net profit for the second quarter, mirroring a similar fall to that of Deutsche Post DHL as the global economy continues to depress express deliveries. A drop in consumer spending, the collapse of some retailers and restructuring of supply chains has had a significant impact on both German and Dutch operators and it is unclear just how much the economic crisis will affect the Royal Mail...
(This article read 2088 times)
ViaPost Blasts Royal Mail Price Increases
06 April 2009
ViaPost, which provides a postal service from users PC desktops, blasted Royal Mail today for yet another rise in the cost of postage stamps. David Bland, OBE, chairman of ViaPost and ex chairman of Postwatch said: “Today’s increase in cost of a 1st and 2nd class stamps by the Royal Mail is yet another additional costs that businesses in the UK are going to have to deal with....
(This article read 2051 times)
Mail Volume Decline - A Lesson From The Dodo
11 July 2009
A more turbulent week and unusually for me, not a weekend of leisure. There is much to think about now, particularly since the apparent demise (even if temporary) of the Postal Services Bill. The Bill was meant to be a three-pronged approach to salvaging Royal Mail's pension deficit, introducing investment, expertise and regulatory reform, based mostly on the Richard Hooper report. However, the failure to...
(This article read 2051 times)
UK Postal Deregulation - Three Years And Counting
07 April 2009
Those outside the UK and even some at home, may not fully understand the timetable of events concerning European postal deregulation and just how it has resulted in the sale of a third of the Royal Mail but with much of Europe watching the UK model fairly closely, it might be time for a recap...
(This article read 2043 times)
UK Postal Strike - Saying Nothing Works Too
22 August 2009
Royal Mail has opted for a rather quiet recycling of its message that change was agreed by both sides. The low-key approach also has the effect of infuriating those hoping for a head-to-head confrontation. One could liken this to trying to start a battle on wet grass in plimsoles. The safest bet for now, may well be battle axes in a very dark cellar...
(This article read 1978 times)
Royal Mail And CWU Still Unable To Agree
16 July 2009
Thousands of postal workers made their feelings known today over what they see as a series of operational cuts by Royal Mail but without the introduction of modern sorting machinery, an imposed pay cut, and being asked to carry out addional duties without extra pay and the loss of overtime....
(This article read 1975 times)
The Other Royal Mail Document
16 October 2009
There is a second document that for the moment appears to have been buried since the current dispute began. Known as the 'Next Steps' document, it sets out a vision for duty cycles based on four and eight hour shifts. Essentially, as Royal Mail introduces more automation, the company will have much clearer duty spans which presumably puts paid to any hopes by business that early deliveries are high on its list of priorities...
(This article read 1960 times)
The Future Of Postal Services
31 August 2009
There is little doubt that the internet, whilst transforming the way most of us communicate with the modern world, has put the squeeze on traditional postal services. We've all become so used to the speed and immediacy of email, it is rare these days that we choose to hand write a letter, stick it in an envelope, and post it. For a third of a price of a stamp we can even send a text message...
(This article read 1944 times)
Postal Strike - Affected Areas Confirmed
14 July 2009
The Communication Workers Union, which represents thousands of postal workers in the UK, has confirmed that strike action on Friday 17th July will take place in London, Edinburgh, Bristol, Darlington, Stoke, Plymouth, Leamington Spa, Norfolk and Essex. A spokesperson said that the union would be delivering a letter and postcard to Royal Mail’s Chief Executive Adam Crozier...
(This article read 1927 times)
Can A Solution To UK Postal Strike Be Secured
05 November 2009
The most likely scenario is that a short-term deal will be brokered and today the Postal Executive Committee are discussing the content of a proposed deal. As with all disputes of this nature, negotiators tend to aim high in the hope that a lesser deal will be closer to what they had hoped for and with both sides seeking progress, they may just develop a form of words that takes the immediate sting out of the dispute...
(This article read 1916 times)
Part Privatising The Royal Mail
17 September 2009
The push for part-privatization of Royal Mail Group (RMG) continues, with Prime Minister Gordon Brown and Business Secretary Lord Mendelson using the Hooper Report (officially known as "Modernise or decline, Policies to maintain the universal postal services in the United Kingdom", 16 December 2008) as substantive evidence the Postal Services Bill (PSB) is the correct approach to resolving the many problems at RMG...
(This article read 1902 times)
Modernisation Of Royal Mail Rubber Stamped In Leaked Document
15 October 2009
A report by the BBC's Newsnight highlighted an apparently leaked document thought to show that the government and Royal Mail are in collusion to break the CWU's grip on the postal service. The Royal Mail have denied any knowledge of the document which appears to rubber stamp modernisation of the Royal Mail with or without the agreement of the union and with the full backing of the government...
(This article read 1861 times)
Royal Mail - Insurrection, Strikes, Strategy and Missed Opportunity
08 November 2009
The UK government (Labour) is proposing a partial sale of Royal Mail (30% up to 49%), while the “opposition,” as they call themselves (Conservative), want to sell off 100% of Royal Mail. The Postal Services Bill (PSB), which authorizes or legalizes the sale, has been in a state of limbo since July 2009...
(This article read 1778 times)
Part Privatising The Royal Mail - Part 3
07 October 2009
In Part II of "Part Privatising the Royal Mail" Timothy Nestved looked at the industry interlink between the internet and postal services, which he says uncovered errors in the Hooper Report. In Part III, he looks at how the modernisation of Royal Mail can move forward...
(This article read 1757 times)
The Facts About Paper-Free Mail - Part 1
01 December 2009
Last month I mentioned the growing interest in paper-free mail systems and made a few comments about why I now see it as an important part, if not key to the future for the mail industry. This month I'm digging a little deeper, in a four-part feature, talking to paperless providers as well as postal operators and seeing whats already out there and which are likely to stay the course and why....
(This article read 1671 times)
Amazon May Dump Royal Mail As Retailers Lose Patience
07 October 2009
Amazon, one of the worlds largest online retailers, may be about to ditch the Royal Mail ahead of what could soon be national strike action by UK postal workers. According to the Guardian newspaper, Amazon has switched to HDN, the Home Delivery Network. It follows criticism by many retailers and small businesses that sporadic strike action was having a devastating effect on trade...
(This article read 1670 times)
And Now For Something Completely Different - Paperless Mail
09 October 2009
As postal workers argue with Royal Mail over the path of modernisation for the business, both might just care to keep one eye open on the predators waiting in the wings. I'm not talking about private courier firms or even foreign postal operators, but a very different and some would argue, more reliable postal service that is set to revolutionise the business of mail delivery....
(This article read 1654 times)
Biggest Threat To Postal Services Is Already Here
27 November 2009
Steve Lawson, editor for Hellmail postal news, said this week that postal operators around the world should be braced for a new wave of electronic postal services that will slash millions from profits and see even greater decline of mail services than first thought...
(This article read 1651 times)
The Facts About Paper-Free Mail - Part 3
20 December 2009
In part 3 of this feature, I look at how digital solutions already form part of a range of services provided by mail operators and a glimpse perhaps, of the impact that digital technology and software might have on the size and structure of European postal services in future....
(This article read 1647 times)
CWU Takes Concerns To Labour Party Conference
29 September 2009
Royal Mail once again urged the Communication Workers Union to call off localised strikes, saying that it was already on track to complete major efficiency changes planned for 2009 and that the company now needed to focus on its busiest time of year - the run up to Christmas...
(This article read 1631 times)
Postal Workers Losing Support For Mail Disruption
13 September 2009
Postal workers could be in for a rough time over the coming weeks with mounting criticism of plans to begin a national postal strike at Royal Mail. With a difficult recession and only months away from Christmas, sympathy for the plight of workers has already taken a dent this week after both the Daily Mail and the Telegraph launched scathing attacks on union members for trying to bring the network to a crawl...
(This article read 1629 times)
Royal Mail - Spotting The Weakest Link
17 July 2009
In the wake of strike action at Royal Mail in 2007, postal customers have now become wise if not resigned to any potential disruption, and this time planning important mailings around the industrial action or else simply switching to emailing documents from one place to the other....
(This article read 1576 times)
Talks Continue As Royal Mail Dispute Intensifies
09 September 2009
Talks between the Communication Workers Union and Royal Mail have continued this month, ahead of a national ballot by postal workers for widespread industrial action. The talks, which so far have not prompted the union to call off the ballot, are aimed at establishing common ground on the modernisation of the UK's main postal operator. In a letter to all union branches...
(This article read 1486 times)
20 March 2009
Delighted staff at Eagle Couriers in Scotland, are celebrating after winning a prestigious contract to help maintain the UK’s historic print archive. Five of the nation’s most important libraries have the power of Legal Deposit – meaning publishers are legally obliged to submit copies on request of everything they produce...
(This article read 5970 times)
Royal Mail Strikes - How Long
03 September 2009
The standoff between Royal Mail and the Communication Workers Union in the UK continues, with Royal Mail pushing home its tough message that change is essential for the future of the service and the underpinning of the universal service, and that further dithering merely compounds the problems it faces. The CWU in turn, maintains that workers are...
(This article read 5640 times)
New Royal Mail Delivery Offices For Coventry
27 December 2009
The construction of the Royal Mail Coventry North delivery office is apparently now finished with only interior fittings required to bring the unit into full use. The site, along with a similar unit to be built on the southern perimeter of Coventry behind the Airport Retail Park (see inset) will replace the Bishop Street sorting office in the centre of the City....
(This article read 4901 times)
Eagle Couriers Uncover Forgotten Hotline Number
16 April 2009
Scotland’s leading independent courier firm have received an unexpected bonus following a recent takeover deal – a catchy new 0845 phone number. Directors at Eagle Couriers, which has bases in Bathgate, Edinburgh and Glasgow, were left surprised when they found they had inherited the 0845 123 1230 number after taking over one of their oldest Edinburgh rivals...
(This article read 4711 times)
Scottish Courier Eagle Supports Pet Welfare
11 June 2009
A leading independent courier firm is helping to make a difference to the welfare of family pets across the east of Scotland. Eagle Couriers is carrying out work with vets surgeries in Edinburgh and performing a daily, high-profile delivery run which takes blood and tissue samples to Scotland’s leading veterinary research centre....
(This article read 4616 times)
London Businesses To Pay Price Of Royal Mail Strike Action
18 June 2009
The Direct Marketing Association (DMA) is warning of the damage that a postal strike will have on businesses across the capital. Mail deliveries are set to be severely disrupted on Friday 19 June as Royal Mail workers hold a 24-hour walkout in protest of the operator’s modernisation plans....
(This article read 4539 times)
Royal Mail Strike Action Declared Illegal
15 June 2009
Three postal centres in London will not now be taking part in this Friday's postal strike at Royal Mail due to an administrative error which would have made strike action illegal. The three offices affected are said to be Nine Elms, Mount Pleasant the largest automated processing centre in the UK which serves city deliveries, and Rathbone Place....
(This article read 4414 times)
Scottish Eagle Couriers Opens New HQ
06 April 2009
Scotland’s leading independent courier firm has carried out a major expansion into West Lothian after opening a new operational headquarters. Eagle Couriers has relocated its head office to new premises in Bathgate as part of a move to maximise and expand its deliveries across Scotland and the rest of the UK....
(This article read 3568 times)
The DX Opens North London Service Centre
27 May 2009
DX, the UK & Ireland’s leading independent mail and courier company, has opened a purpose built facility near Staples Corner, North London following an investment of £750,000. The North London Service Centre was officially opened by three of DX’s long standing customers – Malcolm Polley of the FMO, Jeremy Dawe of the US Embassy and Jonathan King from Mailsource UK Ltd....
(This article read 3548 times)
Red Van Shortage Stumps Scottish Couriers
27 May 2009
Never mind white van man, Scotland ’s top delivery firm, Eagle Couriers, has discovered the red van man could become a dying breed after a European-wide shortage of red vans....
(This article read 3179 times)
Mailing Preference Service Shrugs Shoulders At Junkbuster
13 May 2009
The Mailing Preference Service (MPS), the most well-known junk mail opt-out scheme in the UK, has told junk mail campaigners that it will ignore householders requesting an opt-out pack via the website www.junkbuster.org.uk....
(This article read 3119 times)
Conder Leaves BPMA After Five And A Half Years
27 May 2009
On 20 February, Tony Conder the CEO of the BPMA announced he would be leaving the organisation at Easter after five and a half years. During that time he was involved in the negotiation to set up The British Postal Museum & Archive and in the development of its early stages....
(This article read 3087 times)
CWU Members Split Over Further Strike Action
28 November 2009
The Communication Workers Union, which represents thousands of Royal Mail workers may yet call for more strikes before Christmas, despite an interim agreement established earlier this month to establish a period of calm. However, some postal workers are concerned that continued action will alienate them from the general public at the busiest time of year. One postal worker said...
(This article read 2993 times)
Royal Mail - Strike And You Will Not Get Paid
28 July 2009
The Communication Workers Union said this week that it intends to continue to support industrial action to force Royal Mail to rethink its modernisation plans, whilst Royal Mail maintains that a fall in mail volume makes it essential for the company to forge ahead on change, that there is nothing more to be gained by further discussion and that it must provide the service customers want....
(This article read 2956 times)
Scottish Courier Firm Fights Parking Ticket Charge
23 June 2009
Scotland’s leading independent courier firm is gearing up for another fight against Glasgow City Council over parking tickets issued on its vehicles. Eagle Couriers, which has offices in Garscube Road, has appealed against a ticket that was issued on one of its courier bikes in the city centre earlier this month...
(This article read 2924 times)
DHL Closes Crick Distribution Centre
12 March 2009
Following the announcement that the supermarket chain Tesco is to end its contract with the DHL Fastway operation at Daventry, DHL is being forced to close the site with the loss of 150 jobs. Tesco said the Crick site near the Daventry Rail Freight Terminal, lacked the capacity needed and had decided to end the contract....
(This article read 2708 times)
CWU Says Negotiation Is Only Way To End Royal Mail Strike Action
19 August 2009
The Communication Workers Union today said it was pushing ahead with further strike action across the country as the deadlock between the union and Royal Mail continues. The CWU said action is over cuts to jobs and services and Royal Mail's lack of willingness to negotiate on modernisation, accusing Royal Mail of abusing work measurement systems to increase workloads to breaking point....
(This article read 2685 times)
The Facts About Paper-Free Mail - Part 2
06 December 2009
This week I discuss the functionality of paper-free mail technology, a few factors you may not have considered, and if and when we can expect the paper-free postal revolution to become a larger part of our everyday lives. I can almost hear those following this, sniggering into their coffee cups....
(This article read 2616 times)
P2P Mailing - Fresh Approach To Mail Market
27 April 2009
April 2009 sees the launch of P2P Mailing Ltd based out of a 14,000 square foot facility near London’s prestigious Docklands. A joint venture between CYC Logistics and Distribution Ltd and the Management Team behind P2P Mailing Ltd itself P2P Mailing offers innovation, transparency and pro-activity in the objective design of multichannel distribution solutions serving many industry sectors, such as Mail Order...
(This article read 2591 times)
Roy Mayall - Granny Smith Also About Being Human
30 November 2009
For Britain's postal workers, the changes at Royal Mail under the fanfare of 'modernisation' can hardly be described as welcome. For those who walk the streets delivering the country's mail, the job had always been seen as very much a social service, with many customers knowing their postman or postwoman by their first name. The fact that the social aspects are now being played down hasn't been too well received...
(This article read 2522 times)
The DX - Keeping Business Mail Moving During Postal Strike
30 August 2009
The DX, one of a handful of independent mail operators in the UK which do not rely on Royal Mail for any part of its service, is gearing up for a boost to sales as the postal dispute looks set to intensify over the coming months. "The CWU’s plan to hold a ballot for a national mail strike by Royal Mail workers concerns many businesses, but we've had over 30 years experience providing a reliable delivery and collection service for business mail...
(This article read 2424 times)
Royal Mail Customers Looking For Alternatives As Prospect Of National Postal Strike Looms
23 September 2009
LinkDirect, a nationally operating door drop marketing company said today that Royal Mail customers were increasingly turning to alternatives such as couriers for their parcels and door drop distribution companies for their leaflet promotions....
(This article read 2423 times)
More Postal Strikes In London Today
23 September 2009
According to the Communication Workers Union, there will be further postal strikes today, disrupting many services in the south and east of London. The union said it was continuing to urge Royal Mail to engage in meaningful negotiations to agree changes for the business...
(This article read 2420 times)
Royal Mail - Why CWU Peace Deal Is No Go
15 October 2009
Royal Mail rejected an offer by the CWU this week to cease all strike action in exchange for a rethink on its modernisation plans and a revised pay deal, describing the CWU's offer as 'A list of fresh demands'....
(This article read 2416 times)
UK Postal Strikes - Affected Areas
14 August 2009
Further disruption to postal deliveries and collections in the UK are expected this week as the CWU members step up industrial action with a series of 24 hour strikes at Royal Mail. Areas affected include East Anglia, London, the South West and other parts of the UK. Royal Mail network drivers will again be striking affecting all cross-country mail services. Full list is as follows....
(This article read 2245 times)
Royal Mail - Less Talk More Action
04 October 2009
Muted rumblings of progress from the CWU last week, gave little away in terms of bringing the present dispute at Royal Mail to an end - not that anyone else cared too much. The press has busied its time with scathing comment on the potential for national strikes and as has been pointed out numerous times, customers do not have any interest in what the dispute is about...
(This article read 2147 times)
Postal Strike - More Disruption In Months Ahead
18 July 2009
The CWU has announced that it is to step up strike action next week in an effort to force Royal Mail to renegotiate its modernisation plan. Three days of action are planned next Saturday and the following Monday and Tuesday (25th, 27th and 28th July). The CWU said the industrial action was a result of "illogical cuts" and that Royal Mail must return to negotiations or face further industrial action....
(This article read 2142 times)
Royal Mail Facing Real Problems In Depressed Postal Market
27 July 2009
Dutch-owned TNT NV, has reported a 60% fall in net profit for the second quarter, mirroring a similar fall to that of Deutsche Post DHL as the global economy continues to depress express deliveries. A drop in consumer spending, the collapse of some retailers and restructuring of supply chains has had a significant impact on both German and Dutch operators and it is unclear just how much the economic crisis will affect the Royal Mail...
(This article read 2088 times)
ViaPost Blasts Royal Mail Price Increases
06 April 2009
ViaPost, which provides a postal service from users PC desktops, blasted Royal Mail today for yet another rise in the cost of postage stamps. David Bland, OBE, chairman of ViaPost and ex chairman of Postwatch said: “Today’s increase in cost of a 1st and 2nd class stamps by the Royal Mail is yet another additional costs that businesses in the UK are going to have to deal with....
(This article read 2051 times)
Mail Volume Decline - A Lesson From The Dodo
11 July 2009
A more turbulent week and unusually for me, not a weekend of leisure. There is much to think about now, particularly since the apparent demise (even if temporary) of the Postal Services Bill. The Bill was meant to be a three-pronged approach to salvaging Royal Mail's pension deficit, introducing investment, expertise and regulatory reform, based mostly on the Richard Hooper report. However, the failure to...
(This article read 2051 times)
UK Postal Deregulation - Three Years And Counting
07 April 2009
Those outside the UK and even some at home, may not fully understand the timetable of events concerning European postal deregulation and just how it has resulted in the sale of a third of the Royal Mail but with much of Europe watching the UK model fairly closely, it might be time for a recap...
(This article read 2043 times)
UK Postal Strike - Saying Nothing Works Too
22 August 2009
Royal Mail has opted for a rather quiet recycling of its message that change was agreed by both sides. The low-key approach also has the effect of infuriating those hoping for a head-to-head confrontation. One could liken this to trying to start a battle on wet grass in plimsoles. The safest bet for now, may well be battle axes in a very dark cellar...
(This article read 1978 times)
Royal Mail And CWU Still Unable To Agree
16 July 2009
Thousands of postal workers made their feelings known today over what they see as a series of operational cuts by Royal Mail but without the introduction of modern sorting machinery, an imposed pay cut, and being asked to carry out addional duties without extra pay and the loss of overtime....
(This article read 1975 times)
The Other Royal Mail Document
16 October 2009
There is a second document that for the moment appears to have been buried since the current dispute began. Known as the 'Next Steps' document, it sets out a vision for duty cycles based on four and eight hour shifts. Essentially, as Royal Mail introduces more automation, the company will have much clearer duty spans which presumably puts paid to any hopes by business that early deliveries are high on its list of priorities...
(This article read 1960 times)
The Future Of Postal Services
31 August 2009
There is little doubt that the internet, whilst transforming the way most of us communicate with the modern world, has put the squeeze on traditional postal services. We've all become so used to the speed and immediacy of email, it is rare these days that we choose to hand write a letter, stick it in an envelope, and post it. For a third of a price of a stamp we can even send a text message...
(This article read 1944 times)
Postal Strike - Affected Areas Confirmed
14 July 2009
The Communication Workers Union, which represents thousands of postal workers in the UK, has confirmed that strike action on Friday 17th July will take place in London, Edinburgh, Bristol, Darlington, Stoke, Plymouth, Leamington Spa, Norfolk and Essex. A spokesperson said that the union would be delivering a letter and postcard to Royal Mail’s Chief Executive Adam Crozier...
(This article read 1927 times)
Can A Solution To UK Postal Strike Be Secured
05 November 2009
The most likely scenario is that a short-term deal will be brokered and today the Postal Executive Committee are discussing the content of a proposed deal. As with all disputes of this nature, negotiators tend to aim high in the hope that a lesser deal will be closer to what they had hoped for and with both sides seeking progress, they may just develop a form of words that takes the immediate sting out of the dispute...
(This article read 1916 times)
Part Privatising The Royal Mail
17 September 2009
The push for part-privatization of Royal Mail Group (RMG) continues, with Prime Minister Gordon Brown and Business Secretary Lord Mendelson using the Hooper Report (officially known as "Modernise or decline, Policies to maintain the universal postal services in the United Kingdom", 16 December 2008) as substantive evidence the Postal Services Bill (PSB) is the correct approach to resolving the many problems at RMG...
(This article read 1902 times)
Modernisation Of Royal Mail Rubber Stamped In Leaked Document
15 October 2009
A report by the BBC's Newsnight highlighted an apparently leaked document thought to show that the government and Royal Mail are in collusion to break the CWU's grip on the postal service. The Royal Mail have denied any knowledge of the document which appears to rubber stamp modernisation of the Royal Mail with or without the agreement of the union and with the full backing of the government...
(This article read 1861 times)
Royal Mail - Insurrection, Strikes, Strategy and Missed Opportunity
08 November 2009
The UK government (Labour) is proposing a partial sale of Royal Mail (30% up to 49%), while the “opposition,” as they call themselves (Conservative), want to sell off 100% of Royal Mail. The Postal Services Bill (PSB), which authorizes or legalizes the sale, has been in a state of limbo since July 2009...
(This article read 1778 times)
Part Privatising The Royal Mail - Part 3
07 October 2009
In Part II of "Part Privatising the Royal Mail" Timothy Nestved looked at the industry interlink between the internet and postal services, which he says uncovered errors in the Hooper Report. In Part III, he looks at how the modernisation of Royal Mail can move forward...
(This article read 1757 times)
The Facts About Paper-Free Mail - Part 1
01 December 2009
Last month I mentioned the growing interest in paper-free mail systems and made a few comments about why I now see it as an important part, if not key to the future for the mail industry. This month I'm digging a little deeper, in a four-part feature, talking to paperless providers as well as postal operators and seeing whats already out there and which are likely to stay the course and why....
(This article read 1671 times)
Amazon May Dump Royal Mail As Retailers Lose Patience
07 October 2009
Amazon, one of the worlds largest online retailers, may be about to ditch the Royal Mail ahead of what could soon be national strike action by UK postal workers. According to the Guardian newspaper, Amazon has switched to HDN, the Home Delivery Network. It follows criticism by many retailers and small businesses that sporadic strike action was having a devastating effect on trade...
(This article read 1670 times)
And Now For Something Completely Different - Paperless Mail
09 October 2009
As postal workers argue with Royal Mail over the path of modernisation for the business, both might just care to keep one eye open on the predators waiting in the wings. I'm not talking about private courier firms or even foreign postal operators, but a very different and some would argue, more reliable postal service that is set to revolutionise the business of mail delivery....
(This article read 1654 times)
Biggest Threat To Postal Services Is Already Here
27 November 2009
Steve Lawson, editor for Hellmail postal news, said this week that postal operators around the world should be braced for a new wave of electronic postal services that will slash millions from profits and see even greater decline of mail services than first thought...
(This article read 1651 times)
The Facts About Paper-Free Mail - Part 3
20 December 2009
In part 3 of this feature, I look at how digital solutions already form part of a range of services provided by mail operators and a glimpse perhaps, of the impact that digital technology and software might have on the size and structure of European postal services in future....
(This article read 1647 times)
CWU Takes Concerns To Labour Party Conference
29 September 2009
Royal Mail once again urged the Communication Workers Union to call off localised strikes, saying that it was already on track to complete major efficiency changes planned for 2009 and that the company now needed to focus on its busiest time of year - the run up to Christmas...
(This article read 1631 times)
Postal Workers Losing Support For Mail Disruption
13 September 2009
Postal workers could be in for a rough time over the coming weeks with mounting criticism of plans to begin a national postal strike at Royal Mail. With a difficult recession and only months away from Christmas, sympathy for the plight of workers has already taken a dent this week after both the Daily Mail and the Telegraph launched scathing attacks on union members for trying to bring the network to a crawl...
(This article read 1629 times)
Royal Mail - Spotting The Weakest Link
17 July 2009
In the wake of strike action at Royal Mail in 2007, postal customers have now become wise if not resigned to any potential disruption, and this time planning important mailings around the industrial action or else simply switching to emailing documents from one place to the other....
(This article read 1576 times)
Talks Continue As Royal Mail Dispute Intensifies
09 September 2009
Talks between the Communication Workers Union and Royal Mail have continued this month, ahead of a national ballot by postal workers for widespread industrial action. The talks, which so far have not prompted the union to call off the ballot, are aimed at establishing common ground on the modernisation of the UK's main postal operator. In a letter to all union branches...
(This article read 1486 times)
