The Communication Workers Union (CWU) has warned that Royal Mail is on the brink of collapse, with approximately 400 delivery staff leaving every week ahead of the busy Christmas period. Workers have expressed dissatisfaction over workload as parcels are reportedly prioritised over letters.
New delivery model rolled out
A new model aimed at improving delivery services has reorganised routes and has been rolled out in about 1,000 out of 1,200 delivery offices. Under the new system, second class post is allowed to be delivered only every other weekday, while first class letters and parcels are delivered six days a week.
The CWU has asked its members to avoid the new system until a proposal is accepted to solve problems in hundreds of offices.
Union calls for summit
Dave Ward, general secretary of the CWU, said: "We are calling for a summit between stakeholders and the Government to address the ticking timebomb that is Royal Mail.
"Royal Mail has been in structural decline for well over a decade, and the continuous failure to deliver quality of service is killing the brand, demoralising the workforce, and letting down the communities that postal workers are proud to serve. At this stage, it doesn't matter what delivery model is adopted: unless the company faces up to its self-inflicted recruitment and retention crisis, the company is on the brink of collapse."
Royal Mail response
A Royal Mail spokesman told the Mail Online that it was seeing "positive results" from its new delivery model. It added that it now delivers on average to 95% of addresses daily across the UK, whereas before this was 88%.
"The rollout continues across our network and we expect quality of service to improve as deployment progresses," the spokesperson said. "These reforms are an important part of our plan to deliver a more reliable, efficient and financially sustainable Universal Service for customers across the UK."
The company is taking on an extra 22,000 temporary workers over the festive period. Royal Mail was fined £21million last year by Ofcom for missing targets.
Declining letter volumes
It is trying to curb declining letter volumes — which decreased 10% to 5.7billion in 2025 — as Brits stay away from expensive stamps and switch to digital ways of communicating.
Mr Ward added: "For years, we have had select committees, promises of £500million improvement plans, a broad array of agreements and threats to improve from Ofcom.
"Royal Mail is in serious need of a business vision that provides dignified work for employees and quality service for consumers and communities. The time for developing and implementing this vision is long overdue, and we must begin the work now."
The Express has contacted Royal Mail for comment.
