Dear Editor, 

I have just learned that Royal Mail workers are to strike for another 19 days during October and November.

I was a Union member myself for many years. I was (and still am) passionate about workers' rights and being paid a fair wage for a fair day's toil. I even reluctantly went on strike a couple of times.

Nobody goes on strike lightly - apart from anything else, you lose pay when you do so. Currently, that is something none of us can afford, given that the cost of everything is rocketing skywards. So I fully understand why members of the CWU feel frustrated and angry enough to vote for strike action.

From my own perspective, though, I have to be brutally honest and say that the upcoming 19 days of action will have no discernible impact on my home mail delivery, as any strike days will be barely noticeable.

For over two years now, I have been lucky if I receive one, possibly two, deliveries a week. I have missed hospital appointments and other important events because of that. The posties have told me it's mainly down to staffing issues.

I hardly ever see the same postie twice, and I have given up subscribing to my TV magazine, as it always arrived beyond its end date. Most of my mail now turns up 10 to 14 days later than it should.

I think Royal Mail management need to understand that when eyewatering sums are being charged for postage stamps and parcels, the public would really rather like a service that reflects such a significant outlay.

Currently, we are receiving an absolutely appalling level of 'service'. I place the blame for that firmly at the management's door, not with the 'boots on the ground'.

Whilst the heads of shed treat their employees with such a flagrant lack of dignity, respect and understanding, both the workers and the public suffer. At the risk of stating the blinkin' obvious, CWU members are clearly profoundly unhappy and morale is patently at rock bottom.

Management need to openly acknowledge that, get round the table with the CWU and find workable, long-term solutions. That's the very least employees deserve.  And as long-suffering paying customers, so do we!

Name and address supplied