Overview
- Royal Mail has agreed with the Communication Workers Union to delay implementation in the remaining 107 delivery offices until 11 January to keep staff focused on the Christmas peak.
- The company says the new model is now in about 90% of delivery offices and reports first-class quality up 9% and daily delivery reach rising to roughly 95% in offices using the new schedule.
- Rollout had covered nearly 1,100 sites with a further 15 planned by early November before the final phase was deferred.
- Royal Mail is recruiting roughly 22,000 temporary workers for the festive period and is carrying out an organisational review that could affect up to 2,500 head-office and support roles by the end of 2027.
- Political and union pressure has increased after repeated service shortfalls, and the pause leaves regulators, ministers and the CWU watching whether the measures and hiring restore reliable service over the Christmas peak.