I've had a reply from Tessa Jowell, saying she's been looking into the postal problems since as early as October, and she'll keep looking into them; she's acknowledged that the problems are worse than the strike would seem to justify. This seems to be good news.

She also forwarded me a letter dated October 29th, in which a Royal Mail staffer assures her that they're looking into the problem. This staffer cites the word of Tony Phelan by way of explaining what's going on at street level; as Mr Phelan is the one who decided the dishonest 'you were out' card system should be used in the first place, I'm not sure his word is completely trustworthy. I've written back to her pointing that out, and I've also sent her a copy of our Postwatch complaint letter detailing exactly what happened when, so she can have a clear idea of the problem from the customers' point of view.

If anyone else has time to send Ms Jowell a detailed account, it might help her get an accurate picture, factoring in the customers' side of the story as well as the post workers, when she looks into this.

I'd personally be willing to pay more for better service; the service before the post office was privatised was much better, for a pretty similar price to now. What I resent is paying a fair amount for no service at all. It's hardly 'going out of your way' to deliver parcels to the houses they're addressed to.

bob Wrote:
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> IT SAVES THEM GOING BACK TO THE SORTING OFFICE
> WHEN THE FINISH EARLY


What you mean they sleep in the trolley?

Just to give credit where it's due, a couple of months' ago, our local postie in Peckham came to the church office because he had delivered to a house where the keys were in the door. He had knocked but got no reply but knew she was one of our ladies. Indeed, she is very deaf and had recently come out of hospital. He and I entered together and found her safe, but very exhausted and collapsed on a sofa. She could have been burgled or worse had it not been for the darling postie taking the time and trouble to do something.

Once again, I'll put in a good word for my postie. He just gets on with it, is cheerful but not too ebullient, friendly, efficient and he doesn't drop red laccy bands. Nero

Nero Wrote:
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> Once again, I'll put in a good word for my postie.
> He just gets on with it, is cheerful but not too
> ebullient, friendly, efficient and he doesn't drop
> red laccy bands. Nero

ah thanks for solving a longstanding mystery Nero. I thought those elastic bands on my step every morning were being pinged at my door by pesky SE22 15-year-olds on their way home from the pub.

A lot of the 8/9 yesar old boys at school are collecting the red bands and making big bouncy balls with them.

Who needs a wii for Christmas when it's on the pavements for free ?

I have the strong impression that the posties and desk staff are doing their best in the face of bad orders from higher up the chain. Probably they're also getting the most abuse from irritated customers as well, even though it's not their fault. I think the higher-ups are giving a raw deal to post workers and customers both.

I have had huge problems with not only this, but my post not being delivered at all. I spoke to royal mail to complain (also had the experience of being cut off automatically) and reported this issue. I was told an email had been sent to the sorting office. I said I wasn't happy with that as the sorting office was the problem, could I have a copy of the complaint as sent and the name of the person it had been sent to so I could follow it up. The complaints team said they don't give out that information. So I asked when I would hear what was being done to resolve the issue - they said no, that the email was all they could do and that there was no individual that would take responcibility for the management of this complaint. the situation is becoming untenable, with most of my post never being deliveredat all.

Bluecanary
If they go back early they are given more work to do hence leave it locked up some where and p.o.e.
Bob S

Interestingly, having spent the last week complaining to MPs, journalists, complaints lines, Postwatch and this place, I suddenly got an avalanche of long-awaited parcels on my doormat today - in fact, the postmen came round twice. It might be coincidence, but I'm inclined to suspect that the complaints might have had something to do with it...

That is interesting. I'm inclined not to complain in case the posties find out and get the hump and decide to fillet my letters for cheques and stamp on my parcels even more than normal. That suggests they have ways of finding out who is complaining and 'doing something about it' for good or ill.

I'd see it that they would make more of an effort to make sure you're getting your post as they know they're likely to lodge a complaint if you don't, unlike the guy next door who never complains even though the postie doesn't deliver those interesting and possible worth something packages. Or they'd piss in your letter box.

I did worry that I might be subject to some kind of postal vengeance for complaining, but thinking about it logically, knowing that I'm a complainer who makes a fuss when the parcels don't arrive, and that it's a crime to tamper with post, they'd stand to lose far more than I did if anybody did get a vindictive urge. I might lose a parcel, but they'd lose their jobs; those aren't odds anyone sensible would play. Also I doubt most people are that vindictive; mostly they just want to do their jobs and go home. Complaining hopefully ups the chances that they can't go home till they've done the job properly, but doesn't provoke counter-attacks.

Odd.

The US is the most Free markety country on earth ( apart from Somalia, but thats another discussion ), yet they resolutely keep the Postal service protected and prioritised - crimes aginst the Postal services are heavily punished.

Whereas we seem to want to wash our hands of it - its not surprising thet ED posties share their sweaty handed bosses l;ack of commitment to the whole industry.

No one wants to work for the PO any more.

odd and odder still - just came home to eight overdue packages, one of which was sent out on October 30th. Some cages have been rattled me thinks.

A couple of times recently the mail was sticking out of our letterbox when we came home, which was a clear indication to people with criminal intent that we were out. The last time it happened I chased after the postie to tell him not to do it again. He seemed to be about 19 years old and didn't really seem to get the point I was making. Was he one of the temps or casuals?

I think the complaints are working .... ! Dare I speak too soon ... ? A post van arrived at lunchtime today and three posties got out with trolleys and were delivering post up and down the streets around Colyton Road. There was already a postie delivering on our street!

I also got a whole mountain of post last week which contained all the missing items I had been waiting over a month for!

Fingers crossed that this improvement in service continues!

Glad to hear that Tessa Jowell has been interested in our plight too!

deleted



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit was 2007:11:22:22:49:57 by AllforNun.

I just want the birthday card that was sent to me at the beginning of November. Tried to complain but was told that only the sender and do that.

As the sender, my father, is 86 and rather frail it probably isn’t going to happen. Gave up on the local post a long time ago when ordering stuff from the web. Get it sent to work or a North London friend instead.

Good luck with the campaign.

Good to hear that parcels are starting to arrive. :-) I've been speaking to a journalist on the local paper, and he's going to be doing an article about it soon, so let's keep the stories coming!

why not post my jokey comment re the discs do you work for hmrc mr administrator ?

I got 4 missed delivery cards and arranged online for redelivery Thursday, but noone turned up and when I called to complain, asking Royal Mail whether it really meant anything when a mail arrived confirming a redelivery date, she said "No, not really!"

I am writing a story on this for the Southwark News...
I have spoken to Tessa Jowell MP, Royal Mail and the sorting office.

I will be outside the Sorting Office on Sylvester Road from 10am tomorrow (sunday) to take a picture of some disgruntled residents...

Cllr Jonathon Mitchell will be attending...

Please come down to voice your concerns and / or get in the pic...

David Y

The article in the Southwark News is out today, I believe. Everyone get a copy!

Keef Wrote:
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> I know this is a poor service, but at the moment
> when they probably do have a big back log, and
> they've got xmas coming up, I can understand them
> doing this, and getting people to collect their
> own parcels. Not saying it's right before my head
> gets bitten off, just that I can understand it.
>

I've had this both before and after the strike, this year.

This summer (June), I had a so-called attempted delivery (I work from home and I was in - they just didn't ring or knock), which ended up with the item going back to the vendor. Then when I went to the sorting office to try and collect, the guy on duty at Silvester Rd gave misinformation about item whereabouts. I ended up getting a refund from my credit card company.

In the last month, I've had the non-appearance of at least four parcels in four weeks, where I've had to get back to vendors in the end, and most have mailing the same thing out again. I've also had 'those letters'.

I more often than not get a van driver dropping a card through the door and then driving away without ringing or knocking. I hear the letterbox go (as the card comes through), run to the door, and shout from the porch and I run down the garden, but by that stage the guy is back in the van and driving off.

I've filed formal complaints with RM customer services several times this year (about the above, but I also get a lot of mail for a nearby property, which I'm always on their case about), who apologise and send me books of stamps :-/. They also try to get through to Silvester Rd, but no joy: apparently, they say, this sorting office neither answers the phone (my own experience too) nor reads email from Customer Services. So if Customer Services try to rearrange a delivery with Silvester Rd, their email is just ignored.

Oh and one of the posties broke my letterbox.

It's a never-ending saga.

I'm about to escalate the whole thing.