MEDIA RELEASE - National survey of posties show serious delivery bottle necks and vindicates regulation concerns
The union representing posties says that a new survey of over 1000 of its members, participating in Australia Post's Alternate Day Delivery Model, gives a dire warning as posties are engaging in unsafe work practices in an attempt to clear delivery backlogs and posage delays that are still being experienced across the network.
The survey found:
- 57% of traditional posties, delivering both letters and small parcels predominantly by motorcycle, said they left letters-based products behind at the delivery centre, or brought them back where they remained undelivered for more than one business day.
- Of those, the average number of letters were 201 per postie per response
- 51% of posties said they left behind, or brought back, parcel products (including premium products such as Express Post) they were unable to delivery on their run, on the day the parcel was due for delivery.
- Of those, the average number of parcels undelivered on the day they were due was 44
- 43% of posties admitted to not adhering to all footpath and nature strip speed limits whilst performing the delivery function of their role.
- 84% of posties said they were unable to complete their duties within their rostered hours. 34% of those said they considered the level of overtime required to complete their run to be unreasonable
- 55% admitted to not taking all their applicable breaks in order to to complete their duties.
CEPU Communications Union National Secretary Greg Rayner said "These delivery backlogs are a direct result of Government changes allowing Australia Post to neglect their regulatory obligations by slowing the network down to second day deliveries.
"We've warned from the very beginning that reducing the frequency of deliveries in the middle of a global pandemic is a recipe for disaster.
"These survey results paint a seriously bleak picture of what's happening behind the scenes on our postal network.
"Australians are relying on our postal service now more than ever - and they're being let down by the Federal Government and Australia Post management.
"We will continue to engage with Australia Post to pursue a delivery model that provides job security for posties and provides the efficiencies the company requires to remain sustainable. However, our members' health and safety and the quality of services expected by the public must be at the forefront of those considerations."
Media contact: Amelia Brock, 0430 187 161
