Latest news with #CWU
BBC News
2 days ago
- Politics
- BBC News
Post delays in Cumbria lead to 'missed appointments'
Delays to postal deliveries, which some people say have caused them to miss medical appointments, "must be fixed", an MP has in Cumbria have taken to social media to complain about receiving notifications of appointments after they were due to attend, leading the MP for Penrith and Solway Markus Campbell-Savours to set up a meeting with Royal Mail Communication Workers Union (CWU) said the main causes were staff vacancies and postal workers being overloaded with mail which has to be returned to sorting Mail said: "We are working hard to ensure that all residents in Penrith and Solway receive their mail reliably and on time." Among the complaints on social media was one from a resident who "missed a medical appointment last week as the letter came this week".Another said a medical letter relating to their child took 20 days to arrive meaning "they then removed my child from the waiting list because they hadn't heard from me".Others shared late arriving birthday cards and claimed they were without a mobile phone for more than a week while waiting for a SIM card which had been posted first class. 'Bit of a disaster' Labour MP Campbell-Savours told BBC Radio Cumbria: "We need this issue fixed. People are very reliant on the mail service."If you're missing surgery dates and meetings with consultants and you're elderly and there aren't better ways to communicate, it's a bit of a disaster and I want to see it stopped."A Royal Mail spokesperson said: "We are meeting with Mr Campbell-Savours to discuss concerns about deliveries in his constituency." Liberal Democrat MP for Westmorland and Lonsdale Tim Farron said he was also seeing problems in his area."This is not the postie's fault," Farron blamed decisions taken by senior Royal Mail managers leading to an unmanageable upcoming closure of the Sedburgh and Appleby sorting offices meant there was more pressure on Kendal and Penrith centres, he Cumbria and North Lancashire branch of the CWU said there were 10 vacancies at both the Penrith and Kendal sorting starters had also left the business due to the "extreme workload" and were on worse terms and conditions than existing staff, according to the union. Follow BBC Cumbria on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram.
BBC News
06-06-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Ex-postman and Corby MP sponsors bill to ban low letterboxes
A Labour MP who used to be a postal worker is co-sponsoring a parliamentary bill to outlaw low-level letterboxes on front doors and Barron, who represents Corby and East Northamptonshire, said putting the slots close to the ground increases physical strain suffered by postal also puts them at greater risk of dog issue has been the subject of a campaign for more than 60 years. Although many letterboxes are at waist height, a good number are still at the bottom of the Communication Workers Union (CWU) started a campaign to raise the levels of letterboxes way back in British Standards Agency agreed that they should not be installed close to the ground, but this was never enshrined into building standards who was elected to the Northamptonshire seat last year, said: "As a former postal worker and as someone who represented Corby and East Northamptonshire postal workers for over a decade, I'm co-sponsoring a 10-minute rule bill that will go before Parliament with an aim for a UK-wide ban on the installation of ground-level letterboxes in all new builds and front door replacements."He wants to make the installation height dimensions in the relevant British standard mandatory. The standard states that letterboxes must be installed between 70cm (2ft 4in) and 170cm (5ft 7in) from the delivery floor level, except in special cases such as historic Barron said: "The reasons why this is so important is due to the cumulative physical strain induced by constant bending right down to floor level while out on delivery and also the increased risk of dog bites through the letterbox when it is at ground level."The CWU said a delegation from the union had met the current minister of state for housing and planning in March to discuss the issue.A union spokesperson said: "It was a positive meeting and this conversation is currently ongoing."The 10-minute rule procedure allows MPs to put the case for a bill to become law in a speech lasting no more than 10 minutes. Follow Northamptonshire news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
Yahoo
18-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
MP bitten by dog while posting election leaflets
An MP has called on pet owners to keep dogs away from letter boxes after he was bitten while delivering leaflets. Exeter Labour MP Steve Race needed hospital treatment after his finger was bitten by a dog as he posted campaign material, he said. He is backing a campaign by the Communication Workers Union (CWU) and Blue Cross charity urging dog owners to make sure pets are not a risk to people delivering to their homes. He said: "I have had a bit of a taste of what postal workers and delivery workers have every day of their lives." Race said he needed treatment at the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital after being bitten on 1 May. He said an X-ray found a bone in his little finger was chipped and debris from the dog's mouth was in the wound. Race said many people were unaware they could be prosecuted if their dog attacked a delivery person - even if the contact was made via letter box. "I'm working with the CWU and the Blue Cross to showcase the online resources that are available to help dog owners to effectively manage this risk," he added. Two other politicians have also been attacked by dogs in Devon and backed Race's call for more responsible dog ownership. Former North Devon Conservative MP Selaine Saxby said she was door-knocking last May when someone's pet took "a chunk" out of her leg. She said the dog came out of the back door of a house she knocked at but there was no sign on the gate suggesting dogs were running loose. "The height of the bite was that of a child's face - and it would have been very different if it had been a child," she said. She said she needed hospital treatment and was left feeling more nervous of dogs after the attack. "We have people delivering to our homes every day and it should be safe for posties and deliveries. If not, there should be signs and a box at the end of the drive," she added. Torbay Liberal Democrat MP Steve Darling, whose guide dog Jennie suffered injuries after being attacked by an American XL bully, said he wanted work done to prevent all dog attacks, not just those on delivery people. He said on a separate occasion he was bitten by a small terrier and believed the safety issue was not about specific breeds but about socialisation and tighter laws around dog control. "At the time Jennie was attacked, there was a lot of furore surrounding XL bullies, but I do not believe it is about banning a breed - it is about correct socialisation of dogs and responsible ownership." Kerry Taylor, education manager at the Blue Cross, said: "Every year thousands of postal workers are injured by dogs. "Most of these situations could have been prevented and most of these dogs are family pets that owners never dreamt could scare or harm anyone." More news stories for Devon Listen to the latest news for Devon Follow BBC Devon on X, Facebook and Instagram. Send your story ideas to spotlight@ Campaign to protect postal staff from dog attacks Mail deliveries halted over dog running loose Election candidate's fingertip bitten off by dog Protecting your postie
Yahoo
18-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
MP bitten by dog while posting election leaflets
An MP has called on pet owners to keep dogs away from letter boxes after he was bitten while delivering leaflets. Exeter Labour MP Steve Race needed hospital treatment after his finger was bitten by a dog as he posted campaign material, he said. He is backing a campaign by the Communication Workers Union (CWU) and Blue Cross charity urging dog owners to make sure pets are not a risk to people delivering to their homes. He said: "I have had a bit of a taste of what postal workers and delivery workers have every day of their lives." Race said he needed treatment at the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital after being bitten on 1 May. He said an X-ray found a bone in his little finger was chipped and debris from the dog's mouth was in the wound. Race said many people were unaware they could be prosecuted if their dog attacked a delivery person - even if the contact was made via letter box. "I'm working with the CWU and the Blue Cross to showcase the online resources that are available to help dog owners to effectively manage this risk," he added. Two other politicians have also been attacked by dogs in Devon and backed Race's call for more responsible dog ownership. Former North Devon Conservative MP Selaine Saxby said she was door-knocking last May when someone's pet took "a chunk" out of her leg. She said the dog came out of the back door of a house she knocked at but there was no sign on the gate suggesting dogs were running loose. "The height of the bite was that of a child's face - and it would have been very different if it had been a child," she said. She said she needed hospital treatment and was left feeling more nervous of dogs after the attack. "We have people delivering to our homes every day and it should be safe for posties and deliveries. If not, there should be signs and a box at the end of the drive," she added. Torbay Liberal Democrat MP Steve Darling, whose guide dog Jennie suffered injuries after being attacked by an American XL bully, said he wanted work done to prevent all dog attacks, not just those on delivery people. He said on a separate occasion he was bitten by a small terrier and believed the safety issue was not about specific breeds but about socialisation and tighter laws around dog control. "At the time Jennie was attacked, there was a lot of furore surrounding XL bullies, but I do not believe it is about banning a breed - it is about correct socialisation of dogs and responsible ownership." Kerry Taylor, education manager at the Blue Cross, said: "Every year thousands of postal workers are injured by dogs. "Most of these situations could have been prevented and most of these dogs are family pets that owners never dreamt could scare or harm anyone." More news stories for Devon Listen to the latest news for Devon Follow BBC Devon on X, Facebook and Instagram. Send your story ideas to spotlight@ Campaign to protect postal staff from dog attacks Mail deliveries halted over dog running loose Election candidate's fingertip bitten off by dog Protecting your postie
BBC News
18-05-2025
- Health
- BBC News
Exeter MP bitten by dog while delivering election leaflets
An MP has called on pet owners to keep dogs away from letter boxes after he was bitten while delivering Labour MP Steve Race needed hospital treatment after his finger was bitten by a dog as he posted campaign material, he is backing a campaign by the Communication Workers Union (CWU) and Blue Cross charity urging dog owners to make sure pets are not a risk to people delivering to their said: "I have had a bit of a taste of what postal workers and delivery workers have every day of their lives." Race said he needed treatment at the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital after being bitten on 1 said an X-ray found a bone in his little finger was chipped and debris from the dog's mouth was in the said many people were unaware they could be prosecuted if their dog attacked a delivery person - even if the contact was made via letter box."I'm working with the CWU and the Blue Cross to showcase the online resources that are available to help dog owners to effectively manage this risk," he added. 'Left feeling nervous' Two other politicians have also been attacked by dogs in Devon and backed Race's call for more responsible dog North Devon Conservative MP Selaine Saxby said she was door-knocking last May when someone's pet took "a chunk" out of her said the dog came out of the back door of a house she knocked at but there was no sign on the gate suggesting dogs were running loose."The height of the bite was that of a child's face - and it would have been very different if it had been a child," she said she needed hospital treatment and was left feeling more nervous of dogs after the attack."We have people delivering to our homes every day and it should be safe for posties and deliveries. If not, there should be signs and a box at the end of the drive," she added. Torbay Liberal Democrat MP Steve Darling, whose guide dog Jennie suffered injuries after being attacked by an American XL bully, said he wanted work done to prevent all dog attacks, not just those on delivery said on a separate occasion he was bitten by a small terrier and believed the safety issue was not about specific breeds but about socialisation and tighter laws around dog control."At the time Jennie was attacked, there was a lot of furore surrounding XL bullies, but I do not believe it is about banning a breed - it is about correct socialisation of dogs and responsible ownership."Kerry Taylor, education manager at the Blue Cross, said: "Every year thousands of postal workers are injured by dogs. "Most of these situations could have been prevented and most of these dogs are family pets that owners never dreamt could scare or harm anyone."
