PRESS RELEASE : Postal strike impacting on health care – Carla Lockhart [December 2022]

The press release issued by the DUP on 8 December 2022.

Upper Bann MP Carla Lockhart has urged Royal Mail Management to engage constructively with Unions with a view to bringing an end to industrial action impacting postal services. The DUP representative made the call following contact from constituents who had missed health care appointments due to correspondence arriving late.

Carla Lockhart said:

“In recent days I have been contacted by constituents who have been awaiting correspondence relating to health care appointments, and who received the letter with the appointment details after the scheduled date. They have therefore missed important health intervention, whilst valuable time for healthcare clinicians at a time of extreme pressures on our health service has been lost. The hospitals must also consider steps to avoid being impacted by the industrial action.

That is an unacceptable situation, and it cannot be allowed to go on indefinitely. Postal workers in my constituency report a significant backlog of mail in sorting depots. I have no doubt that people are missing out on vital mail as a result of the failure of Royal Mail management to find a compromise with workers who want to be at work, but also need assurances for the future of their jobs and the services Royal Mail are expected to deliver.

Ultimately it would appear that the legal duty upon Royal Mail to deliver this service is not being met. Our posties are key workers, and need remunerated accordingly, within the budgets that allow Royal Mail to continue to operate and fulfil the legal duties upon them. In the run up to Christmas I appeal for both sides to once again stretch themselves with a view to finding agreement that will allow the full restoration of postal services as soon as possible.”