Royal Mail is aiming to appease its workforce by launching a campaign asking customers to show their appreciation to posties by giving them a “thumbs up” from a safe distance while they make their rounds during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Customers are also being urged to share “thumbs up” selfies on social media using the hashtag #ThumbsUpForYourPostie and picture templates are available for children to colour in and put in their windows.
Royal Mail director Ricky McAulay said giving a thumbs up is a “handy way” of reminding people to keep a safe distance when posties are out and about delivering the post, adding: “I would also like to thank our people for doing such a great job at this challenging time.”
The company claims to have also has purchased £15m worth of protective equipment and supplies, but whether these initiatives will be enough to allay the fears of CWU union bosses is another matter. They have yet to comment officially on the “thumbs up” initiative.
The CWU has previously accused the postal giant of “putting profits before safety” by workers who claim the company has not provided them with sufficient protection from infection.
Postal workers across the UK also claimed that there had been a shortage of gloves, masks and hand sanitisers, adding that social distancing while working “was almost impossible”.
The CWU also demanded the immediate suspension of all unaddressed mail deliveries and the slashing of daily deliveries of standard letters and parcels to three times a week.
Since then it has been reported that Royal Mail has told posties they only have to deliver items to households that are already receiving letters or parcels, although some door-drop companies insist that they have been told there is no change to deliveries.
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