A POSTAL worker in Worcester has condemned a decision to scrap Saturday letter deliveries, saying Royal Mail bosses had 'stabbed them in the back'.

The postwoman said Royal Mail managers were using Covid-19 as a cover to bring in changes to working hours they had planned to introduce before the pandemic.

Saturday letter deliveries have been axed as a 'temporary' measure to manage 'severe absence levels' because of 'illness and self-isolation' says Royal Mail.

The time guarantee on Special Delivery has also been changed. However, the postwoman, who did not wish to be named, said, rather than reducing pressure on staff, cutting Saturday letter delivery would increase their workload, particularly on Monday as they delivered the backlog of letters. The mother said it was already a physically demanding job with posties walking eight to 10 miles per day and this would mean having to go to 'every house' following the weekend.

The worker also said she believed the changes were permanent, not temporary as claimed. "They're introducing changes through the backdoor, using Covid-19 as a cover," she said.

She added: "It's upset me that the company say they're being good to us and they're not. They're being really underhanded and sneaky. It's absolutely disgusting."

Previously she said staff could work for five weeks and get a week off but that that would now be scrapped.

The Communication Workers Union, which represents postal workers, has also criticised the Royal Mail Group.

A union spokesman said: “It is quite clear that this current managerial leadership has no moral compass and has dragged standards of behaviour and industrial relations to an all-time low. Our members have lost full confidence and trust in these people and this planned national executive action is a despicable attempt to use a public health crisis to drive through long-term and highly damaging change.

“The changes they advocate go to the very heart of our dispute and our ability to protect the six day universal service obligations, our members’ jobs and this great public service. We stepped back from our dispute to do the right thing for our nation during this pandemic and Royal Mail Group agreed to do the same but they are now breaking that agreement.” Royal Mail was unavailable for comment in response.