CWU Newcastle

14/10/2026

📮 POSTAL UNION CALLS FOR EMERGENCY SUMMIT TO SAVE ROYAL MAIL

The Communication Workers Union (CWU) are calling for an emergency summit between the government, employers and union representatives to save Royal Mail as it stands “on the brink of collapse”.

The union – which represents Royal Mail’s workforce – has urgently called for formal talks between the union, company management and the government to identify a way forward for Royal Mail, and to rescue the company from serious crisis.

The news comes as BBC reporters warned of a “nightmare Christmas” for the company, with profound issues over the recruitment and retention of staff being reported across the country.

It also comes as over 100 MPs are set to tell Ofcom that the quality of service for letter delivery must be improved, and that the CWU have called for the rollout of the DM26 delivery model to be paused, citing severe operational issues and unmanageable workloads.

Commenting, *CWU General Secretary Dave Ward* said: “We are calling for a summit between stakeholder and the government to address the ticking timebomb that is Royal Mail.

“The BBC have shone a light on the harsh pressure postal workers are facing, and the price paid by consumers for the historic mismanagement of Royal Mail.

“Royal Mail has been in structural decline for well over a decade, and the continuous failure to deliver quality of service is killing the brand, demoralising the workforce, and letting down the communities that postal workers are proud to serve.

“At this stage, it doesn’t matter what delivery model is adopted: unless the company faces up to its self-inflicted recruitment and retention crisis, the company is on the brink of collapse.

“For years, we have had select committees, promises of £500 million improvement plans, a broad array of agreements and threats to improve from Ofcom.

“Yet nothing has changed, every agreement reached has never been honoured, and Ofcom's only role has been to favour competition over improving Royal Mail, with its universal service obligation.

“Royal Mail is in serious need of a business vision that provides dignified work for employees and quality service for consumers and communities.

“The time for developing and implementing this vision is long overdue, and we must begin the work now.”

28/09/2026

22/09/2026

DM26 questions? Martin Walsh and Tony Bouch will be live at 5pm tomorrow (Wednesday 23nd September) to answer them. Drop your questions below 👇️

18/09/2026

ℹ️ An Important Message to Royal Mail CWU Members

The decision to change the Universal Service Obligation (USO) was imposed by Ofcom in July 2026. Royal Mail made it clear that, without a negotiated deployment agreement, it would introduce USO changes through executive action based on its Optimised Delivery Model.

The CWU secured significant changes to that proposal through the introduction of Delivery Model 26 (DM26), delivering important safeguards and benefits for members within the agreement.

More than 700 Delivery Units have now deployed DM26. Next week, we will publish detailed data showing:

• Which units have had additional delivery walks introduced.
• Which Delivery Units are improving quality of service.
• Which units are on track to achieve bonus payments through budget and quality performance.
• The number of part-time employees who have secured full-time uplifts.

We will also identify those units where DM26 is not delivering the expected outcomes and, working with local representatives, explain the actions being taken to address and resolve those issues.

At every level, the CWU is committed to the successful implementation of DM26 in every unit to ensure that our members are supported through this unprecedented change. This may require additional hours and investment in some units where necessary to ensure workloads are cleared and service quality targets are met.

📧 Change is never easy, but we want to hear directly from you.

If DM26 is not working in your unit, please email [email protected] or [email protected] with details of the issues you are experiencing. We will ensure your unit is reviewed and work with local representatives and management to agree a plan to resolve any problems.

The CWU is committed to making DM26 work in every unit. If there are issues where you work, let your union know. Together, we will identify the problems, challenge poor implementation, and secure the improvements our members deserve.

17/09/2026

21/07/2026

Andy Burnham’s chance to rebuild Britain needs the courage to confront the landlords, bosses and water companies who profit from national decline — and embolden workers to defend his platform.

Our General Secretary Dave Ward in Tribune Magazine.

21/07/2026

11/07/2026

🚩 The branch Marched behind the fabulous Jane Loftus banner at the Durham Miners Gala!

11/07/2026

30/05/2026

🚩 Great turnout from the branch reps and members at today’s Durham Pride March 🌈 👏