Royal Mail Staff Exodus: CWU Warns of Crisis Over Delivery Restructuring and Rising Resignations

LONDON — The Communication Workers Union (CWU) has raised severe concerns over a growing exodus of staff at Royal Mail, warning that the postal network is on the “brink of collapse” as hundreds of workers quit each week amid a controversial operational overhaul.

According to new figures released by the union, Royal Mail is currently losing nearly 400 postal workers every week—a notable increase from the roughly 330 weekly resignations recorded before the rollout of its new delivery framework. Union officials caution that the high turnover rate poses a serious risk of severe delays and service disruptions as the critical festive period approaches.

The Root Causes: DM26 Rollout and Heavy Workloads

At the heart of the union’s concerns is the implementation of Royal Mail’s new delivery model, known internally as DM26. Deployed across roughly 1,000 of Royal Mail’s 1,200 delivery offices, the system restructures workers into teams of three, expands walking rounds, and alters how letter mail is prioritized.

Under the scheme, second-class letter deliveries are scaled back to alternate weekdays, while first-class mail and tracked parcel deliveries are expected to be carried out daily. However, frontline staff report that the operational changes have created unmanageable workloads and increased physical exhaustion. Postal workers who monitored their steps following the DM26 rollout reported workload increases of 25 to 33 per cent, often walking up to 25,000 steps a day.

“Put simply, if a boat is already taking on water, adding more passengers is unlikely to solve the problem,” said Martin Walsh of the CWU, pointing out that while the system functions adequately in about 500 offices, hundreds of others are experiencing systemic issues.

The CWU notes that while recent recruits on part-time contracts make up the majority of those leaving, an increasing number of long-serving posties on legacy terms are also walking away due to the strain.

Growing Pressure Ahead of the Festive Rush

The turnover crisis comes at a critical time for the UK’s 510-year-old postal network. CWU General Secretary Dave Ward has called for an urgent government summit to address recruitment and retention challenges across the service. Meanwhile, more than 100 MPs are set to meet with regulator Ofcom to push for stronger enforcement of delivery quality targets.

The union has instructed its members to halt any further expansion of the DM26 model until Royal Mail addresses the operational failures and workload pressures affecting local offices.

Royal Mail and Government Response

Royal Mail has defended its modernization efforts, stating that the rollout is approximately 90 per cent complete and necessary to transform the business into a sustainable, parcel-focused delivery operator.

A Royal Mail spokesperson noted that daily delivery coverage across UK addresses has improved to 95 per cent under the new system, up from 88 per cent prior to its deployment. To manage seasonal surges and offset operational strain, the company is hiring 22,000 temporary workers for Christmas and pursuing a £500 million, five-year quality improvement plan.

Government ministers and regulators have reiterated that while modernization is essential, Royal Mail must deliver tangible performance improvements for consumers and maintain reliable service across all regions.