Day in the life of posties

I beg to differ: You have been watching too much Postman Pat - far from the reality of today's professional postal service.

Fact: Post office personnel come from many different walks of life. We have university graduates, ex-forces personnel, people who have been made redundant from the restructuring of industry and others who ran their own businesses and find themselves through no fault of their own in employment with Royal Mail.

Let's put the record straight. A postman's basic wage is £16,877 per annum gross. In the last few years we have had below-inflation pay awards, and have had to accept a lot of changes.

The latest proposal, which we are willing to make a stand about, is to protect your postal service against later starts at 6.15am, not 4am as at present - this would mean deliveries starting mid morning and finishing late afternoon; the use of more part-time staff, and undermining of the career structure, resulting in the loss of up to 40,000 full-time jobs.

The job in the Telford area requires a knowledge of 20,232 homes, shops and businesses, mail is prepared in delivery order by yourself, then a delivery by cycle or vehicle with a bag of 16kg (40lb) - the first of up to six of these bags.

Your day may start between 4am and 6am, and you could be required to finish at 7pm or 8pm, not forgetting the sorting, collection and distribution staff who work through the night.

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