Tuesday 29 August 2006

Junk-mail tip postman faces sack

A postman who advised people how to stop junk mail being delivered to their home could lose his job after bosses suspended him for misconduct.
Roger Annies composed and circulated a leaflet about the Royal Mail's opt-out clause for unsolicited mail during his rounds in Barry, south Wales.
Residents are said to be annoyed at their postman's suspension.
A Royal Mail spokeswoman confirmed that a postman employed in Barry was being investigated for "alleged misconduct".
Mr Annies' leaflet read: "As you will have certainly already noticed, your postman is not only delivering your mail; he/she also has to deliver some (anonymous) advertising material called door-to-door items.
"For the near future, Royal Mail plans to increase your advertising mail. This will mean a lot more unwanted post in your letterbox.


"If you complete the slip below and send it to the Royal Mail delivery office, you should not get any of the above-mentioned unwanted advertising."
People who were receiving Mr Annies' leaflets say they are in favour of his actions.
Anthony Vaughan, 64, of Churchfields, Barry, said: "I'm fed up with junk mail. For every letter you receive, you have to put another 14 in the dustbin.
"God knows what businesses think about the amount of junk mail delivered to them.
"I thought it was a good idea and I was going to complete the form that he had delivered.

"Roger was just letting us know what Royal Mail should have told us in the first place. I don't agree with the suspension at all. It's ridiculous."
Father-of-two Mr Annies would not comment about his suspension while it is still under investigation.
Councillor Robert Curtis, who represents the Gibbonsdown ward on the east side of Barry, said: "The service mentioned by the postman is something that I was going to feature in my next newsletter so he has beat me to it.
"Millions of pounds are wasted on leaflets and the environmental damage that does is massive and it is just not needed.
"If we could stop junk mail at the origin we would certainly save councils a lot of money and prevent a lot of environmental damage.
"I suspect the postman should have got permission from his management but I support what he was doing as a principle."
A spokeswoman for the Royal Mail said: "We can confirm that a postman employed at Barry delivery office has been given a precautionary suspension on full pay pending further investigations following an alleged misconduct issue.
"We would not comment further on an individual case."

He should be given a medal and I would like to know more about this opt out service.