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One of the biggest talking points in the UK postal industry has been the Royal Mail staff walkout of 2026. The Communication Workers Union (CWU) says about 400 people are leaving every week, and many who remain are bracing for a difficult festive season. So is the work piling up too much?
How Many People Are Leaving?
According to the CWU, the number of Royal Mail employees who have resigned has gone up to approximately 400 per week from approximately 330, while there are 83,000 employees altogether. The union connects to a delivery system that was introduced this year, called DM26, which re-organised routes. The union believes that the majority of the resignations by Royal Mail employees are from new part-time staff; however, other long-term employees on legacy contracts are also leaving. Considered as a whole, it suggests that there is a larger problem in Royal Mail with staff resigning at this rate.
What Is DM26?
The new model involves staff being organised into teams of three and altering walking patterns. Second class letter mail is sent on alternate weekdays, and first class mail and parcels are sent daily. The goal is to make the service more efficient and financially viable, says Royal Mail, and it claims the share of addresses it delivers to on a daily basis has increased from 88% to 95%.
The workers have another story to tell. Sources close to the scene report that parcels are given priority, letters are left behind, and time is wasted on mail sorting. That causes Royal Mail delivery delays and an ever-increasing number of Royal Mail employee grievances.
The 25,000 Steps Question
The most noticeable feature is the physical aspect. Eight people who worked for the post service started measuring how many steps they take while they are working, and after switching to the new gear, each of them saw a 25% to 33% uptick, with some reaching up to 25,000 steps a day, posties report. That increases the walk for the Royal Mail every day to a much longer distance than many were expecting.
These physical demands are important because they can influence postman working conditions on a UK level. The effort of this type can be a factor that contributes to Royal Mail postal worker fatigue, and though the company hasn’t stated as much, it’s easy to see how this can lead to Royal Mail employee burnout over time. How far people are walking is the first question you have to ask when talking about Royal Mail employee wellbeing.
A Christmas Workload Crisis in the Making?
The prediction for the Royal Mail Christmas workload 2026 is the worst ever, with several staff members saying as much. Every December, Parcel volumes increase dramatically – and Royal Mail Christmas deliveries extend every route. As usual, Royal Mail will recruit 22,000 temporary staff, but critics say that that’s not going to eradicate the structural issues.
Former postie Bryn Dymott, who quit in July after nine years, could not see the three managing to do the four, and said that he couldn’t cope with the next festive season with the chaos. His perspective is that of the Royal Mail Christmas delivery stress that many of his colleagues talk about and the broader Royal Mail posties’ stress. As parcels peak, there are likely to be more worries about posties working long hours to clear heavier rounds.
A Shortage That Feeds Itself
Less staff equals more intense rounds equals people leaving. This loop is in the middle of the staff shortage and the worker shortage at the Royal Mail, which is a problem throughout the UK. It also has a Royal Mail recruitment problem, as hundreds of staff quit every week, and when people find out about the role, it becomes challenging to replace them. Low staff attrition at Royal Mail also compounds the workload for the rest of the staff.
All Morale, All Targets and All Fines
Pressure is also from above! There is a threat to all of the shifts from Ofcom’s fine for Royal Mail over three years for failing to meet standards, which has more than tripled to £37m. In the meantime, the company has announced that 2,500 jobs will be cut in the head office as of the end of 2027.
Targets, cuts and heavier rounds can cause Royal Mail employee morale to be low and lead to Royal Mail job dissatisfaction. The CWU has advised members to “halt further roll-out until issues are resolved,” and said it’s similar to a boat already filling up with water.
What Happens Next?
It will be in nearly 1,000 out of 1,200 delivery offices with DM26 to be everywhere by Christmas, says Royal Mail. The union claims it operates in approximately 500 offices, but is doing poorly in hundreds. Ministers and MPs will continue to hold the company to account.
These Royal Mail employment issues will put to the test the promises of these companies in a short period of time. Postal worker working conditions in 2026 may become an issue as parcels increase and workers’ numbers decrease in December.
Stay updated on Royal Mail jobs, redundancies, and postal strikes.
1. Which Christmas Jobs Could Become Permanent?
Explore 22,000 temporary Royal Mail roles and discover which could offer long-term employment.
2. Who Faces Royal Mail Job Cuts?
Find out which employees could be affected by 2,500 planned redundancies in 2026.
3. Can Christmas Postal Jobs Offer Stability?
Check out the temporary vacancies that could open doors to permanent Royal Mail careers.
4. Why Are Royal Mail Workers Striking?
Uncover the reasons behind postal workers walking out during the first of 19 strike days.
5. What Sparked The Biggest Summer Strike?
Track down the key issues behind more than 100,000 postal workers walking off the job.
