NORTHERN POSTMEN are "stressed out" because they are being pushed to step up their walking speed to 4mph by Royal Mail, their union has claimed.
They allege they are under pressure to accelerate from their agreed speed of 2mph and that they cannot cope.
The blame is being placed on Pegasus, a computer programme designed in Canada which is used by Royal Mail to design efficient and fair delivery rounds for postal workers.
However, the Northern branch of the Communication Workers' Union says the fabled winged horse is pushing them beyond their speed limit and their contracted hours, a claim denied by their employer.
"We don't believe this software is fit for purpose," complained Bobby Weatherall, branch secretary of the union. "Our people are under stress and overworked." He explained how the traditional image of the whistling postman was under threat: "When we get to the doorstep we might have a package that won't go through the letter box. We would have to rap the door and wait for a signature.
"Most postmen are quite good with the public, they would attempt as far as possible to gain access to the individual so that they get their mail. The unfortunate thing about this is that our workers are now under so much pressure to finish by their finishing time they cannot wait much longer than 30 seconds. They've no choice but to move on." A senior union official in London said Pegasus takes little account of "the physical realities of delivery rounds" and this is leading to "bullying and harassment".
Bob Gibson warned: "This is having a disastrous consequences on services in some parts of the country. We're receiving high volumes of complaints and seeing a deterioration in both industrial relations and service standards."