SHETLAND postal workers are celebrating a 114 per cent increase in their Scottish Distant Island Allowance after a sustained Communications Workers Union (CWU) campaign.

The uplift, from £1,167 to £2,500 per annum, has not only been hailed as a victory for hard-pressed workers, but as a major step forward in resolving severe understaffing on the islands, which has heaped pressure on posties and disrupted services.

CWU Scotland secretary Craig Anderson hailed it as a “substantial and welcome step forward.

But he warned: “This uplift helps, but greater investment is needed in the basics of a good postal service, [which are] safe, fit-for-purpose premises, a properly maintained fleet of vans and modern equipment to allow staff can do their jobs safely and efficiently.

“Without that, recruitment and retention problems will persist.

“These issues are not isolated in Shetland, indeed they are prevalent in many of Scotland’s rural and Island communities and the CWU will continue the fight for meaningful action to protect our postal services and support our posties to get secure, decent pay and have safe places to work across all Royal Mail workplaces.”