Despite the work-to- rule campaign led by mail sorting officers since yesterday, the delivery of business mail is not affected, according to the Postal Department sources.

Postmaster General Shervyn Senadheera told The Island Financial Review that according to the work process of the Postal Department, the business mail is not dispatched to mail sorting section as business mails are already pre-sorted by computers before handing over to the SLP. "Business mails come in bundles and they are immediately sent to the dispatch sector which sends them to the transportation section. These mails could be received by the owners on the following day without any delay," he said.

According to him, nearly 14 million business mails are being exchanged by the SLP annually and the total income from business mails was nearly Rs.69, 000 million in the year 2005.

According to Senadheera, foreign mails could also be delivered without any delay and this work-to-rule may affect only the ordinary postal services.

He said that the mail sorting officers have been requesting the Postal Ministry, them to be transferred to the administration positions as Assistant Post Masters and the Ministry has rejected the request which has been the cause for this work-to-rule campaign."The Government is recruiting assistant post masters in terms of educational qualifications (A/Ls). We cannot promote these mail sorting officers to the administration sector unless they have the required qualifications," he said.Post and Telecommunication Ministerial spokesman said that mail sorting officers request more overtime hours where they are paid 240 overtime hours, already. "Normally public servants have been given 60 overtime hours. We offer these officers 240 overtime hours monthly but they urge it is not sufficient," said the spokesman.