A Royal Mail postwoman broke down in tears this afternoon amid a backlash over a TikTok video in which she bragged that she only waited two seconds for people to answer the door before leaving – and insisting: ‘It was a joke.’
Welsh postwoman Laura Orgill, 26, posted the original video showing herself shoving a ‘we missed you’ leaflet through someone’s letterbox just seconds after knocking on her rounds in South Wales.
The video – captioned ‘when a customer takes longer than two seconds to answer the door’ – sees uniform-clad Ms Orgill laugh as she drops off the slip, which tells a customer to collect their parcel at their local delivery office.
Her TikTok clip sparked outrage, with many people slamming the video and reporting her to her employer. The Royal Mail refused to fire its poster girl and said today that it has ‘reminded her of the need to always uphold the highest standards’.
Miss Orgill has since posted a tearful video in which she says she has been left ‘upset’ by the furore and insisting that the clip was just a joke. She told the Sun: ‘I’ve very upset about the situation. All I did was use a trending sound and think of a funny scenario that people think that posties do to match the sound and unfortunately people have taken it seriously.
‘All I’ve tried to do is use my platform to spread positivity and fun. ‘During such uncertain times which has now led to me being upset, all through the last year I used my platform for good.’
Her mother told the publication: ‘What she said was plainly a joke. It’s ridiculous. She phoned me crying and saying how upset she is and that it was only ever a joke.’I don’t think what she did was stupid. It really was just a joke.’
Miss Orgill, the self-proclaimed ‘TikTok postie’, has become an online star after posting videos in south Wales’ Rhondda valley, where she lives with her girlfriend. They account is her own but she appears to have the backing of bosses, who put her in a video for Royal Mail’s official careers page on Facebook.
Didn¿t expect that to happen but my last video is my final thoughts on this ##TikTokPostie
After: A Royal Mail postwoman broke down in tears this afternoon amid a backlash over a TikTok video in which she bragged that she only waited two seconds for people to answer the door before leaving – and insisting: ‘It was a joke’
Before: Welsh postwoman Laura Orgill, 26, sparked backlash with a TikTok video bragging about only waiting two seconds for people to answer the door before leaving
The video – captioned ‘when a customer takes longer than two seconds to answer the door’ – sees uniform-clad Ms Orgill laugh as she drops off the slip, which tells a customer to collect their parcel at their local delivery office
She shares videos about her work with Royal Mail to the platform, on which she has 745,000 followers.
After she was inundated with trolls, Miss Orgill posted another video in which she said: ‘Comments like this really upset me. ‘All I do is try to upload silly videos day in day out to cheer people up because I know how much they do in these uncertain times and people like this have the audacity to try and bring me down.
‘I’m one of the only full-time workers during the pandemic – when parcels went through the roof – which was so hard. All I do while working, doing a hard day’s graft, is try and find some time to make some videos as I know how much it cheers people up.’
Miss Orgill has also featured as a poster girl for the delivery service in a Cosmopolitan article about the ‘unlikely celebrities of TikTok’. The postwoman was inundated with angry comments from customers fed up of having to chase their packages after her ‘we missed you’ leaflet video was shared.
One said: ‘Sacked tomorrow.’ Another said: ‘It’s been 24 hours since you posted, have you still got your job?’
One viewer said: ‘Joke’s on you, I’ve sent this to your employer.’ Another speculated: ‘I know it’s a joke but it doesn’t look good on the company, I’d never post in uniform, wouldn’t surprise me if disciplinary.’
And another said: ‘This actually really bugs me. I get to the door fast and they’ve lit got to the bottom of the drive.
Miss Orgill has since posted a tearful video in which she says she has been left ‘upset’ by the furore and insisting that the clip was just a joke
Ms Orgill has appeared in a video for Royal Mail’s official careers page on Facebook (pictured)
Ms Orgill (pictured), the self-proclaimed ‘TikTok postie’, has become an online star after posting videos in south Wales’ Rhondda valley, where she lives with her girlfriend
Royal Mail’s fails: Flag bans, suspensions and compensation
A shocking video of a Welsh postwoman bragging about only waiting two seconds for people to answer the door before leaving is not the first time Royal Mail has sparked controversy.
Earlier this year, postman Thomas McCafferty was suspended by Royal Mail for refusing to assist Patricia Stewart, 72, when she lost her footing and fell down her icy front steps as she tried to collect a parcel he left for her.
Mr McCafferty, 51, responded to her appeals for help by telling her ‘I can’t help, I’m too knackered’ and then walked away.
Calling over his shoulder, McCafferty told Mrs Stewart to put on her slippers as he walked off, which had come loose during her fall.
The incident in the village of Bainford, Falkirk, took place during the coldest February since 1955.
It came to light after footage from a neighbour’s doorbell camera was posted on social media and gained traction worldwide.
Meanwhile, Roo Rawal was sacked after he was filmed by a member of the public urinating in a lay-by while on duty.
He later won almost £40,000 for unfair dismissal after a tribunal heard ‘there is not a person alive’ who hadn’t at some point been forced to do the same thing.
Last month, Royal Mail banned 100,000 posties from flying England flags during Euro 2020 – as patriotic postmen blasted bosses for their ‘woke attitude.’
All flags – of England and other countries – are barred from the firm’s 45,000 vans and lorries.
Royal Mail bosses did not deny posties’ claims that mini St George’s flags and stickers are not allowed on walking postmen and women’s letter trolleys.
They blamed safety reasons, stating it has a general policy in place at all times preventing drivers attaching items to vehicles in case they blow off and become ‘hazards’ to road users.
The organisation declined to confirm if staff could display flags inside depots.
‘What if someone’s old. Give people a chance.’
Another said: ‘When you are wheelchair bound and can’t rush to the door and they force you to collect the package three miles away.’
Posting a second video after followers queried if she’d been sacked, Miss Orgill said: ‘My new tactic this week is no comment, so just no comment.’
Miss Orgill posted another video addressing the reaction she received.
She said: ‘Comments like this really upset me.
‘All I do is try to upload silly videos day in day out to cheer people up because I know how much they do in these uncertain times and people like this have the audacity to try and bring me down.
‘I’m one of the only full-time workers during the pandemic – when parcels went through the roof – which was so hard.
‘All I do while working, doing a hard day’s graft, is try and find some time to make some videos as I know how much it cheers people up.
‘People think I make loads and have six figures in the bank, that’s not the case at all.
‘Please be mindful of what you’re commenting because it can really really affect people.’
Responding to Miss Orgill’s video, a Royal Mail spokesperson said: ‘Royal Mail always strives to give customers the highest levels of service.
‘Our postmen and postwomen always go the extra mile to get customers their mail as quickly and as conveniently as possible.
‘We have discussed this with the employee concerned, and reminded her of the need to always uphold the highest standards.’
Miss Orgill’s TikTok isn’t the first time a postie has raised eyebrows.
Earlier this year, postman Thomas McCafferty was suspended by Royal Mail for refusing to assist Patricia Stewart, 72, when she lost her footing and fell down her icy front steps as she tried to collect a parcel he left for her.
Mr McCafferty, 51, responded to her appeals for help by telling her ‘I can’t help, I’m too knackered’ and then walked away.
Calling over his shoulder, McCafferty told Mrs Stewart to put on her slippers as he walked off, which had come loose during her fall.
The incident in the village of Bainford, Falkirk, took place during the coldest February since 1955.
It came to light after footage from a neighbour’s doorbell camera was posted on social media and gained traction worldwide.
Meanwhile, Roo Rawal was sacked after he was filmed by a member of the public urinating in a lay-by while on duty.
He later won almost £40,000 for unfair dismissal after a tribunal heard ‘there is not a person alive’ who hadn’t at some point been forced to do the same thing.
Pictured: Thomas McCafferty is identified as the Royal Mail postal worker who left Patricia Stewart, 72, in the snow after she fell while collecting a parcel because he was ‘too knackered’
Last month, Royal Mail banned 100,000 posties from flying England flags during Euro 2020 – as patriotic postmen blasted bosses for their ‘woke attitude.’
All flags – of England and other countries – are barred from the firm’s 45,000 vans and lorries.
Royal Mail bosses did not deny posties’ claims that mini St George’s flags and stickers are not allowed on walking postmen and women’s letter trolleys.
They blamed safety reasons, stating it has a general policy in place at all times preventing drivers attaching items to vehicles in case they blow off and become ‘hazards’ to road users.
The organisation declined to confirm if staff could display flags inside depots.
