‘Step aside’ call

The Post Office is to transfer another 39 Crown Offices to private companies like WH Smith and to close a further three branches.

 

Branches in Shaftesbury Square in Belfast, Antrim in Northern Ireland and Barry in South Wales will go altogether effecting 400 workers directly.

 

“This announcement by the Post Office is a slap in the face for Unite members who have worked extremely hard over the last few years to eradicate losses,” said Brian Scott, Unite officer for the Post Office.

 

The ‘modernisation’ programme has been developed in secrecy will reduce the quality and range of services, warned Unite.

 

“Unite members have not shirked from the challenges that they have faced and in return the Post Office has announced plans, developed in secrecy, to offload more Crown branches,” added Brian.

 

Brian also pointed out that the Post Office is a public service and should not be hived off to the private sector where profit is the prime motive.

 

“The people of Belfast, Antrim and Barry will quite rightly be angered by this news that their Crown Post Offices will close,” said Brian.

 

Not only will the changes reduce quality of services to the public they could also lead to further job losses as more and more detrimental cost-cutting is embarked on Brian warned.

 

“WH Smith is the only private sector company that the Post Office has announced so far, but we have been told that other private firms will be taking over the other Crown sites,” added Brian.

 

Unite will campaign against the changes, lobbying Baroness Neville-Rolfe, the minister for the Post Office and the devolved administrations in Northern Ireland and Wales to seek a review of this decision.

 

“The problem is that it now transpired that the senior management of the Post Office has failed,” said Brian.

 

“They should accept responsibility for this failure and do the right thing by stepping aside,” he added.