Post office workers to strike this month in protest over 'relentless' cuts

Proposed changes would mean 2,000 job losses, privatisation of flagship branches and tens of thousands of postal workers losing retirement income, Union claims

The main Postal workers' union has said action is necessary after a sustained programme of cuts (Istock Photo)

Thousands of Post Office workers will stage a 24-hour strike later this month in disputes over branch closures, job cuts and pensions.

The Communication Workers Union will stage a walkout on 15 September after 83 per cent of members voted for industrial action.

The union said proposed cuts would mean 2,000 job losses, reduction of services, privatisation of flagship branches and tens of thousands of postal workers losing out on their pensions.

Dave Ward, general secretary of the CWU accused the Post Office of “relentlessly pursuing a programme of cuts,” that had brought the company to “crisis point”.

He urged the Government to pause proposed cuts and convene a summit of key stakeholders to work out a new strategy, “that gives employees and the public confidence that the Post Office has a future”.

“The Post Office has pointed to the bottom line in making these cuts, but it cannot pretend that using public money to pay off staff so they can be replaced with part-time jobs on the minimum wage is a success story or that closing down its flagship branches is a defence of the service.

He called for a modernisation, following the “hugely successful Post Banks,” in other countries. "There is no reason why our Post Office should be the world leader in managed decline," he said.

CWU deputy general secretary Terry Pullinger said: “It is incredible that a publicly owned company is behaving this way and the Government has got to make clear that this is completely unacceptable.”

“The proposals from the Post Office to close its pension scheme have no justification.

“With a surplus of over £130 million the Post Office has the best funded pension scheme in the country.

Post Office network and sales director Kevin Gilliland played down the significance of the strikes, claiming that 97 per cent of the Post Ofice’s 11,600 branches would not be affected.

Defending the proposed cuts, Gilliland said that measures were necessary to secure the Post Office’s future. The company halved losses in 2015/16 and was making “steady progress” in reducing costs to the taxpayer, he said.

“We want to work with our unions to create the Post Office network that our customers need for the future.

“All of our proposals are taken forward with the utmost care for the people they affect and we're proud of our track record in supporting people through difficult changes.

A Business Department spokesman said: “As its annual accounts show, there has been a continuing improvement in Post Office's financial performance.

“Our investment has led to the most stable network for decades - with over 11,500 branches, 200,000 extra opening hours a week and more than 3,500 branches open on Sundays.”