400 jobs to go at Royal Mail sorting office

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http://www.theboltonnews.co.uk/news/366 ... ng_office/

11:26pm Tuesday 9th September 2008
By Saiqa Chaudhari »


AROUND 400 jobs are to go in Farnworth with the closure of a Royal Mail sorting office.

Mail bosses have confirmed that the centre in Stone Hill Road will be axed. Unions have vowed to fight the closure.

More than 600 staff are based at the centre, but 200 employees working in administration will keep their jobs.

MPs have criticised the move amid fears that it will mean a further blow to the efficiency of the mail delivery service in the area.

It is the latest in a string of national cost-cutting measures at Royal Mail, which has led to once-a-day deliveries.

News of the shock closure filtered through on the day the company announced that it was to spend millions of pounds replacing the uniform for delivery staff, nine years after splashing out £50 million on the current uniform.

Mick Hargreaves, secretary of the Bolton branch of the Communication Workers’ Union (CWU), says it will campaign against the closure. He said: “The employees are absolutely gutted and angry.

“We will continue to campaign to keep it open. Around 400 jobs will be lost and that will impact the economy in Bolton.

“Customers will also lose out in terms of the service they receive and there will be environmental impact because Royal Mail staff will do millions more miles on the road.”

Bolton South-east MP Dr Brian Iddon said: “I feel extremely disappointed and sad for the people who will lose their jobs.

“Quite a few will be offered other posts but for part-time jobs people can’t afford to travel far.

“If mail is sorted in Manchester or wherever it will delay all the business and domestic deliveries so customer service is going to go downhill, which I’m annoyed about.”

Dr Iddon is today (Wed) meeting with Royal Mail bosses about the decision.

Cuncillor JIm Lord, who represents Farnworth, said: “I am very disappointed, it’s a disaster.

“As far as I am concerned it is a well-run depot which provides jobs for people in Farnworth and the surrounding area.

“Quite a few people work there from Farnworth and their chances of getting other employment at the moment are not very good.”

The closure is not expected to happen by 2010.

A Royal Mail spokesman said: “This decision, which follows almost seven months’ consultation with the Communication Workers’ Union (CWU) and Unite, is designed to secure the long-term success of the business.

“Royal Mail will be discussing with its employees the impact the decision will have on them individually and will work with them regarding their preferences for their future employment with the business.

“This could include working at another unit in the same town or city or moving elsewhere within the organisation.

“We hope that, given the existing turnover rates and with flexibility, everyone who wants to continue to work for Royal Mail will be able to do so.”

Royal Mail plans to build a regional distribution centre and four delivery offices as part of a £51 million investment,resulting in the loss of the Farnworth centre, along with those at Stockport and Oldham, with the work transferred to mail centres in Manchester and Preston.