Christmas post delay fears across Warwickshire

[TrueBlueTerrier]

http://www.leamingtoncourier.co.uk/news ... 4798477.jp

Christmas post around Warwickshire could be delayed if a planned 24-hour strike goes ahead at Coventry sorting office on Friday.
Letters and parcels posted anywhere in the CV postcode area are currently taken to the distribution centre in Coventry.

More than 800 workers at the centre in Bishop Street plan to take part unless talks with Royal Mail reach a conclusion that satisfies the Communications and Workers Union.

The union is demanding a review of the terms and conditions relating to Royal Mail's plans to merge its office with the Northampton centre.

The organisation's Coventry area secretary Neil Robinson said: "Hopefully we will arrive at a resolution that involves giving our people proper terms and conditions, but if the action goes ahead, there will be a knock-on effect for people around Warwickshire.

"We don't want to do it but management need to start listening to its staff and our members."

Royal Mail announced in July that, as part of a £70 million investment in buildings and machinery in the area designed to improve efficiency, a new combined mail centre for Coventry and Northampton will replace the current one in Coventry - which employs around 1,000 people.

The union says that staff at the new mail centre will also have to sort through some items posted from Milton Keynes.

The new centre would be at junction 15a of the M1 in Northamptonshire - about 30 miles from the current Bishop Street site.

Mr Robinson said there could be job losses of up to 400 in Coventry. He added: "They are not being offered voluntary redundancies or transfers, and those who are going to be transfered are not being offered subsistence money for travelling to work. We want a national system to protect all of our people - whether the offices are closed or not."

Out of the 13 offices across the country which will be affected by the merger plans, six have agreed to take part in Friday's industrial action.

A Royal Mail spokeswoman said: "The Communications Workers Union's strike proposals would affect less than five per cent of our national workforce but we are clearly disappointed that the the union would urge strike action at this important and busy time of year - and we are asking all our people to get on and deliver the Christmas service our customers want and deserve."

Saturday is the last first-class posting day before Christmas. The last second-class posting day is on Thursday.