York MP visits Royal Mail sorting office

[TrueBlueTerrier]

http://www.thepress.co.uk/news/3992533. ... ng_office/

T is an annual tradition for York MP Hugh Bayley to visit the city’s Royal Mail sorting office at the height of the Christmas rush.

But there was an added edge when he called in to the Leeman Road site yesterday, as his visit came only days after a crucial report was published into the future of the mail service which could have major implications for jobs in York.

The study by Richard Hooper described the current state of the postal service as “untenable” and said it could operate efficiently with around half the current number of mail centres.

The report led to further doubts arising over the outlook for York’s Leeman Road sorting depot, where strike action is already looming in the wake of a controversial decision to stop dealing with second-class mail there and switch it to Leeds.

The Commercial Workers’ Union (CWU) believes such a move will ultimately lead to the site closing with the loss of more than 350 jobs – although this has been denied by Royal Mail. The union’s members have voted to stage a walkout – although this has now been put on hold until the new year so as not to disrupt the festive postal service.

Mr Bayley said he had gone to Leeman Road to meet some of York’s postmen and women, and thank them for the enormous amount of work they did to sort and deliver the Christmas mail. “Royal Mail delivers millions of items of post at this time of year and the staff work around the clock to make sure our cards and presents are delivered in time for Christmas,” he said.

“Staff were incredibly busy but they were worried about what the Hooper report would mean for their jobs.

“The management will meet with the Communication Workers Union in the new year to make the case for keeping the sorting office in York. I will talk to both parties afterwards. I will do everything I can to keep the sorting office in York.

“It would be bad for jobs and bad for Royal Mail customers if it was transferred to Leeds.

“The Royal Mail does need to invest and modernise to make its business as efficient as possible to fight off competition, but I firmly believe it needs a strong presence in North Yorkshire.”