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WORK started yesterday on Royal Mail’s £70million centre on Northampton which will replace Coventry’s Bishop Street office with a loss of up to 500 jobs.
But as a ceremony was held to mark the first spade breaking the ground and new pictures were issued showing an artist’s impression of the new building, union reps in Coventry branded the celebration a disgrace.
The Royal Mail is planning to close the Bishop Street office, which currently employs about 1,000 people, and replace it with the new mail centre in Northampton.
Two smaller delivery offices will be built in Coventry but the Communication Workers Union (CWU) fears up to 500 jobs will be lost in the city with the move.
Mick Kavanagh, of the CWU, said: “From our point of view they are promoting this new centre in Northampton but what we are actually getting in Coventry is up to 500 job losses.
“A national company, which is owned by the Government, allowing 500 jobs to go out of the city is totally unacceptable.
“The effect on Coventry will be massive. It is probably one of the city’s biggest employers.
“From a public point of view it is a total disgrace how they can exploit this building like this. Our people are not likely to work there. They will have to travel 70 miles a day to work there, it’s not realistic.”
Yesterday’s ceremony was held at the Swan Valley site where the new centre is to be built with work due to finish by next year.
As reported in the Telegraph last week, the council turned down an invitation to the ceremony, with deputy leader Kevin Foster branding the invite as insensitive.
Mr Kavanagh said the union is still working hard to try and look after its members.
“Royal Mail has made its decision and we are having to deal with it to get the best terms and conditions for our members,” he said.
“At the moment there are 1,000 people working in Bishop Street. They’re trying to promote the fact they are building two delivery offices in Coventry but these will not be new jobs, there will be losses.
“We have done everything we can to keep a sorting office in Coventry. Talks are ongoing.”
Area general manager for Royal Mail Central and South Midlands Ian Jones said: “The new Mail Centre, which will combine our current Coventry, Northampton and Milton Keynes operations, is being built in Northamptonshire, due to the proximity to other Royal Mail distribution sites in the area.
“In a highly competitive postal market, these plans will allow us to replace buildings which are not fit for a modern distribution company and replace them with purpose built units using the best technology available for the benefit of our customers and employees.”