SO IS CITY MAIL DEPOT'S FUTURE REALLY SORTED?

[TrueBlueTerrier]

http://tinyurl.com/2goz5t

09:00 - 22 September 2007

Postal workers, politicians and union leaders want to know what plans Royal Mail has for Gloucester after it saved their sorting office from the axe.In a dramatic U-turn, the company announced yesterday, that "Gloucester Mail Centre will not now move to Swindon as originally planned".

But it has left the 480 workers and union leaders at the Eastern Avenue site, along with Gloucester's Labour MP Parmjit Dhanda wondering what will happen to it now.

Royal Mail insist it will be business as usual though.

"I don't think people want to celebrate just yet," said communication workers union deputy branch secretary Ian Trehearne.

"When we first heard the news it was a bombshell. Everyone was in shock."

CWU Gloucestershire Amalgamated branch chairman Sean McGeough said: "It's important now after the shock announcement to know what Royal Mail intend to do.

"All they have said is that it's not going to Swindon. Are they going to develop the site?

"People are still uncertain."

But a Royal Mail spokesman made it plain that nothing will change.

"The Gloucester Mail Centre will not now be moving to Swindon," he said. "It means it's business as usual."

Union representatives celebrated the news yesterday morning with Mr Dhanda.

They led a high-profile public campaign to save the mail centre.

Yellow campaign stickers on letters passing through the centre went on to thousands of pieces of mail, as it was feared the centre would close in favour of Swindon.

Then on Thursday evening Eastern Avenue staff were told their jobs there were safe thanks to a revised scheme for the £20 million transformation of the Thames Valley and Gloucester postal network. Instead the Oxford and Reading mail centres will close in 2009.

Mr Dhanda said whether Royal Mail admitted it or not, the campaign played an pivotal role in keeping jobs in Gloucester.

"It's excellent news," said Mr Dhanda. "Nearly a year ago at the Labour Party conference I spoke to the secretary of the CWU and he said it's a fait accompli.

"So many people have said to me there's no way we can win this. I'm quite happy for Royal Mail to say whatever it wants to say as long as we have saved it for Gloucester staff, as I and the CWU have moved mountains in this campaign."

Mr Trehearne echoed his views.

"We have always been told there is no going back and we have proved that by sticking together we have done that," he said.

"By getting politically active, councillors and MPs together, the whole campaign has been excellent.

"Pressure publicly and politically and from the CWU has ensured a great victory."

[lovejoy]

I know that the support of the Oxford branch was excellent for Gloucesters campaign. Lets hope that will now worked the other way around