Co-op eyes interest in Post Office branches

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The Post Office announced plans to franchise 70 of the branches and close some others. This has lead to staff staging a fresh strike today in a row over jobs, pay and branch closures.

Members of the Communication Workers Union at hundreds of Crown offices will walk out for the day, the fourth round of industrial action in recent weeks.

The union is opposed to the plans saying hundreds of jobs will be affected.

The Post Office says the Crown offices - the larger branches usually sited on high streets - are losing £40m a year and has begun marketing its plan to close and transfer the business of the branches to retail partners.

It said it had received 150 expressions of interest including those from Asda, Tesco, Sainsbury's and the Co-op, which currently operate a post office services.

A spokesperson from the Co-op said: “We currently operate 273 post office services from Co—operate Food stores, which are proving to be successful and very popular with our customers. We would welcome the opportunity to offer this service to more customers across the UK.”

Meanwhile picket lines will be mounted outside offices across the UK today, with the union expecting strong support for the walkout.

Dave Ward, CWU deputy general secretary, said: "This Government promised no programme of post office closures, but these plans would cut 20 per cent of the Crown network. This is under a minister - Jo Swinson - who campaigned against franchising before getting a government position.

"The pay offer is nothing like what the Post Office is trying to make out. It's conditional on accepting 76 Crown Post Office closures and over 800 job losses. The second and third lump sums are dependent on unachievable targets so are very unlikely to ever get paid. Even if they are paid, they would be significantly less than the publicised figure because many workers are part-time and hundreds would have lost their jobs.

"The Post Office and Government are ignoring the wishes and views of people who work in the Crown network and the customers who value these post offices. Staff voted by nine to one in favour of strike action - a resounding rejection of the company's plans on closures and pay - yet they are being ignored.

"Tens of thousands of people have signed petitions in communities across the country opposing the closure and franchise plans. These are valued services which handle significant amounts of work.

"We firmly believe that a solution could be found if the Post Office was prepared to sit down and negotiate a meaningful and mutually agreeable solution. Ploughing on and further angering their staff and customers is no good for anyone."