CWU welcomes London Assembly motion cautioning PO closures

[TrueBlueTerrier]

CWU welcomes London Assembly motion cautioning post office closures

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The Communication Workers Union welcomes today's (Wednesday) London Assembly motion which raises concerns at Crown post office closures and franchising. The motion passed unanimously at today's session and means the Mayor of London will write to the Under-Secretary of State to raise the concerns of the Assembly.

The Post Office plans to close and franchise 76 Crown post offices across the UK affecting over 800 jobs - 17 of the offices are in London with around 200 jobs affected. Five out of six of the straight closures are in Greater London with the Assembly saying this would have a "disproportionate impact on Londoners".

The 17 Crown offices affected are: Balham, Broadgate, Dagenham Heathway , East Dulwich, East Finchley, Eastcote, Great Greenford, Holloway, Kennington Park Road, Lupus Street Pimlico, Raynes Park, Rye Lane, Stockwell, Sutton High St, Swiss Cottage, Wallington, and West Wickham

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Billy Hayes, CWU general secretary, said: "The Post Office's plans to close and franchise 17 Crown offices across London would have a detrimental impact on the capital's many high streets. Communities are clearly opposed to the plans with thousands having signed petitions against the franchising and closure plans.

"We're really pleased that the London Assembly has today unanimously backed a motion which raises concerns about the Post Office's plans and also means that the Mayor of London will take this matter up. It's good to see local politicians from all parties standing up and defending their constituents' services.

"This is about keeping decent jobs and services in London communities and protecting the valued post office network."

CWU members have taken five rounds of strike action in opposition to closure and franchising plans on Easter Saturday, April 19, April 29, May 7 and May 28. Tens of thousands of people have signed petitions against closure and franchise plans.

The motion in full (moved by Labour AM Murad Qureshi):

This Assembly recognises that reform of the Crown Post Office Network is necessary and long-overdue. The Assembly welcomes progress being made to this end, with losses reduced by up to £14m, to around £40m, in the past three years.

Nevertheless, proposed reforms have the potential to disproportionately impact on Londoners. Of the six offices identified for outright closure - as part of a plan to close or franchise 76 Crown Post Offices - five are located in the capital: Lupus St; Sutton High St; Kennington Park Road; Stockwell; and Broadgate.

Despite only representing 3% of the postal network, Crown Post Offices employ 4000 people and are responsible for 20% of all Post Office business. Crown Post Offices also process 40% of financial services mail and are therefore a crucial component of London's economy.

Post offices not only provide essential services to the public that are not available anywhere else, but they are also central to the local economies in which they are located. This Assembly is concerned at the potential adverse impacts on post-office accessibility for Londoners and the business community.

This Assembly therefore calls on the Mayor of London to:

write to the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State with responsibility for Post Offices, informing them of the concerns raised by the Assembly about the closure of five of London's Crown Post Offices;

request that Under-Secretary undertake to conduct a broader social and economic assessment of the proposed closures, focussing on the impact on customers; and

seek assurances from the Under-Secretary that successful franchisees for Crown Post Offices will be strongly encouraged to pay their staff the London Living Wage.

[juliew]

Regarding the motion, I was at Kent County Council at Maidstone today (18th July), with the CWU (Mole Meade) and watched Tory councillors vote AGAINST the motion, It was defeated 43 against - 32 for. 2 abstentions. Whitstable county councillors, Mark Dance and Mike Harrison, declared they were voting against it. Outrageous! Tomorrow we have a public meeting here in Whitstable to discuss the potential loss of our Crown Post Office. MP Julian Brazier is meant to be attending so I will have plenty to ask him, particularly since in today's Whitstable Times he writes the following:- 'Many people are asking why privatise? The bottom line is that Royal Mail desperately needs investment, but the Government cannot afford to make the investment itself at a time of extreme pressure on public finances. One feature I am particularly glad to see is that postal workers will get some of the shares, giving them a stake in the business. It is reminiscent of the first big public sector privatisation - BT. Once part of the Post Office, as a private company BT was able to invest and waiting lists for telephone installations disappeared. Let us hope it goes equally well for Royal Mail.' Julian Brazier.
My view? Out of touch - and should be out of power! Julie Wassmer

[TrueBlueTerrier]

The Tories and Lib Dems keep trotting out this 10% and that they are glad we are getting them. They ignore the fact that even though we knew the only way of getting shares was to be privatised, and yet 96% on a 75% turnout voted NO to privatisation - I wonder what his views are on that.