Fit out of Royal Mail 'parcel super hub' at Omega begins

Post by **TrueBlueTerrier** » 09 Jul 2019, 11:50

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WORK on the Royal Mail ‘parcel super hub’ at Omega is continuing apace.

The postal service has announced that it has now begun designing the technical fit out of its new 32,000sq m site on Catalina Approach, which will be the size of four-and-a-half football pitches and process more than 600,000 parcel per day.

Expected to open in the autumn, 370 employees will work at the fully-automated ‘state-of-the-art’ facility.

Royal Mail’s North West Distribution Centre at Winwick Quay will close and relocate to the new branch under the plans, with no jobs being lost as a result.

The current mail processing centre on Orion Boulevard will remain in operation.

National operations director Simon Barker said: “This significant commitment to the north west is just one example of how Royal Mail is changing to drive e-commerce growth across the UK.

“This new site – the first of three parcel hubs to be announced – alongside initiatives like accepting e-retail parcels into our network late in the evening will help us to meet growing demand for next day delivery.

“We are talking to our people who work in and around Warrington and our unions about our proposals for the new site – we want to fully involve them in shaping our operations in the north west and helping us to safeguard high quality employment opportunities in our business.”

‘Ideally situated to meet growing demand for next day delivery’ due to its proximity to large cities and transport links, it is anticipated that the parcel hub will add £1billion to the economy.

Construction contracts have been awarded to seven companies based in Warrington, as well as three others based within 25 miles.

26l34 · Post by **26l34** » 09 Jul 2019, 12:45

Rumours at my MC that some parcels from Wolverhampton and even Birmingham could be going there? No idea myself obviously, just wondering.

Celgar · Post by **Celgar** » 09 Jul 2019, 19:37

The majority of parcels and all Tracked items will be going to the new three hubs once they are built. Doesn't show much for any willingness to negotiate or discuss the changes with the CWU. They just appear to running roughshod over us all so either the union capitulates or we go for national strike action.

maisymoo04 · Post by **maisymoo04** » 09 Jul 2019, 20:39

were they getting 370 employees from if there not touching the mail centre ? nwdc doesn't have 370 staff

Post by **SpacePhoenix** » 09 Jul 2019, 21:15

Don't know where NWDC is located, which MCs are around it?

arnold cheshire · Post by **arnold cheshire** » 09 Jul 2019, 21:51

SpacePhoenix wrote:Don't know where NWDC is located, which MCs are around it?

I believe it's at Warrington

renrag40 · Post by **renrag40** » 10 Jul 2019, 02:14

I work at the NWRDC. It has the Warrington rail terminal and Warrington D2D centre attached to it. The D2D is moving to the rail terminal building and most of the work from the rail terminal (mail order returns) is going to the new building. I don’t think our colleagues at the rail terminal are very impressed with having to go to the new building.

Pancake123 · Post by **Pancake123** » 10 Jul 2019, 06:55

Any rumors about new jobs?

Binsey · Post by **Binsey** » 10 Jul 2019, 09:21

Celgar wrote:The majority of parcels and all Tracked items will be going to the new three hubs once they are built. Doesn't show much for any willingness to negotiate or discuss the changes with the CWU. They just appear to running roughshod over us all so either the union capitulates or we go for national strike action.

An hour off the week and a promise to a move to a 35 hour week will be the Unions save face.

A fair proportion of the workforce will not be here is sadly here though there.

renrag40 · Post by **renrag40** » 10 Jul 2019, 12:46

we were officially informed by team briefs on Monday. Apparently no new work is going in there that isn’t already handled by the RDC and rail terminal...... at present. Neither will the place be fully automated until next year.

26l34 · Post by **26l34** » 10 Jul 2019, 14:18

Celgar wrote:The majority of parcels and all Tracked items will be going to the new three hubs once they are built. Doesn't show much for any willingness to negotiate or discuss the changes with the CWU. They just appear to running roughshod over us all so either the union capitulates or we go for national strike action.

What’ll be left to sort at these other mail centres then? Small packets and the like (plus the usual letters and flats)?

Even some RM staff at my MC seem to be in the dark about it, whereas others are very doom and gloom, funny how word does (and doesn’t) get around. Funnily enough I might be moving Atherstone way, think there’s a super hub planned for there? Might ask Angard for a transfer...

Post by **SpacePhoenix** » 10 Jul 2019, 14:33

26l34 wrote:What’ll be left to sort at these other mail centres then? Small packets and the like (plus the usual letters and flats)?

Probably lots of EVR eventually and anyone who leaves for whatever reason won't get replaced. Possibly many duties becoming part time. A lot will depend on what % of their work all the work they'll lose to the hubs accounts for. It'll probably have just as much an affect on DOs as they'll have less items that won't fit through letter boxes so RM will want lots of hours out of DOs

26l34 wrote:Funnily enough I might be moving Atherstone way, think there’s a super hub planned for there? Might ask Angard for a transfer...

Doubt you'll get a transfer there, AFAIK the new hubs are meant to be automated

Celgar · Post by **Celgar** » 10 Jul 2019, 17:36

I think the last comment made regarding staffing at the three new hubs was that the staff contracts would not be the same there as elsewhere. In short if the government doesn't begin to actively regulate the 'gig economy' jobs, self employed jobs that are clearly not self employed, and bad employment practices by firms like Amazon then RM will follow their lead. In short we are heading for a two tier workforce with current standard postie contracts eventually being phased out. It's a race to the bottom.

ted_e_bear · Post by **ted_e_bear** » 10 Jul 2019, 18:59

Celgar wrote:I think the last comment made regarding staffing at the three new hubs was that the staff contracts would not be the same there as elsewhere. In short if the government doesn't begin to actively regulate the 'gig economy' jobs, self employed jobs that are clearly not self employed, and bad employment practices by firms like Amazon then RM will follow their lead. In short we are heading for a two tier workforce with current standard postie contracts eventually being phased out. It's a race to the bottom.

This is what's concerning me, perhaps it's the intention that these new super hubs won't be staffed by "postie's" in fact now I think a bit more about it why would they when there's lower cost options available to RM,yes it's a race to the bottom alright !!

26l34 · Post by **26l34** » 10 Jul 2019, 19:29

Can they be fully automated though? I mean the last place I was at prior to going back in a MC via Angard spent millions on big parcel sorting machines but still needed an army of mostly agency staff to work on and around them, unloading trailers, loading belts, sorting missorts, dispatching, etc. As has been said it’s not a good, in terms of wages and stability, model to follow but they’ll still need humans - even Amazon still employs a load of people.