BY LAURA HANNAM
A city union is calling for jobs to be saved as the threat of closure looms over Milton Keynes' mail centre.
The local branch of the Communication Workers Union (CWU) believes the facility is likely to close but wants some small-scale operations to be kept at the site.
The union says up to 600 jobs are at risk in the city.
As reported in MK NEWS in April, Royal Mail has put forward plans for Milton Keynes' mail to be sorted in a new 'super' mail centre alongside post from Coventry and Northampton.
The move could mean the Milton Keynes Mail Centre, in Dawson Road, Bletchley - where post from across the area is sorted by machines - be closed.
Its processing operations would be transferred to a proposed new state-of-the-art mail centre between junctions 15 and 16 of the M1 in Northamptonshire in 2010.
The proposals are some of those being pitched to Royal Mail staff and unions currently as part of a review of its mail processing operations.
Royal Mail says no jobs may need to be lost as, with 'flexibility', everyone who works for them now will be able to carry on working for Royal Mail in the future.
But Malcolm Barnard, chairman of CWU's Milton Keynes branch, says not all staff will be able to move to the new mail centre in Northampton.
"It is in a different county so you can only get a coach. It would be more than a two hour journey," he said.
The union wants some operations to be kept on the site, including the sorting of large volumes of marketing mail sent out by companies and a central collection hub where post from across the city is loaded onto lorries to be taken to Northampton.
It is also calling for the mail centre to run a pressure-time operation over Christmas to relieve the new mail centre and for website Amazon, one of the post office's biggest contracts which has a depot in Milton Keynes, to have its mail sorted in the city at peak times.
"It is about saving as many jobs as possible," said Mr Barnard.
A Royal Mail spokesman said: "As announced in 2007, over the next few years the company is making huge investments in the network, including new technology and equipment for mail centres.
"Milton Keynes Mail Centre site, as it stands, may not be suitable for the new technology and equipment needed because of its limited size.
"We continue to consult with our people and unions and expect to make a decision towards the end of this year.
"We certainly do not anticipate job losses of any such level suggested by the union."
Union representatives were to meet with Royal Mail bosses today to discuss the proposals.