Heavy job losses predicted at Royal Mail

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http://www.peoplemanagement.co.uk/pm/ar ... l-mail.htm

Cuts would help plug pensions deficit
Lucy Phillips


Publication date: 16 December 2008
Source:
PM Online

Up to 50,000 jobs could be lost at Royal Mail to help plug a £7 billion pensions deficit, media sources have warned.

Under plans to be outlined in an independent review published later today, the state-owned postal service is likely to be partially privatised in an attempt to plug its pensions liability and modernise the service. The break-up of the business could force up to half of Royal Mail’s 71 mail centres to close, resulting in tens of thousands of job losses.

The report, by Richard Hooper, a former deputy chairman of Ofcom, is due to be published at 3.30pm today.

The Communications Workers Union said it was committed to opposing the break-up, closures and privatisation of the postal service.

Meanwhile up to 2,000 postal workers are due to stage a 24-hour walk-out on Friday at six mail centres across the country in a row over office closures.