Sub-postmasters to demand end to closures

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HUNDREDS of sub-postmasters in Torquay for their national conference will today call on the newly formed Government to halt planned post office closures.

Members of the National Federation of Sub-postmasters from across the country will demand an immediate commitment on establishing new work for post offices from central and local government.

The conference convenes just days after pay negotiations broke down between Post Office Ltd and sub-postmasters. NFSP members have vowed to fight a decision by POL to impose a pay cut on subpostmasters.

They say it is unfair for the company to penalise sub- postmasters while awarding at least Pounds 10million in bonuses to senior managers and preparing to announce profits of Pounds 62million.

George Thomson, NFSP general secretary, will open the conference by saying he wants to work with newly appointed ministers to help safeguard the future of the post office network.

He predicts that up to 3,000 subpostmasters may be forced to close their office unless they are supported with better pay from POL, and receive more work from central and local government.

Mr Thomson said: "It is a matter of grave concern that we begin our annual conference with the very real threat of mass post office closures due to a lack of new work for our members and now the unacceptable decision by POL to cut sub-postmasters' pay.

"I will be seeking to establish a positive relationship with this new coalition government, to urgently generate the new products and services that are essential if the network is to survive. However, we cannot ignore the challenges that lie ahead.

"I expect to hear a commitment from Government that it acknowledges the vital importance of post offices to thousands of communities up and down the country, and that it plans to do all it can to sustain them.

"For the benefit of the nation, the new Government must think 'post office first' when it is awarding new contracts and renewing existing ones."

The sub-postmasters' conference is due to run until Wednesday at the Barcelo Imperial Hotel.