Royal Mail transfer leaves York jobs at risk

[TrueBlueTerrier]

http://www.yorkpress.co.uk/news/8926181 ... s_at_risk/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

ROYAL Mail has confirmed that postal sorting is to transfer from York to an expanded mail centre in Leeds.

The move will put about 160 York jobs at risk, but the company said it hopes to be able to find work for everyone who wishes to remain with the company and avoid any compulsory redundancies.

Union leaders have been worried about the future of the sorting office in Leeman Road since Royal Mail decided in 2008 to sort second-class York post in Leeds.

Now the Leeman Road office is to operate in future only as a delivery centre only, similar to Birch Park office at Huntington.

Royal Mail said the change, part of a package of measures across the region, would enable the company to operate from modern buildings with space to house the latest automation.

The company has said it does not envisage any of the changes taking place before 2012.

It has revealed that nationwide, about half of the 64 centres may face closure by 2016 or sooner and new delivery methods were being introduced to enable employees to deal with a decline in letters and an increase in packets.

Alison Wright, regional operations director for Royal Mail’s North East region, said its mail centres were facing considerable challenges, with competition from rival operators, electronic communication increasing and mail volumes continuing to decline, meaning there were now 16 million fewer letters posted each day compared with five years ago.

“So we urgently need to modernise and re-shape our mail processing network,” she said.

“Our service to customers will continue to be a top priority during these major changes, which are essential in securing the six-days-a-week, one-price-goes-anywhere universal service which is so vital to businesses and consumers throughout the UK.”

A Communication Workers’ Union spokesman was unavailable for comment.

[railmail]

16Million fewer letters but how many more packets eh?