Glimmer of hope for Dagenham Heathway PO after strikes

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Glimmer of hope for Dagenham Heathway Post Office after strikes

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Post Office users have been given a glimmer of hope in the battle to save their branch from being franchised.

Dagenham Heathway Post Office is among 35 out of 70 crown branches — those owned entirely by the Post Office — that the company has delayed finding a buyer for until after next April and the new financial year, according to the Communication Workers Union (CWU).

It came a 12th round of strikes at the branch, and nationwide, was undertaken by members of the CWU on Monday as part of an ongoing dispute over closures, job losses and pay.

CWU deputy area representative Clive Tickner said: “The fact that it has been put off into the next financial year — there’s the possibility that the [Dagenham Heathway] crown office could be saved.”

He added the public have been “superb in their support” in wishing to keep the Post Office in Heathway, Dagenham, open.

Mr Tickner said that maintaining the Post office as flagship crown branch “would keep it as the fulcrum of the high street and attract more people into the Heathway as well as many other businesses as well”.

Franchised Post Office branches would see the service sharing space with a buyer, as with newsagent WHSmith previously.

Post Office network and sales director Kevin Gilliland said Monday’s strike did not affect more than 97 per cent of the network and added 87 per cent of the 370 crown branches remained open.

At Dagenham only one CWU union member did not go through with the all day stoppage.

“The CWU are calling for an above inflation pay agreement when last year our overall performance was a loss of £116million,” said Mr Gilliland.

“We must reverse this loss of public money. Strike action can only cost our people money, cause disruption to customers and threaten our plans to turn the business around and keep our branches on high streets and city centres across the UK.”

Action short of strike Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday staff will not cross sell or up sell financial products but will respond to customer enquiries about these products.