POST OFFICE: CROWN OFFICE NETWORK – WHSMITH FRANCHISING & HOSTING UPDATE

POST OFFICE: CROWN OFFICE NETWORK – WHSMITH FRANCHISING & HOSTING UPDATE 

Dear Colleagues

 

Further to LTB 236/16 dated 14th April, which advised Branches that as part of the new ten year agreement with WHSmith, 61 Crowns would be either franchised to (privatised) or “hosted” by (remain as a Crown Office) WHSmith stores.

 

Two announcements have been made subsequently on 19th April and 3rd May impacting on the following Crowns:  

 

• Crowns to be Franchised – of the original 39 Crowns listed in LTB030/16, 6 Crowns have so far been announced for franchising; these are as follows:

 

Beckenham​Halifax

Beeston​Honiton

Bury St Edmunds​Paisley

 

The total number of CWU grades impacted by the franchising of the above 6 Crowns is 56 (plus 7 managers). TUPE regulations apply as this is a TUPE transfer, and the consultation process will last for a minimum of 90 days. The Post Office is working towards a transfer date to WHSmith of between 1st and 31st August for Beckenham, Beeston, Honiton and Paisley. For Halifax, the transfer date is between 1st and 30th September and Bury St Edmunds it is between 1st and 30th November.

 

• Crowns to be “Hosted” (“concessions”) – of the approximate 30 Crowns planned for “hosting”, 8 have been announced so far as follows:

 

Barnstaple​Harrow

Castle Mall (Norwich)​Maidstone

Chorley​Stevenage

Darley St (Bradford)​Wrexham

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The total number of CWU grade jobs impacted by the move to a “hosted” Crown above is 87 (plus 19 managers and Mortgage Specialists) who will retain Post Office employment. The relocation date for Castle Mall, Chorley, Darley St, Maidstone and Wrexham is planned for August. For Barnstaple, Harrow and Stevenage, it is September.

 

With the relocations (“hostings”), there is also a local public consultation which will last for 6 weeks and this is carried out in accordance with the Code of Practice for changes to the network as agreed between the Post Office and Citizens Advice (the statutory Consumer Watchdog).

 

Current Position

 

We have now had two announcements for 14 out of the 61 Crowns due to be franchised / hosted to WHSmith. So there are another 47 Crowns which are in limbo waiting for news from the Post Office. Presumably as 14 Crowns have been announced via two separate announcements, the remainder will continue with this trend and be advised on a piecemeal basis.

 

Additionally, there are approximately 9 Crowns out of the 39 originally announced which are planned to be franchised to an alternative retail partner.

 

I am bound to say, the way the Post Office is drip feeding its changes to our members is without compassion as our members don’t know from one week to another whether they are going to be part of the “hosting” group or not. Also, our members are fearful of management arriving at the Team Talk on a Tuesday morning to deliver bad news. Clearly this is a tactical position to dilute opposition and any public outcry.  

 

Campaigning Against Franchising Continues

 

Branches are urged, if they have not already done so, to immediately instigate local community led campaigns in order to place as much pressure on the Post Office as possible so that we can do everything feasible to retain our Crown Offices. In addition to the campaigns previously reported in LTB236, there is a public meeting in Paisley on Friday 13th May which Mhairi Black MP from the SNP and myself will be addressing.

 

Further developments will be reported once the Post Office has advised us of further plans.

 

If you have any questions in relation to this LTB, please contact Lea Sheridan – lsheridan@cwu.org.

 

 

 

Yours sincerely

 

 

Andy Furey

Assistant Secretary