POST OFFICE: SUPPLY CHAIN – EXITING THE EXTERNAL MARKET – JOB LOSSES

POST OFFICE: SUPPLY CHAIN – EXITING THE EXTERNAL MARKET – JOB LOSSES
Dear Colleagues,
The Post Office is advising our Supply Chain members this morning of its intention to “exit from the external CViT market on a phased basis during the remainder of the 2016/17 financial year”. This outrageous decision entails the potential loss of 515 CWU represented jobs (and 79 managers). This equates to approximately 50% of the total workforce from the 22 depots and 6 cash centres. However, it is evident this decision will impact on all operational jobs and members’ earnings. 
Additionally, as part of the job losses, the Post Office has indicated it will be seeking to close 8 CViT depots and 1 Coin Centre as follows:
 
Dartford Hull Poole
Eastbourne Inverness Preston        
Edinburgh Merlin House (Birmingham) Stoke
 
We also understand the Coin operation at Hemel Hempstead as well as Merlin House will be moving into Midway House (Birmingham).
Given the unprecedented scale of the proposed job losses, there is a real threat of Compulsory Redundancies which this Union will oppose in line with Conference policy (Motion 89, Postal Industry conference 2016). When combining the job losses in Supply Chain to the Crown Office franchising and the recently announced job reductions in Finance, it equates to a total of over 1000 job losses from CWU grades working for the Post Office which is simply astonishing.
The Union last week received the legal redundancy notification (Section 188 letter and HR1 form) surrounding the planned job losses in Supply Chain. In view of a lack of any negotiations on this issue, we formally requested to Paula Vennells, Chief Executive, on Friday 13th May and again on 16th May that the legal documentation be withdrawn and the 90 day consultation should not commence at this stage. The response received from Paula Vennells failed to address our proposal to withdraw the redundancy notification, hence the reason why we sent a further letter.  
The provocative decision to announce these job losses and site closures has been made without meaningful consultation with the Union and no real attempt to work together to reach an agreement and find an alternative solution to secure the future of Supply Chain.  
In the face of this latest attack on the livelihoods of our hard-working members, we will be campaigning to put pressure on the Government and the Post Office as part of our “Peoples Post” campaign. We need to stop these unnecessary plans and prevent large scale job losses.
The Post Office should never have been separated from Royal Mail. It is the only postal operator in Europe to split off its retail network from the rest of the postal service. Since separation we have witnessed a constant attack on jobs resulting in a running down of the Post Office network and now this is being extended to Supply Chain. This crude cost-cutting approach which is unimaginative and short term has led to further Crown Office franchising and closures as part of a programme of managed decline.
The Post Office’s decision reflects the Government’s failure to support and invest in the future of the network in a meaningful way and the systemic mismanagement of the company, which has a complete lack of vision. Crucially we are calling for a coherent long-term plan for the future based on greater investment, new products and services and reintegration back into Royal Mail. A press release is attached for your information.
The future of the Post Office is at a crossroads; consequently we will need to consider every avenue for action to defend our Supply Chain members. We will be consulting with our Representatives and further with the Postal Executive to develop a united strategy across the whole of the Union to defend jobs and stop closures in accordance with Emergency Motion E3 (attached) carried unanimously at this year’s Postal Industry conference.  
The Following Branch Representatives are invited to attend a National Briefing:
Branch Secretaries (with Post Office members)

CViT / Cash Centre Unit Reps (if the Unit Rep is not available, the Deputy Rep is invited)

Post Office Territorial Reps

Post Office Supply Chain Area Reps (including Deputy Area Reps)

Post Office Area Reps (including Deputy Area Reps)

Regional Health & Safety Reps 

The details of the Representatives Briefing are as follows:
Monday 23rd May
12 noon – 3pm
Indian YMCA
41 Fitzroy Square
London
W1T 6AQ
As this briefing will be focussed on a serious Industrial Relations matter, paid release from duty should be provided by the Post Office for CViT / Cash Centre Unit Reps.
Our Post Office members must be supported as we will not stand idly by and watch another nail hammered into the coffin of this vital public service.
 
Yours Sincerely,
 
Dave Ward Ray Ellis Andy Furey
General Secretary Acting Deputy General Secretary (P) Assistant Secretary 

Email Attachments – Click to download
· LTB 302/16 – POST OFFICE: SUPPLY CHAIN – EXITING THE EXTERNAL MARKET – JOB LOSSES
· Attachment 2: Emergency Motion – Future vision of the post office
· Attachment 2: CWU-Unite joint press release on the Post Office – 17th May 2016