Staff at Bath’s main post office in the city centre are striking today over jobs, pay and closures across the country.
The Crown post offices only make up 3% of the network
The Communication Workers Union (CWU) have said that the strike would affect up to 4,000 employees in 372 Crown post offices, of which Bath’s Northgate Street branch is one.
It’s the twelfth postal strike since Easter.
The Post Office have said that though these branches will be closed today, they only make up 3% of the network – meaning disruption will be to a minimum.
An announcement was also made saying that the Bath post office will be directly retained by the Post Office, and will be part of the 300 branches undergoing a £70 million investment.
Linn Simpson, from the Communication Workers Union, spoke about the postal workers in the area. She said: “They feel that they’re being undervalued by the post office because they’re very highly skilled staff and they feel that the business isn’t recognising that. What the business is proposing will amount to a three or four year pay freeze.”
“They’re letting their actions doing the talking, to be quite frank, because they’re very upset. This is why after a such a long period of industrial period they’re still showing solid support.”
The Post Office is offering cash payments of up to £3,400, if modernisation targets are met across the country.
Dave Ward, the CWU’s deputy general secretary, said: “If the Post Office thinks this dispute will simply fade away they are sadly mistaken. Our members are fiercely opposed to the company’s plans to close and franchise offices, slash jobs and impose a pay freeze.”
