Union wins post office closure freeze

The Communication Workers’ Union (CWU) has announced the winning of “a vital breathing space” in its struggle to save crown post offices, in the form of an agreed moratorium on closures for the rest of 2021. The agreement with the Post Office also commits both sides to top-level talks aimed at establishing a long-term strategy for the network.

“This is a crucial opportunity to fundamentally shift the direction of the Post Office,” CWU assistant secretary Andy Furey commented. “Through a combination of public pressure, political lobbying and campaigning plus persuasion, we’ve managed to secure this moratorium until the end of 2021.”

Since 2012, the number of crown post offices has fallen from 373 to 114. Some have been closed completely, according to the union, but the majority have been effectively privatised through franchise to retailers.

“We’ve opposed, argued against and fought against this privatisation all the way, including bouts of strike action,” Furey continued, “but although we’ve won some notable victories, it’s been an incredibly difficult uphill struggle for us industrially.

“What’s made a difference here, I believe, has been the relatively high public profile of the UK’s post office network and service, and the consequent public disquiet at what’s happened.”

https://www.cwu.org/news/union-wins-vital-breathing-space-in-fight-to-save-crown-post-office-network