Post office closes as workers go on strike

STRIKE action . . . Oldham post office

CENTRAL Oldham post office closed its doors today as it joined thousands of workers in strike action.

Communication Workers Union (CWU) members went on strike from the Post Office in a dispute over job losses, their pension scheme and the future of the industry.

Proposals

The strike also shows their dissatisfaction at proposals to franchise major branches into other retailer's stores to cut costs and save money.

CWU general-secretary Dave Ward warned staff were facing 2,000 job losses this year as a result and has previously said the Post Office was at a crisis point.

He said: "The Post Office is relentlessly pursuing a programme of cuts that will mean a further 2,000 job losses, staff being left tens of thousands of pounds worse off in retirement and the privatisation of its flagship branches.

"The post office is at a crisis point and the government has to step in. We are making a simple demand.

"The government needs to pause the cuts, convene a summit of key stakeholders in the industry and work out a strategy that gives employees and the public confidence that the Post Office has a future."

Row

It is not the first time Central Oldham Post Office workers have gone on strike with members of the CWU striking from 12.30-4.30pm on Christmas Eve in 2015 in a row over pay.