PO Claims CWU members are ignoring harsh commercial realitie

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Post Office claims Communication Workers Union members are ignoring harsh commercial realities

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POST Office bosses have accused union members of ignoring "harsh commercial realities" by striking against the franchising of Crown branches.

Members of the Communication Workers Union (CWU) staged a day of industrial action on Easter Saturday in what the organisation called a celebration and defence of Post Office services.

Branches in Carmarthen, Neath, Morriston and Port Talbot did not open as a result of the action.

A spokesman for the Post Office said: "The CWU is making unrealistic demands for a consolidated pay increase of 3.5 per cent for 2012/13 and a further increase of 3.25 per cent for 2013/14.

"The impact of these consolidated increases would add around £12m to the pay bill, in a part of the network that is already making a £40million a year loss.

"The Post Office is offering a series of cash payments totalling up to £3,400. The first payment of up to £1,400 is ready to be made immediately, with the further two payments of £1,000 being linked to achieving modernisation targets."

Kevin Gilliland, network and sales director at the Post Office, said: "We regret any inconvenience caused to customers by Saturday's strike action.

"However, more than 100 of our Crown branches were open and the remainder of our 11,800 branches were unaffected. "The CWU is ignoring the harsh commercial realities being faced by the Post Office and other retailers across the UK.

"Crown branches are currently losing £40 million per year and this is being subsidised by public money.

"This cannot continue. The Post Office is transforming its network to improve customer experience and in turn bring in new business.

"We are committed to the Post Office remaining a key part of UK high streets and our plans ensure this will happen. "This means for 70 of our Crown branches, including eight in Wales — less than one per cent of our network — we will be looking to partner with a suitable retailer, while at the same time we will invest £70 million in the remaining 300 Crown branches to modernise and grow services to ensure their long-term viability.

"Our pay offer remains unchanged.

"We want to make the first payment of up to £1,400 as quickly as possible.

"Any future strike action can only cause further inconvenience for customers and delay how quickly this money will be received into our peoples' pay packets."

A spokesman for the CWU said more than 2,000 members took part in strike action across the UK with picket lines and demonstrations springing up from Plymouth to London, and Carmarthen to Leeds, Redcar, Kirkby, Hastings and Margate, Aberdeen and Glasgow.

Andy Furey of the CWU said the action had been solidly supported, and added: "Our members have sent a strong message to Post Office management today by solidly supporting strike action against closures, job losses and pay.

"Strike action was solidly supported in Scotland and across the UK.

"We hope the Post Office listens to the concerns of their staff.

"They can avoid further disruption by agreeing to negotiations to resolve this dispute."