Mayor Rejects Post Office Privatisation
As postal workers threaten strikes over job losses
Mayor of London, Ken Livingstone, rejected the announcement by the Post Office that it will privatise 70 Crown Post Offices across the country, including 15 in London.
The move could lead to the loss of around 3000 jobs nationally and a loss of around 700 jobs in London.
The announcement comes only weeks before the Government is expected to announce the results of it’s consultation on the future of the Post Office Network next month. The Government’s consultation paper proposed closing up to 2500 Post Offices.
Ken Livingstone said, “This proposal for the privatisation of Post Offices across London is terrible news for the hundreds of thousands of Londoners who rely on their local Post Offices. Recent research has shown that privatised Post Offices have poorer information on services, worse facilities for disabled customers and lower levels of customer service. WHSmith's cut price approach to pay and employment practices will mean that Post Office customers will lose out as services deteriorate.
‘The Post Office should be investing in better services for customers not reducing local services.
‘With the number of Post Offices in London having fallen by over a quarter in the last three years, the last thing we need is further cuts and closures. That’s why I am supporting the ‘Future for our Post Office campaign' to put the unquestionable case to Government to invest in the Post Office network and not make further closures.“
Crown Post Offices earmarked for privatisation include Hounslow, Fulham and Richmond.
April 24, 2007