Royal Mail planned strike action on Monday

[20sent06]

If it helps to save Jobs - then it has my vote too.

Remember - only 3% of all the Post Office Branches will be affected by tomorrow's action

So, will you be affected? - check it out here: http://www.postoffice.co.uk/post-off...-strike-action

[kazeran]

TBH I don't think it will save jobs. The post office seems to be committed to closing the Crown post offices in favour of the smaller branches in local shops. It makes sense really, you don't have to pay for dedicated staff, rates or any other cost of keeping a large office/outlet open.

[astral276]

TBH I don't think it will save jobs. The post office seems to be committed to closing the Crown post offices in favour of the smaller branches in local shops. It makes sense really, you don't have to pay for dedicated staff, rates or any other cost of keeping a large office/outlet open.

You would still have to pay for staff (or someone would).

I would (maybe selfishly) be in favour of Post Offices moving into supermarkets. There is ample and (usually) free parking right next to them, their hours are greater, and you usually go there anyway. My declining mobility makes it very difficult for me to get to a post office in my area as none you can park close to.

Maybe if they closed the dedicated post offices where there is a nearby supermarket to move into they could use the money saved to keep open the small post offices in rural areas or where there is no suitable alternative.

It would likely cost less to run post offices in several stores than it would to run a single dedicated building. So there would be more places to go rather than less.

It is not exactly a new idea, post offices have been located inside shops for more years than I have been around (my local Co-Op cohabits with a post office - sadly there are more yellow lines there than behind a stampede of diarrheic camels).

Chemists seem to have picked up on the idea. Locally one has opened up under Asda's roof and one actually in my doctor's surgery building (brilliant commercial thinking that last one).

[kazeran]

I totally agree Astral;
I have a post office in my local Spar (about three doors away) I can post items right up to eight o'clock in the evening. Before it was there I had to travel about ten minutes to a local town, pay to park and walk with bags of stuff and queue for ages.

As for the paying for staff, the local shop pays the staff as they are usually trained shop floor people who would be working in the store anyhoo, it costs the Post office very little, just the training.

[moonwitch]

Having returned to this thread I am even more sure that the strike will be just a lot of hassle for people relying on their post office being there.

Back in the early 70's my sister worked at a local newsagent's store and there was a post office there. Everywhere I have lived there have been post offices in local stores so I can't see what the big deal is about closing those Crown post offices.

My nearest one is about 4 miles away in a busy high street where there are lots of stores that could have a post office.

Am I missing an important point here?

[gbsbks2010]

If the powers that be wanted to close down the Crown post offices, why was a lot of money spent on them upgrading them two or three years back?

[dingledell2BAITS]

I had to join a union when I was at work, the union's use their workers to mend their own needs ie for political backup

[kazeran]

If the powers that be wanted to close down the Crown post offices, why was a lot of money spent on them upgrading them two or three years back?

I think they did all that before the Conservatives decided to privatise it.