Liverpool post sorting office may face closure

May 11 2008 by Staff Reporter, Liverpool Daily Post

LIVERPOOL’S Copperas Hill sorting office could close, Royal Mail bosses told union leaders yesterday.

Up to 800 jobs are now at risk in the city after company leaders told officials at meetings on Friday that closure was one of three options being considered.

The closure option would see remaining staff as well as workers from a branch in Crewe moving to a site in Warrington.

Another option is to build a new mail centre in Liverpool, involving closing the branch in Crewe and relocating employees to the new site.

A third option is to build a new centre in Liverpool, extending the site in Crewe and operating from both.

Staff at Copperas Hill fear the most likely option will be to shut the Liverpool branch because of its lack of up-to-date facilities.

While hundreds of jobs are under threat if it closes, Royal Mail said nothing has been decided. A six-week review has been carried out surrounding the future of seven mail centres within a 50-mile-radius and the consultation period is still on going.

Royal Mail has confirmed meetings are being held with staff at the centres and said their views are being sought.

It also said it has held consultation meetings with union leaders from the Trades Union Congress and the Communication Workers’ Union this week.

Last night a Royal Mail spokesman said: “What has happened in the last couple of days is yesterday the union leaders were told that following a review we were now looking at a number of options that we thought would help secure the future of the business.

“They were told what those options were.

“We are already consulting and we will continue to consult. No decisions have been made and there is no timescale to the consultations.”

Alec McFadden, president of the Trades Union Congress in Merseyside, said: “The CWU and the TUC were involved in a campaign to keep it open a number of years ago and if there is any talk of closure we will campaign.

“These are key jobs in the area. Copperas Hill will never be allowed to close. It will be an absolute disaster.”

LAST night Royal Mail bosses said they would oppose plans to cut deliveries on Saturday.

The proposal is included in a review of the industry by watchdog Postcomm.