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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
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| Post office workers set new strike dates | Post office workers set new strike dates |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Workers at hundreds of post offices are set to strike later this month in the latest round of industrial action over plans to franchise out 76 high street branches. | |
| The walkout by around 4,000 workers in 373 Crown post offices will be the sixth and seventh strikes since Easter, with staff unhappy at plans by management to sign up outside businesses to run the sites and cut up to 1,500 jobs. | |
| The Communications Workers' Union (CWU) said staff would walk out on 20 and 29 June because no progress had been made in discussions with the company over job security. | |
| Union bosses have called on the Post Office's chief executive, Paula Vennells, to join the talks in the hope of a resolution. | Union bosses have called on the Post Office's chief executive, Paula Vennells, to join the talks in the hope of a resolution. |
| Dave Ward, the CWU deputy general secretary, said: "This dispute can't be resolved while the CEO Paula Vennells remains aloof and absent from talks. | Dave Ward, the CWU deputy general secretary, said: "This dispute can't be resolved while the CEO Paula Vennells remains aloof and absent from talks. |
| "We've had informal talks this week which allowed a good exchange of views and discussion on various options, but there's no change, no new offers and no movement from the Post Office. | "We've had informal talks this week which allowed a good exchange of views and discussion on various options, but there's no change, no new offers and no movement from the Post Office. |
| "It's time that Paula Vennells got her hands dirty and engaged with this dispute which affects the post office network's biggest branches. It's no good hiding in the shadows and hoping we'll go away." | "It's time that Paula Vennells got her hands dirty and engaged with this dispute which affects the post office network's biggest branches. It's no good hiding in the shadows and hoping we'll go away." |
| The union's members voted nine-to-one in favour of the strikes at the Crown sites, which make up just 3% of the Post Office's portfolio but process 20% of all transactions. | The union's members voted nine-to-one in favour of the strikes at the Crown sites, which make up just 3% of the Post Office's portfolio but process 20% of all transactions. |
| The Post Office, which is state-owned and receives £1.3bn of taxpayer subsidy, has said franchising out branches to retailers is essential to securing the future of the service. | |
| Kevin Gilliland, network and sales director at the Post Office said: "We are disappointed at the CWU's decision to call further strike action. This can only cause disruption to customers and cost our people money. | Kevin Gilliland, network and sales director at the Post Office said: "We are disappointed at the CWU's decision to call further strike action. This can only cause disruption to customers and cost our people money. |
| "We must continue with our plans to turn around the Crown network to ensure we keep these branches on high streets and in city centres across the UK. We remain open to discussions with the CWU on pay options which do not add to the current loss of public money." | |
| He added that the sale would allow for £70m investment in the remaining Crown estate, explaining that the deal would also see the Post Office return to profit after years of losses. | He added that the sale would allow for £70m investment in the remaining Crown estate, explaining that the deal would also see the Post Office return to profit after years of losses. |
| The CWU is angry that staff have had their pay frozen since 2011 and are calling for a flat rise of 3.5%. | |
| However, the Post Office is pushing for a one-off payment of £1,400 to staff, with further payments based on performance targets. | However, the Post Office is pushing for a one-off payment of £1,400 to staff, with further payments based on performance targets. |
| The company says it has received 150 expressions of interest from retailers to run post office services in their stores. Subject to a public consultation the Crown branches will be transferred to the winning retailers before April 2015. | The company says it has received 150 expressions of interest from retailers to run post office services in their stores. Subject to a public consultation the Crown branches will be transferred to the winning retailers before April 2015. |