Mail centre closure plan in Gloucester

Royal Mail last week announced plans to close Gloucester mail centre and transfer the bulk of its work to Bristol.

The closure is part of a bosses’ plan to slash costs and prepare for privatisation. CWU union rep Simon Cann says that the mood of his colleagues is “unhappy but resigned”.

“Part time workers are unlikely to request a transfer to Bristol, because it doesn’t make sense for them to travel that far. And full time workers face having to move house or accept long daily commutes to keep their jobs.

“The closure is not necessary. It will be bad for the hundreds of people who work here and it will be bad for Royal Mail customers.”

The CWU ran a successful campaign to save the centre when it was threatened with closure in 2007.