Upper Street post office

CAMPAIGNERS will gather outside two post offices earmarked for privatisation next week, as they call for them to remain under government control.

Job security is at risk for workers at the postal centres in Upper Street and Mount Pleasant under the plan to franchise the offices, according to senior officials in the CWU.

Councillor Gary Heather, who is also a former CWU representative, said: “Franchising of publicly-owned Crown Post Offices has been taking place from around the mid-1980s. It was back-door privatisation of post offices, transferring them from the public sector to the private sector to cut costs.”

Earlier this year, the Lib Dems protested against the full closure of the post offices, and released a statement in May welcoming the decision that will see Universal Office Equipment take over running the branch.

But Cllr Heather said that Islington Labour felt that the privatisation would still leave staff uncertain about their futures.

He added: “A union representative who works for the Post Office told me that the staff that currently work at the Upper Street and Mount Pleasant crown post offices want to stay employed by the Post Office as they fear the loss of their secure jobs and conditions working for a franchisee

“What they want is to stay working in a secure job within the Post Office and not be transferred to a franchisee, where there is no long-term guarantee about their future employment, conditions and pensions.”

Workers at the branch in Upper Street – who did not wish to be named – said they felt resigned to the fact they may lose their jobs. They added that it was unsurprising that the post offices would be franchised, and that they felt a protest would do little to change the outcome.

Cllr Heather said he, along with the CWU, planned to lobby the Government on the issue.

He told the Town Hall this month: “Let’s work together to find another way of doing it so we preserve the public service ethos for people, so we have post offices that are welcoming to people, welcoming to the public, and we have that in the future. Let’s reject privatisation, and work with the Labour government to say ‘let’s stop this happening and move back the other way’.”

Cllr Saiqa Pandor added: “Post offices are not optional extras, they are essential services, especially for those who don’t bank online, who need in-person support, and who rely on them for everyday tasks. Losing them would impact the most vulnerable.”

A Post Office spokesperson said: “Moving to a fully franchised network is one part of enabling the Post Office to deliver a ‘New Deal for Postmasters’, helping to create a long-term, sustainable future for the Post Office.

“Our proposed franchise plans mean branches will continue to operate from the same premises while the long-term permanent proposal is confirmed, with customers being able to continue accessing the same products and services with the same opening hours.”

There will be petition stalls at Mount Pleasant on Saturday at 11am and outside Upper Street on Monday.