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Strike looms over closure
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| Angry: Bob Cullen, of the Oxfordshire CWU |
ROYAL Mail staff could go on strike in a bid to prevent the Oxford Mail Centre from closing, union bosses warned last night.
The Communication Workers' Union said about 430 postal workers received final confirmation that the city's main sorting office would close when the company shifts the operation to Swindon.
Staff at the office in Cowley were briefed by senior Royal Mail bosses about the closure on Friday, more than seven months after the move to the £20m facility was suggested.
Building work at the new site is expected to be finished this summer, with the full transfer from Oxford completed by summer 2009.
But Bob Cullen, a spokesman for the Oxfordshire branch of the CWU, said: "Staff are angry and upset by this decision because it will mean job losses for Oxfordshire - very few staff will want to transfer to Swindon.
"It will also mean the quality of the mail service is reduced because if you post a letter from Headington to East Oxford, it will have to go to Swindon first to be sorted and then come back to Oxford and that is a nonsense.
"The decision to close the mail centre is a way of lashing out at the CWU nationally and locally, and we will do everything we can to get Royal Mail bosses to change their minds - that could include strike action."
Mr Cullen said the CWU Oxfordshire branch would meet on June 1 to discuss how to contest the closure.
He added: "Going on strike would be a last resort, but it's always an option.
"We want to reverse this decision and we will get everyone involved, including our membership nationally and our local MP."
Royal Mail, however, denied the switch would lead to a second-class postal service for Oxford.
Royal Mail spokesman Richard Hall said: "Delivery and collection operations across the Swindon and Oxford postcode areas will not be affected as a result of this change.
"We believe moving work from Oxford to our extended facility in Swindon, which will be equipped with the latest technologies, will enable us to address an urgent need to improve the reliability of the mail services for our customers in the OX postcode area."
8:49am Monday 19th May 2008
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CommentPosted by: Jon, bicester on 9:49am Mon 19 May 08
Are the unions so stupid and pig headed to think that this will help their cause. If the service were moved to india it would be better than the current 'service'. Unions reap what you sew.
Are the unions so stupid and pig headed to think that this will help their cause. If the service were moved to india it would be better than the current 'service'. Unions reap what you sew.
Posted by: Jim, Didcot on 10:02am Mon 19 May 08
There is a simple way to stop these idiots striking at every opportunity. Pay their wages by cheque, posted to their home address.
There is a simple way to stop these idiots striking at every opportunity. Pay their wages by cheque, posted to their home address.
Posted by: DD, Oxford on 10:16am Mon 19 May 08
The post office in Oxford going on strike? Surely not...
The post office in Oxford going on strike? Surely not...
Posted by: Ed, Oxford on 10:27am Mon 19 May 08
Bob - YOU'RE the one who's been causing most of the strikes at OMC. Good riddence to you and your strike-happy "workers".
The postal service is already awful so switching it to Swindon and getting rid of the muppets in OMC might make a difference.
"Going on strike is the last resort" - my ar5e. You'd strike if the canteen ran out of tea-bags.
Bob - YOU'RE the one who's been causing most of the strikes at OMC. Good riddence to you and your strike-happy "workers".
The postal service is already awful so switching it to Swindon and getting rid of the muppets in OMC might make a difference.
"Going on strike is the last resort" - my ar5e. You'd strike if the canteen ran out of tea-bags.
Posted by: James, Oxford on 10:30am Mon 19 May 08
[bold]They talk about a second class service for Oxford if the depot closes, that`s better than the 3rd class service we have now. Mail found dumbed in the street come Oxford get a grip with thye real world[/bold]
They talk about a second class service for Oxford if the depot closes, that`s better than the 3rd class service we have now. Mail found dumbed in the street come Oxford get a grip with thye real world Posted by: T Hutchinson, Oxon on 10:31am Mon 19 May 08
The Oxford Sorting Office is closing....Excellent
. Throw these ****holes on the dole then let them strike and see where it gets them. They have held the public to ransom far too often. Nice to see that what goes round comes round.
The Oxford Sorting Office is closing....Excellent
. Throw these ****holes on the dole then let them strike and see where it gets them. They have held the public to ransom far too often. Nice to see that what goes round comes round.
Posted by: T Hutchinson, Oxon on 10:34am Mon 19 May 08
The Oxford Sorting Office is closing....Excellent
. Throw these ****holes on the dole then let them strike and see where it gets them. They have held the public to ransom far too often. Nice to see that what goes round comes round.
The Oxford Sorting Office is closing....Excellent
. Throw these ****holes on the dole then let them strike and see where it gets them. They have held the public to ransom far too often. Nice to see that what goes round comes round.
Posted by: Becky, Oxford on 10:53am Mon 19 May 08
Do you not understand, Bob Cullen? The people of Oxford don't care any more - they're not bothered whether the post is sorted in Oxford, Swindon, Gloucester or the Moon, as long as it actually arrives on time (or, indeed, arrives at all). We are fed up of your striking and your whining while we miss out on a vitally inportant public service.
Do you not understand, Bob Cullen? The people of Oxford don't care any more - they're not bothered whether the post is sorted in Oxford, Swindon, Gloucester or the Moon, as long as it actually arrives on time (or, indeed, arrives at all). We are fed up of your striking and your whining while we miss out on a vitally inportant public service.
Posted by: anon, oxon on 11:56am Mon 19 May 08
This shows how out of touch the union is - conflict is not the way to negotiate.
Often Unions are lead by dinosaurs , place people who will vote the way they are told to & who seem to think rhetorical conflict is the way forward. Dare I suggest the main concern to the union is the loss of members this revenue to support officers fat cat salaries not the welfare of members or indeed the public ?
This shows how out of touch the union is - conflict is not the way to negotiate.
Often Unions are lead by dinosaurs , place people who will vote the way they are told to & who seem to think rhetorical conflict is the way forward. Dare I suggest the main concern to the union is the loss of members this revenue to support officers fat cat salaries not the welfare of members or indeed the public ?
Posted by: Ken Gunn, Witney on 12:27pm Mon 19 May 08
Quote "if you post a letter from Headington to East Oxford, it will have to go to Swindon first to be sorted and then come back to Oxford and that is a nonsense."
By the same token, mail posted in Swindon will go through Swindon and not to Oxford and back again!
Shut it sooner rather than later!
Quote "if you post a letter from Headington to East Oxford, it will have to go to Swindon first to be sorted and then come back to Oxford and that is a nonsense."
By the same token, mail posted in Swindon will go through Swindon and not to Oxford and back again!
Shut it sooner rather than later!
Posted by: Alwyn, Didcot on 2:38pm Mon 19 May 08
The closure is inevitable given the poor reputation of the Oxford sorting office. Frankly it will improve the service!
The closure is inevitable given the poor reputation of the Oxford sorting office. Frankly it will improve the service!
Posted by: AP, oxford on 2:41pm Mon 19 May 08
Seeing that these militants love sitting at home so much this should be great news for them. Certainly good for customers.
Seeing that these militants love sitting at home so much this should be great news for them. Certainly good for customers.
Posted by: Leslie, Witney on 3:06pm Mon 19 May 08
the union at Oxford has made life miserable for its customers with various strikes over the years. They would strike at the drop of a paper bag. The moment I read the headline that the Oxford sorting office was to close my first thought was they would be striking soon. Nobody cares now - we are all fed up with their lack of service. I frequently have to redeliver mail that has been wrongly posted in our letterbox. Perhaps Mr. Cullen should reflect that he has not done much to help his union's cause. -
the union at Oxford has made life miserable for its customers with various strikes over the years. They would strike at the drop of a paper bag. The moment I read the headline that the Oxford sorting office was to close my first thought was they would be striking soon. Nobody cares now - we are all fed up with their lack of service. I frequently have to redeliver mail that has been wrongly posted in our letterbox. Perhaps Mr. Cullen should reflect that he has not done much to help his union's cause. -
Posted by: Jen, Didcot on 3:25pm Mon 19 May 08
Go on strike?.. Surely not? Moving to Swindon can only be an improvement on the service oxfordshire has been receiving to date. Mr Cullen should be ashamed of the path he has led his postal workers down. Reap what you sow Mr Cullen.
Go on strike?.. Surely not? Moving to Swindon can only be an improvement on the service oxfordshire has been receiving to date. Mr Cullen should be ashamed of the path he has led his postal workers down. Reap what you sow Mr Cullen.
Posted by: Phil Gale, Oxford on 3:38pm Mon 19 May 08
So it's true?!! Turkeys actually voting for Christmas...
So it's true?!! Turkeys actually voting for Christmas...
Posted by: poppy, iffley road on 4:07pm Mon 19 May 08
Dont talk about mail while I am having a good day?? I used to get my post 20 years ago at 7.30 in the morning now if I am lucky I get it at 12.30 also someone sent me a birthday card two weeks ago in the Uk and I still have not received it.
Dont talk about mail while I am having a good day?? I used to get my post 20 years ago at 7.30 in the morning now if I am lucky I get it at 12.30 also someone sent me a birthday card two weeks ago in the Uk and I still have not received it.
Posted by: EC, Carterton on 7:37pm Mon 19 May 08
[quote]"It will also mean the quality of the mail service is reduced...[/quote] You can't reduce what you haven't got you silly man! In this case it is a decent postal service in West Oxfordshire. Instead of the workers voting to stike mabe WE, the customer, should vote on what we want. I vote for the move and getting back a postal service that actually delivers our mail. after all that is what we pay for.
"It will also mean the quality of the mail service is reduced...
You can't reduce what you haven't got you silly man! In this case it is a decent postal service in West Oxfordshire. Instead of the workers voting to stike mabe WE, the customer, should vote on what we want. I vote for the move and getting back a postal service that actually delivers our mail. after all that is what we pay for.
Posted by: Alan, Oxford on 8:47pm Mon 19 May 08
Go on strike, then they can sack you and not pay you redundancy money, after all you dont deserve it, wasters the lot of you. About time they closed the Oxford sorting office after the 'lack of service' they have been offering for the last few years, good riddance.
Go on strike, then they can sack you and not pay you redundancy money, after all you dont deserve it, wasters the lot of you. About time they closed the Oxford sorting office after the 'lack of service' they have been offering for the last few years, good riddance.
Posted by: David, Witney on 4:28pm Tue 20 May 08
Well Mr Cullen. There's not a lot of support from the public for you is there? What a surprise. The only thing that is not a surprise is that you are thinking of going on strike yet again! We are sick and tired of your CWU strikes. Hopefully you will be one of those that does not wish to transfer to Swindon and the workers there will work!
Well Mr Cullen. There's not a lot of support from the public for you is there? What a surprise. The only thing that is not a surprise is that you are thinking of going on strike yet again! We are sick and tired of your CWU strikes. Hopefully you will be one of those that does not wish to transfer to Swindon and the workers there will work!
Posted by: Victoria Evans, Carterton on 6:09pm Wed 21 May 08
For goodness sake SHUT THE SORTING OFFICE DOWN!!!
This is the 6th time I have had mail put through my letterbox which I have sent to SOMEONE ELSE and I am getting sick to death of this.
The mail get's to Oxford mail Centre ... and then it come sailing back to me. Not because the addressee is unknown, not because the addressee is away ... but because the morons at the Oxford Sorting Office are too bloody thick to understand which side of an envelope has the recipient's address.
Here's a clue ... its the side with the stamp!
For goodness sake SHUT THE SORTING OFFICE DOWN!!!
This is the 6th time I have had mail put through my letterbox which I have sent to SOMEONE ELSE and I am getting sick to death of this.
The mail get's to Oxford mail Centre ... and then it come sailing back to me. Not because the addressee is unknown, not because the addressee is away ... but because the morons at the Oxford Sorting Office are too bloody thick to understand which side of an envelope has the recipient's address.
Here's a clue ... its the side with the stamp!
Posted by: Postman Pratt on 8:01am Thu 22 May 08
Ummm - post going through the wrong letter box will not have anything to do with the Sorting Office, only the delivery postie.
Poppy your bit about the times your post arrives is not down to the postman, but the bosses of Royal Mail. Posties used to leave their offices to start their rounds at 0730-0830 now to "improve the efficiency" of Royal Mail, Adam Crozier and Allan Leighton changed the times they can leave and now its 09:30 on weekdays.
As a non Oxford Postie I can't see how striking would work in this case and I think its the wrong reaction, a work to rule would point out any shortcomings to this plan though.
Alan if its a legal strike they can't be sacked.
Ummm - post going through the wrong letter box will not have anything to do with the Sorting Office, only the delivery postie.
Poppy your bit about the times your post arrives is not down to the postman, but the bosses of Royal Mail. Posties used to leave their offices to start their rounds at 0730-0830 now to "improve the efficiency" of Royal Mail, Adam Crozier and Allan Leighton changed the times they can leave and now its 09:30 on weekdays.
As a non Oxford Postie I can't see how striking would work in this case and I think its the wrong reaction, a work to rule would point out any shortcomings to this plan though.
Alan if its a legal strike they can't be sacked.
Posted by: shane, somerset on 1:39pm Thu 22 May 08
[quote][bold]DD[/bold] wrote:
The post office in Oxford going on strike? Surely not...[/quote] were talking about royal mail not the post office.two different companies...
DD wrote:
The post office in Oxford going on strike? Surely not...
were talking about royal mail not the post office.two different companies...
Posted by: Victoria Evans, Carterton on 4:55pm Thu 22 May 08
[quote]Ummm - post going through the wrong letter box will not have anything to do with the Sorting Office, only the delivery postie.[/quote]
How does it end up back with my sorting office then when it has gone through to Oxford Mail Centre to be postmarked and clearly the address on it states its supposed to go to LEICESTERSHIRE?
Sorry, but its NOT the postie who is failing at his job, it is the sorting office who are clearly far too interested in buggering up everyone else's livelihoods than doing the job in hand.
Sack them, recruit new staff who DO give a **** about customer services and above all else gag that pillock Bob Cullen once and for all.
Ummm - post going through the wrong letter box will not have anything to do with the Sorting Office, only the delivery postie.
How does it end up back with my sorting office then when it has gone through to Oxford Mail Centre to be postmarked and clearly the address on it states its supposed to go to LEICESTERSHIRE?
Sorry, but its NOT the postie who is failing at his job, it is the sorting office who are clearly far too interested in buggering up everyone else's livelihoods than doing the job in hand.
Sack them, recruit new staff who DO give a **** about customer services and above all else gag that pillock Bob Cullen once and for all.
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