Tag: Royal Mail

Mayor of London slams Post Office 'privatisation' plans

Posted by | Apr 20, 2007 | |

The Mayor of London has slammed the announcement by the Post Office that it will privatise 70 Crown Post Offices across the country, including 15 in London.

Ken Livingstone claims the move could lead to the loss of around 3,000 jobs nationally and a loss of around 700 jobs in London.

The announcement comes only weeks before the Government is expected to announce the results of its consultation on the future of the Post Office Network next month. The Government’s consultation paper proposed closing up to 2,500 Post Offices.

Ken Livingstone, said: “This proposal for the privatisation of Post Offices across London is terrible news for the hundreds of thousands of Londoners who rely on their local Post Offices.

“Recent research has shown that privatised Post Offices have poorer information on services, worse facilities for disabled customers and lower levels of customer service.

“WH Smith’s cut price approach to pay and employment practices will mean that Post Office customers will lose out as services deteriorate.

“The Post Office should be investing in better services for customers not reducing local services.

“With the number of Post Offices in London having fallen by over a quarter in the last three years, the last thing we need is further cuts and closures.

“That’s why I am supporting the ‘Future for our Post Office campaign’ to put the unquestionable case to Government to invest in the Post Office network and not make further closures.”

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Postcomm extends deadline for responses to zonal pricing consultation

Posted by | Apr 20, 2007 | |

On 20th February 2007 Royal Mail submitted a revised application to Postcomm for permission to change the way that it prices many of its bulk mail services. The application seeks permission to be allowed to vary certain business tariffs according to the geographic location of the recipients of mail (known as “zonal pricing”).

On 2 April 2007, Postcomm, the independent regulator for postal services in the UK, published a letter seeking views from all interested stakeholders on whether Royal Mail should be allowed to proceed with its zonal pricing application.

We have received a number of requests to extend the current deadline of 7 May 2007 for responding to Postcomm’s consultation letter.

We have carefully considered these requests, weighing them against Postcomm’s requirement to make a decision on Royal Mail’s application to introduce zonal pricing no later than 2 January 2008. Postcomm has decided to extend the deadline for responding to its consultation letter to allow interested parties more time to respond and make full use of Royal Mail’s zonal pricing calculator. We expect that better informed responses will greatly help Postcomm’s analysis in developing its provisional conclusions.

The new deadline for sending your views to Postcomm is 1 June 2007.

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GBP 1 Post Office® travel money card means no hidden cash fees

Posted by | Apr 20, 2007 | |

Holidaymakers can now avoid the hidden costs involved in withdrawing cash abroad by using the Post Office® Travel Money Card, which has been relaunched with a GBP 1 minimum spend.

In contrast to the exchange rate loading fees and percentage-based cash advance charges levied by credit card companies and banks, the Post Office® Travel Money Card represents the foolproof, affordable way to use ‘plastic’ when holidaying overseas, with a straightforward GBP 2 fee on cash withdrawals and no charge at all on shop or restaurant purchases.

Originally launched last summer with a minimum spend of GBP 250, the Post Office Travel Money Card now allows customers complete flexibility to choose how much money they put onto the card.

Holidaymakers can put between GBP 1 and GBP 5,000 onto the Travel Money Card instantly at 2,400 Post Office® branches. The card can then be used to pay for goods and services in locations where Visa Electron is accepted or to withdraw funds at any Visa ATM.

Trials undertaken in Post Office® branches since the introduction of the GBP 1 minimum spend on the Travel Money Card have already indicated a significant 40% increase in demand. Average spend has dropped from GBP 530, a high figure for foreign currency transactions, to GBP 342 since the more flexible investment policy was introduced.

Post Office® Head of Travel Kevin McAdam says that “the cost of convenience can be high when withdrawing cash abroad using your debit card. Too often holidaymakers return home to an unpleasant financial surprise when they discover that they have incurred unexpected costs for using a debit card.

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New blueprint for UK flagship Post Office branch network

Posted by | Apr 19, 2007 | |

Post Office Ltd set out a new blueprint for a sustainable network of flagship Post Office branches. The company will continue to run 373 Crown Post Offices in UK towns and cities alongside those branches run by private subpostmasters and mistresses and by retail franchise partners. As part of the plan, following a six site trial last year, a further 70 branches are expected to move to nearby WHSmith stores under a new partnership agreement.

The Crown Office network of 373 branches, together with the 76 branches operated by WHSmith, will give Post Office Ltd a high quality flagship network, offering expert knowledge and advice to consumers and small business customers alike. New ways of providing services are already being tested in a number of branches, and will form part of a major, customer driven, refurbishment programme over the next few years.

By the end of Summer 2008 it is expected that 76 Post Office branches will be sited within WHSmith stores. These will be main Post Offices, offering the full range of Post Office services and operated by specially trained professionals – who may include some current Post Office people. All branches will be fully accessible to all customers, with special arrangements in place to assist those customers with special access needs.

The partnership announced builds on the success of six trial locations where Post Office branches have already moved to nearby WHSmith stores. Customers in Ashton under Lyne, Altrincham, Swansea, Shrewsbury, Slough and Hammersmith have given a positive response to both the location and service levels of the new branches – citing shorter queues, speedier service and a more convenient location.

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Royal Mail workers say no to pay offer

Posted by | Apr 19, 2007 | |

The CWU (Communication Workers Union) has rejected Royal Mail’s offer on pay rises for this year.

Royal Mail have flatly refused any wage increase and instead have offered one-off cash sums between GBP 250 and GBP 550 – with conditions attached regarding efficiency savings.

The CWU say the offer is totally unacceptable as it amounts to pay cuts and major change. The Union says it is willing to continue negotiations but is moving to ballot members on industrial action.

Royal Mail have already started a process of changing working hours and converting expired full time posts to part time. Workers are said to be furious at the proposals put to the CWU and it seems likely that unless Royal Mail offer something more acceptable, widespread industrial action could follow.

A recent poll showed that postal workers were resolute in their determination to bring their pay up to the national average and improve working conditions.

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