November 13th 2024.
The Post Office has been going through a rough time lately. The whole Horizon IT scandal has shaken things up, and their finances are looking pretty shaky as well. As a result, they've recently announced that a total of 115 branches will be at risk of closure, and unfortunately, 1,000 employees will be losing their jobs. It's a tough situation for everyone involved.
To put things into perspective, there are currently about 11,500 Post Office branches scattered throughout the UK. Out of those, only 115 are actually owned by the company itself, while the rest operate under partnerships with other businesses like WHSmith or Tesco. But in an effort to balance the books, the Post Office has decided to either shut down or franchise their wholly-owned branches, which means that even more jobs are on the line. It's not just at the branch level either - hundreds of head office jobs are also at risk.
This isn't a new issue for the Post Office. They've been downsizing their crown post offices (which is what they call their wholly-owned branches) for years now. Back in 2012, there were nearly 400 of them, but as of March 2023, that number had dropped to a mere 117. It's a sad reality, but it seems like the loss-making branches might have to be shut down for good.
However, not all hope is lost. In the midst of all this chaos, the chairman of the Post Office, Nigel Railton, has announced a plan that could potentially save some branches from closing. According to the plan, not all of the Post Office branches will necessarily be shut down. Some of them might be able to continue operating under the ownership of retail partners or postmasters. Businesses like WHSmith, Tesco, Morrisons, and the Co-Op currently operate a total of 2,000 Post Offices, so there is a glimmer of hope for some employees.
But despite this potential silver lining, the Communication Workers Union is not happy with the recent developments. They've called the decision to cut so many jobs and potentially close down branches while the public inquiry into the Horizon IT scandal is ongoing "immoral" and "tone deaf." Dave Ward, the general secretary of the union, expressed his concern for the employees who are already victims of the scandal and now have to worry about their jobs during the holiday season. It's a cruel situation for everyone involved.
In response to the backlash, the Post Office has stated that their plan is to create a new operating model for the company, one that will ensure they have the right organizational structure in place. It's a difficult decision, but they believe it's necessary for the survival of the business.
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