'170 Royal Mail jobs to be lost' in Shrewsbury sorting office closure

The Communication Workers' Union says it is unrealistic to ask staff who currently work at the office in Shrewsbury to relocate out of the county. Royal Mail announced on Thursday that it would close the Castle Foregate sorting office in 2014.

Mail for Shropshire and Mid Wales will instead be sorted in Chester, Wolverhampton and Cardiff.

Officials at CWU have already revealed that a possible ballot for strike action is due to be discussed at a meeting of its members next week.

A Royal Mail spokesman today said it was too early to say what the effect would be on jobs.

But Darren Jones, CWU branch secretary for Shropshire and Mid Wales, said: "We are concerned that Royal Mail's plans will leave 170 people facing redundancy.

"The company is expecting people to take voluntary redundancy or move into deliveries as far away Chester. It's an unrealistic ask of people, as we have more than 90 people working in the mail centre who either cannot drive or have no access to a car.

"We put counter-proposals to Royal Mail which would have made financial savings from day one instead of in six years' time which is what their own plans are based on, but the company rejected these."

Currently 230 people work in the Shrewsbury mail centre.

The Royal Mail spokesman said: "It is too early to say what the impact of the decision will be on these people as this depends on continuing consultation with our unions and our people. Royal Mail's aim is to minimise any job reductions."

Royal Mail bosses have said they are hoping to avoid compulsory redundancies and claimed the plans were in response to a 24.3 per cent drop in postal volume over the past five years.

By Andrew Morris