Haworth post office, Yorkshire - where the Bronte sisters posted off their manuscripts - in 2021. The building is now a restaurant. Photo Workers.
The scandal-hit Post Office has announced the next stage of its plans for the business. Up to 1,000 jobs may be lost – and the operation of the remaining offices franchised to private companies.
The Communication Workers Union is furious. It says that the Horizon scandal should have been a wake up call bringing about a complete shift in approach – to its employees as well as to the subpostmasters the Post Office has treated so appallingly.
But instead the state-owned company seems intent on continuing in its old ways. Last November it said that it was looking at options for the future of the 115 directly operated Crown Post Offices.
Then on 8 April it announced that the 108 offices now remaining will be closed. Services will be provided through a franchised business model.
The union points out that the existing franchising model has failed so far. It says that claims of maintaining community services are “laughable” to anyone who has looked at what’s happened.