New Parcelforce jobs receive qualified welcome
30th October 2012
CWU has given a qualified welcome to the news of a
£75 million investment by Royal Mail in the Parcelforce
business which the company says will create 1,000 new jobs.
The investment over a four year period will see a new parcels
processing plant established at Chorley in addition to the hub at
Coventry. There will also be new hubs in Hampshire and Cornwall
with expansion of nine existing centres.
Dave Ward, CWU deputy general secretary,
welcomed the news of new jobs, but said it should be taken in the
context of overall business change which has seen thousands of job
losses in recent years. "Royal Mail Group's announcement
that 1,000 jobs will be created in Parcelforce is good news for
people seeking decent jobs within the mail industry, but it
won't lead to an increase in Royal Mail Group's
workforce" he explained.
"In truth, this project has already been several months in
the making and CWU is involved in talks about how and where these
jobs will be created, including the possibility of people
transferring from other parts of the group where jobs are being
lost," said Dave.
"These jobs will go some way to easing the impact of jobs
lost elsewhere in the company as huge changes are brought in to
address the altering profile of mail. Working with the CWU, Royal
Mail - unlike many private mail companies - has created good
quality, and secure jobs with decent pay, terms and
conditions."
Royal Mail Group's Chief Executive Moya Greene
said: "Our £75 million investment is part of Royal Mail
Group's strategy to grow its parcels businesses in the UK and
overseas. Our strategy is to convert the rise in parcel volumes in
to profitable growth. That means becoming a much more
customer-focused company being run on commercial lines and
investing in new, vital technology."
The announcement has been welcomed by the government,
particularly with claims of 1,000 new jobs resulting.
