Workers promise mail axe fight

Angry staff at Ellesmere's Royal Mail delivery office have vowed to fight plans to close the centre.

The pledge came at a meeting with Communications Workers Union representative Pete Kelly yesterday where members at the Ellesmere office said they would do everything they could to stop Royal Mail transferring the operation to Oswestry.

The meeting was the second in the county.

A similar CWU meeting was held at Church Stretton delivery office, which is also under threat of closure, on Monday.

Under the Royal Mail proposals both offices are set for closure on May 11.

Mr Kelly today said staff were angry about the move, because it would mean longer working hours and a longer commute to work, and had vowed to fight the plans.

He said if Royal Mail refused to back down, staff were demanding lighter workloads to cut back on overtime.

"We are doing everything we can to stop it but if Royal Mail are not prepared to sit down and talk to us we will have to review our position at a later date."

Mr Kelly said he will meet with Royal Mail bosses later this week.

Jaquie Stenson, external relations manager for Royal Mail, said today: "We continue to talk to our people about the changes and each individual has the opportunity to discuss how the change affects them on a one to one basis."