On 7 January, Australia Post advised the CEPU of the closures of Glebe, Turramurra and Woollahra post offices as from 28 January 2011.
In their correspondence, Australia Post cited the profitability as the reason for the Post Office closures, despite substantial profits being achieved across the commercial business overall.
The CEPU has opposed the move to close corporate post offices since it was first mentioned as a consideration by Australia Post to the Union late last year.
CEPU NSW Secretary Jim Metcher said “the consequences of these post office closures shall be permanent job losses let alone existing postal services removed from these affected communities forever, despite record profit margins returned to Australia Post from overall commercial business activities.
“The wider community that includes the elderly and local businesses should also not be expected to travel further and wait in longer queues to access postal services for the benefit of larger profit margins to Australia Post.
Many concerned residents of these local communities have also responded with significant outrage and have taken it upon themselves to form local action groups to campaign against Australia Post to save their post offices.
Similarly, both Federal and State Members of Parliament in some, but not all, of the locations have urged Australia Post to reconsider their decision.
The “Post Office Glebe Action Group” (POGA) formed by concerned local residents are holding a protest rally and petition presentation on the steps of Glebe post office this coming Thursday, 20 January at 10:00am in an effort to save their post office.
The CEPU has indicated to POGA our support for their public protest rally and urges all members and their friends who are either on leave or off duty during this time, to please attend this rally in support of affected retail members and the Glebe community over their post office closure.
Further, the CEPU urges all members, their friends and their families to write to the Prime Minister, the Minister for Communications and their local State and Federal MPs and ask them to support the retention of local postal services in their communities.
To email Prime Minister Julia Gillard visit: www.pm.gov.au/PM_Connect/contact_your_pm_form
To email Minister for Communications Stephen Conroy email: senator.conroy@aph.gov.au
To find the contact details for your local Federal MP, visit www.aph.gov.au
To find the contact details for your local NSW State MP, visit parliament.nsw.gov.au
For further reading, members can download copies of correspondence between Australia Post, the CEPU and the Government:
– Letter from Australia Post to CEPU dated 7 January 2011
– Letter from CEPU to Australia Post dated 10 January 2011
– Letter from CEPU to Minister for Communications dated 10 January 2011
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