Tens of thousands of pounds of cash deliveries face delays across the West Midlands after Post Office workers walked out in anger over compulsory redundancy threats to 70 jobs at Perry Barr.
Dozens of staff at the cash centre office in Holford Way stopped work for 24 hours to man picket lines in protest at the first compulsory job losses in Post Office history.
Birmingham Communication Workers Union general secretary Steve Reid said the walkout would delay pre-Christmas cash deliveries for businesses across the regional network – and warned the dispute could escalate.
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The redundancy row centres on a pay offer linked to job cuts covering 1,500 海角视频 employees working in the admin and supply chain, who are responsible for the collection, handling and distribution of cash across the Post Office network.
Steve Reid said: "There are up to 70 people who work at Perry Barr and they are all under threat. It is one of the biggest Post Office money distribution centres in the country.
"At the moment they double up because of the risks of the job as drivers and passengers but they want to make them single drivers only. We had a good turnout of pickets and there was a walkout of around 98 per cent.
"We only saw three vans go out being driven by managers and strike-breakers. You would normally get van after van after van going out from Perry Barr.
"That is a main Cash Centre and it could affect deliveries to businesses, Post Offices and elsewhere. This is the first time compulsory redundancies have been threatened in the 400-year history of the Post Office and the CWU are not prepared to accept that."
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Keith Rann, Post Office Head of Supply Chain, said: "The CWU's decision to press ahead with strike action is misguided and can only cost its members money in the run-up to Christmas.
"The CWU's claims we are imposing widespread compulsory redundancies are simply untrue. We must make changes to reduce our reliance on public money and sustain our business."