Protest to save Cork Mail Centre 'just the beginning'

The Cork Mail Centre Action Group has said this morning that a protest march tomorrow is just the beginning of a campaign to save the centre and its 240 jobs.

The Action Group said that details of the next step in their campaign will be announced tomorrow at the protest and has issued a final appeal to the people of Cork to join their protest tomorrow.

The march takes place tomorrow, Saturday 20 July,  and will assemble at the National Monument on Grand Parade at 2:30pm.

Last month An Post announced that a plan to reduce its letter processing capacity would mean the closure of the Cork Mail Centre (CMC) in Little Island.

Following the announcement workers said they were “absolutely devastated” by the decision to terminate all 240 jobs at the centre, which An Post claims is currently running at 25 per cent below capacity following a 50 per cent drop in letters in ten years.

However, workers have claimed that the decision makes “no sense” and that the centre is booming due to the increase in parcel handling in recent years.

An Post has said that the closure will be phased between September 2019 and March 2020.

As part of the closing process, workers have been offered exit packages of six weeks per year of service up a maximum of two years’ pay, as well as redeployment opportunities within An Post’s networks in the Cork.

They will also be offered further education and re-skilling grants of up to €3,000 per person and will receive assistance in securing jobs with new employers.

An Post said it is engaged with the Communications Workers’ Union (CWU) to ensure the best possible outcome for all the CMC staff.