Around
17,000 jobs at Royal Mail will be lost when widespread changes to the way post
is delivered are introduced.
The
cuts make up part of the 40,000 job losses announced by parent body Consignia
earlier this year (Personnel Today, March 25).
The
company says the move is vital to return the business to profitability.
Website
Ananova reports that deliveries in towns are expected to be done by teams of
between three and five postmen and women, working from a van in bursts of up to
20 minutes.
The
plan could be extended to hundreds of offices from October and across the whole
country a year later.
It
is reported that the postal group admitted there will be a "significant
reduction" in delivery jobs, with up to 17,000 fewer posts needed.
Ananova
says a memo sent to delivery staff read: "Royal Mail is losing money and
we need to get the business back into profitability if we are to create a
better future for all our workforce."
