4.30pm Wednesday
August 1
Crn Exihibition & La trobe Sts
Melbourne.

Australia Post wants to close the Fitzroy Mail Centre. Management has informed staff many with several year service that:

* they are no longer required
* that they are splitting their jobs and
* replacing them with new people (on less wages) to do their work.

17 jobs are on the line, rally to defend jobs, working conditions and decent postal services in the inner city.

Background - CWU statement. (Communication Workers Union)
On July 19, 2007 Australia Post finally came clean about their plans for the closure of Fitzroy Delivery Centre. Their plans to close the centre have been known for some time. The staff and the union were aware that Clifton Hill & North Fitzroy (Postcode 3068 - 10 posties, 2 night-sorters and 2 parcel contractors) were to be relocated to Preston.

We have been asking for some time about the plans for Fitzroy, Abbotsford and Collingwood (Postcodes: 3065, 3066 & 3067). We have been told nothing was decided yet. Never did we think they would come up with such an unjust, expensive & unworkable plan.

The 17 posties involved have been told they can either work night-shift from 1am – 9.30am for 15% penalties, (A NIGHT SHIFT WITHOUT THE TRADITIONAL 30% PENALTIES – NO WAY!) or scramble for vacancies in other Delivery Centres.

As well as the 17 traditional posties, there are at least 5 night-sorters, 3 box-sorters, relievers, parcel contractors and supervisory staff affected by this site closure. Despite this, management have already started offering part of the Fitzroy work to part-time staff at City Street Delivery Centre who are co-located at CMPC.

Without consultation with the staff or the union, management handed out a Staff Preference Survey expecting staff to make a decision on their futures!

The union is in dispute on this matter, and will be informing our parliamentary representatives, the media and the local community about these attacks on their posties.

The union’s proposal is that Fitzroy is located at CSDC or CMPC and travel to their rounds by train, tram, car or bike. This would be efficient, economical and practical unlike management’s proposal. This is obviously a pilot project for management’s plan for the future of Delivery. It needs to be stopped.

Joan Doyle, Secretary, Communication Workers Union
more info: Rally leaflet | Peter Vining