Royal Mail jobs in Perth and Kinross at risk after plan announced to cut 10,000 roles

Royal Mail jobs in Perth and Kinross could be at risk after the national postal service company announced plans to cut up to 10,000 roles by next August.

Ongoing strike action and huge financial losses at the parcel giants has been blamed for the decision.

Mail bosses said on Friday it will begin notifying workers of its plan, which includes up to 6000 redundancies.

The headcount will be scaled back by a further 4000 by not replacing people when they leave, cutting temporary staff and reducing overtime.

Royal Mail said it expects its full-year losses to hit a colossal £350m including “the direct impact of eight days of industrial action” as well as lower volumes of parcels being posted.

But the firm warned that losses could reach as much as £450m “if customers move volume away for longer periods” following strike action.

Royal Mail’s chief executive Simon Thompson said: “This is a very sad day.

“I regret that we are announcing these job losses.

“We will do all we can to avoid compulsory redundancies and support everyone affected.”

Royal Mail bosses are also urging union leaders to call off their latest planned strike action and come to the table over a new pay deal but stressed that the job cut plans are unavoidable.

They also said its legacy voluntary redundancy scheme, which offers up to two years’ of pay, “is now unaffordable”.

Workers who are members of the Communication Workers Union (CWU) are taking part 19 days of industrial action over the next three months, including Black Friday, over pay and conditions.

The latest offer made up of a two per cent wage rise as well as an additional 3.5 per cent increase dependent on workers agreeing to certain conditions such as mandatory working on Sunday to deliver parcels, was rejected.

At the moment, Sunday working is voluntary.

Royal Mail also wants employees to start later and finish later to accommodate online shopping habits, where people tend to order goods in the evening or late at night and want next-day delivery.

The CWU said the offer failed to match rising inflation, which is currently running at a 40-year high of nearly 10 per cent.

The next strike date is scheduled for Thursday, October 20 followed by a further walkout on October 25.

The CWU’s general secretary, Dave Ward, said Royal Mail’s announcement “is the result of gross mismanagement and a failed business agenda” and is “holding postal workers to ransom” for taking legal industrial action.