He said: “We can reassure customers that more than 97 per cent of Post Office branches are open for business as usual”.
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The one-day walk-out today (September 15) began at 8.30am as part of a protest over job security, pensions, and cuts to public services.
The Crown office in Middleton Grange shopping centre was one of more than 100 branches that were shut nationwide on Thursday because of a strike by postal workers in disputes over jobs and pensions.
He added: “The Post Office is at crisis point and the Government has to step in”.
Members of the Communication Workers Union and Unite walked out in protest at the closure of offices, job cuts and changes to the pension scheme.
“We need to make sure the community has the full range of services we have been offering for 500 years before it’s destroyed”.
Why are Post Office staff going on strike?
At Unite, 64% of Post Office managers who took part in the ballot voted for strike action, and 78% voted in favour of supporting industrial action short of a strike.
Kevin Gilliland, Post Office network and sales director, said the decision to strike was “disappointing” and the measures were “necessary” to secure the future.
“Most people are supporting us and while we have got an odd comment about the inconvenience, yesterday when we talked to the customers, they were supporting us”.
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On pensions, Mr Gilliland said: “It is crucial that we safeguard the benefits that members of our defined benefit (DB) plan have already built up”. The business’s financial position is improving but we remain loss-making.
