THE Communication Workers Union (CWU) called for immediate intervention after the Post Office announced plans to offload its 108 directly owned branches.

CWU general secretary Dave Ward called the announcement that will put about 1,000 jobs at risk “full privatisation of the Post Office via the back door.”

In 2008, the union’s annual conference agreed that a ballot would be held to cease funds to the party if privatisation of postal services took place.