Post Office staff are preparing to go on strike in a dispute over branch closures in East Finchley and Potters Bar.

The protesters will take strike action on Saturday against the national postal chain’s plans to franchise the Post Offices, along with 68 others nationwide, to save money.

The possible private retail merger could mean the individual branches will be forced to move from their current locations into a shop elsewhere.

Communication Workers Union will lead Saturday's strike in a bid to retain jobs and services.

Huw Davies, CPU member representing Post Office counter staff in the area, said: “There is a real danger of the Post Office being ripped apart together with the vital services it provides to local residents and businesses.

“It will affect local shops. Post Offices have a high footfall but if it’s put in the back of a shop it will be the death of the high street.

“In the event the Post Office does gain a partner, there is no guarantee this franchise partner will continue to offer Post Office services in the long-term as this will be its secondary consideration behind its primary business.”

CWU says the proposals place nearly 20 per cent of the UK Crown Office Network under threat, putting one job in five at risk.

The East Finchley branch in High Road has seven counter staff and one manager with a combined total of at least 80 years’ experience, and the Potters Bar branch in Darkes Lane has nine counter staff and one manager with a combined total of more than 100 years’ service.

Edward Hampton, 85, has lived in East Finchley for 40 years and is a regular user of his local Post Office. He said: “It seems ridiculous to me. If it closes the nearest one would be in North Finchley or Muswell Hill – that’s quite a distance for people to have to travel.

“The Post Office is always packed with people – it would be a huge loss.”

The Post Office says it needs to make the changes by April 2015 in a bid to “modernise and turnaround” the Crown Network which is currently operating at a £40m loss per annum.

A spokeswoman for Post Office said: “At East Finchley it costs us £1.60 to generate every £1 of income and at Potters Bar it costs £1.93 to generate every £1 of income.  We need to make changes to bring these branches back into profit and to keep them on their high streets.  Partnering with a suitable retailer is the best way to do this.

“No discussions have been entered into with potential partners yet.  We aim to make these changes by April 2015.  If a suitable retailer is found there will be no compulsory redundancies.  People will have the option to redeploy within the business or transfer to the new retailer.”

Barnet Labour group has set up a petition in an attempt to save the East Finchley Post Office and has collected more than 100 signatures in support so far.

Ward councillor for the area, Arjun Mittra, said: “CWU are right about the damage it will do to the High Road – it will reduce the footfall. The footfall it generates is really important to the vitality of the High Road and local shops.

“Post offices are part of British life – East Finchley has an important village aspect and nothing is more central to it than the post office.

“I’m also not convinced they can offer a better service if they move it elsewhere and I’m very concerned by the quality of service that we’ll be left with.”

CWU is organising strike action outside the Potters Bar Post Office from 10am-12pm on Saturday.