CWS and CRS will have to cull 1% of its workforce should its members vote for the long-awaited merger this weekend. It is thought 318 jobs at the head offices of the two co-operatives will be cut. Staff will be informed later in March whether they will be offered redundancy or selected to stay on. Spokesmen for both CWS and CRS said the figure was low, taken in the context of the combined staff of 50,000 countrywide. And CWS stressed no more jobs would be axed. The 120 regional representatives of the CRS travel to London this weekend to cast their votes on the merger. This is thought to be a foregone conclusion, with CRS confident the plan would be voted through. {{NEWS }}