Royal Mail Privatisation condemed by Postal Workers

Lee Baron, CWU Regional Secretary

Today (Thursday 9th June) marks a dark day for public services as MP’s get ready to take a final vote on the privatisation of the Royal Mail. Postal services face a very uncertain future on the Postal Services Bill passes through Parliament, which it is expected to do later today.The Bill will receive Royal Accent, expected later this month, which will lead to the largest privatisation of a public service since the Thatcherite days of the 1980’s. The link between the Royal Mail and the Post Office Network will be broken threatening the future viability of Post Offices.
Lee Barron, Midlands Regional Secretary of the Communication Workers Union said, “This is a sad day for a cherished institution. The spivs and gamblers in the Cabinet are putting our postal services out to the highest bidder with very little and indeed in some cases no guarantees whatsoever. When the vultures start circling over the industry the future of thousands of Post Offices, the one price goes anywhere principle and the amount of deliveries received will inevitably be cut to maximise profit whilst they diminish the public service. In the private postal operators across Europe standards are extremely worse with rural locations in the Netherlands receiving just 3 deliveries per week and prices in Germany twice as high as in the UK.
“Price rises are inevitable as once the Royal Mail moves into the private sector it will lose its VAT exemption resulting in a 20% hike in prices as no private company, who’s only interest is to maximise the returns for its shareholders, will absorb such a cost.


“We remain committed to opposing privatisation of the Royal Mail and will use every tactic we can to frustrate such a sale and retain the Royal Mail firmly where it belongs, in the public sector serving the public interest.”

For further information contact:: Lee Barron, Midlands Regional Secretary on 07850 - 247191