Reality Check

[essjayar]

Hi - Used to be a member here once, just returned, and catching up...

Would you rather a stock-market flotation, with Royal Mail shares sold off as British Gas, BT, etc were under Thatcher in the 80's... a privitisation of that sort?

Or a simple sell-off to the biggest bidder, which would be probably TNT, Deutchse Mail, or whoever.

This is of course if we don't remain public. Which I doubt, unless there's a proper free vote where Labour could overturn the goverment with help from independents, lib-dem, and conservative back benchers.

I don't think privitisation would be as scary as it sounds. Of course, it would change working practices. Jobs would be lost. A lot would change... but this is already happening.

The union of course will fight it's corner with it's alternative plans, but I fear they've already lost the debate, and the 3-year agreement -- which, in all honesty, just resulted in a pay-cut and more work for me -- would be ripped up.

Privatised, as a real company with perhaps less regulation, means perhaps we could keep a lot of our jobs and even earn more with the promised share bonus (though I hope it would be more than 10%) and various "buy shares as you earn" schemes in effect. Along with bonuses, and other benefits.

Royal Mail can still be profitable as a mail deliverer for other companies, with the door to door business and parcels business also making up a large proportion of the mail. And more liberal regulation would allow it to compete against other postal companies on a fairer footing, to get business from big companies.

I am by the way a Postman. I'm realistic enough to see what's coming, and work with it, rather than fight it.

Royal Mail Plc would end up controlled by it's shareholders, but freed to compete for business yet still be a mail carrier for that final-mile for other competitors.

I think that would be a better outcome than a direct sell off to TNT or some other foreign company. If that happened, in this market, we'd be sold at a knock down price, and over the next few years our operations would merge - sharing systems and offices / distributions centers. If we remained a private company, shareholder controlled, a much better result.

I'm not sure if I'm getting my point across properly but I'd be interested in your views...

[Night Tonic]

Privatised, as a real company with perhaps less regulation, means perhaps we could keep a lot of our jobs and even earn more with the promised share bonus (though I hope it would be more than 10%) and various "buy shares as you earn" schemes in effect. Along with bonuses, and other benefits.

Royal Mail can still be profitable as a mail deliverer for other companies, with the door to door business and parcels business also making up a large proportion of the mail. And more liberal regulation would allow it to compete against other postal companies on a fairer footing, to get business from big companies.

Would agree with that. Don't see TNT being interested though as they're losing money right now. The way its privatised might well be down to whats available rather than what anyone would like.

[DirtyHarry]

"work with it, rather than fight it."

Spoken like a true peasent forever knowing his place, at the very bottom of the heap, content with meaningless scraps from his master's table, and grateful for it.

I'd sooner spend the rest of my days eating dog shyte.

[Night Tonic]

Welcome to the pavement then cos he's right.

[fishtank]

Welcome to the pavement then cos he's right.

No he's not...he has some valid points but the fatal flaw in his thinking is that a private flotation would somehow keep us out of the hands of large foreign investors...it won't...it will only delay it..slightly.

[iblamemedad]

My view on it is unless the "Coalition" have got a cast iron buyer lined up, who's going to buy us unless they give us away.
Can't see it being TNT, DHL, UK mail et al unless at a serious knockdown price. The reason being in my opinion is why would they buy into something where they have to subsidise their main competitors via the DSA system as RM do. The same applies to private equity firms unless the whole downstream system is de-regulated and they can set their own prices. I see their only option as being a rights issue but I don't think that will realise the kind of money they want or need.

[Wessex]

Just have a look at the Dutch Experience as a taster of what lies ahead

[janitor]

Don't think the Dutch Experience is what lies ahead, as a few months after privatisation the new owner will be hammering on number ten, shouting give some money or we ditch the USO, and of course the government will cough up, just like they do with the railways.

[Wessex]

Don't think the Dutch Experience is what lies ahead, as a few months after privatisation the new owner will be hammering on number ten, shouting give some money or we ditch the USO, and of course the government will cough up, just like they do with the railways.

I'm sure you are right janitor.what should have said is look how well Dutch posties have done
recently as an indication of our likely fate

[Night Tonic]

Same all over but thats liberalisation for you. Well, that and people not writing letters and companies sending out fewer bills. Privatisation will happen whether it goes cheap or not and if it is shares, Condems will be using that as a lever to get CWU to go along with it. No play ball, no shares for workers, if anyone has read the small print.

[Gazabarnes]

Don't think the Dutch Experience is what lies ahead, as a few months after privatisation the new owner will be hammering on number ten, shouting give some money or we ditch the USO, and of course the government will cough up, just like they do with the railways.

Read the finner print of the bill postcom is placed into ofcom who are then instructed under the bill to review the uso just remember hoopers review led to privatisation the government rid them selves of Royal Mail and then ofcom rid the private mail provider which was Royal Mail of the uso obligation as it stands probably by diluting the the uso at first to say 3 deliveries a week saying it reflects the downturn in Traffic a buyer would not buy Royal Mail with the present USO obligation that is why a revision of the uso provision is in the bill the new buyer will be awear of the impending descale of the Uso after privatisation and the outcome of ofcoms review

[ziko]

Privatising public companys is a way of raising cash for the few whilst downgrading the service for the working class for which ironcally the working class pay for.

Privatised Royal mail = 5 day service possibly 3 day service and no delivery for rural areas (call and collect self service at the nearest outpost)

and us the Postal staff if we havent been made redundent working long hours under reduced conditions until yor 67 years old for just over minium wage if your really lucky jaysaar......... So in conclusion Privatisation is a great situation for the country unless your working class...

[Wessex]

Not sure any of it willl happen ,the longer its dragged out the more chance the eurocrats will be forced into a moratorium on the post as they have cocked it up big style

[Gazabarnes]

Not sure any of it willl happen ,the longer its dragged out the more chance the eurocrats will be forced into a moratorium on the post as they have cocked it up big style

iT IS HAPPENING THE 3 READING OF THE BILL NEXT WEEK AFTER THAT UP TO HOUSE OF LORDS LIBERALS AND CONCERVATIVE ARE APPOINTING MORE LORDS RIGHT NOW TO SECURE BILLS FROM THE HOUSE OF COMMONS AS FOR EUROPE THE EU POSITION ON POSTAL MARKETS IS TOTAL LIBERALISATION I DONT AGREE WITH THE PRIVATISATION BUT I CANNOT SEE THERE BEEN ANY OPPOSITION OTHER THAN THE CWU WILL IT BE STRONG ENOUGH TO CHANGE THE DIRECTION I DONT THINK SO