Postal work union members' fury at Bill

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Union leaders representing Bury postal workers have reacted angrily to Government plans to sell off Royal Mail.

MPs passed the Postal Services Bill last week, which paves the way for the Government to sell off 90 per cent of the company to private investors.

Members of the local branch of the Communication Workers Union (CWU) have been opposed to the plans since they were first mooted under the previous Labour government.

Mick Hargreaves, branch secretary of the Bolton and Bury branch of the CWU, said: “There is a lot of anger although this is not unexpected. There has been a lot of opposition but all Lord Mandelson did under the Labour rule was kick it into the long grass.

“The Conservatives, backed up by the Liberal Democrats, have moved to get this legislation through and now there are genuine fears over the future of the postal service.

“The legislation does not put on an obligation to provide a universal service of six deliveries per week, nor does it insist on using the Post Office network and that is what members are angry and concerned about.”

Mr Hargreaves said the CWU had not ruled out industrial action but all discussions would take place at a national level.

The Postal Services Bill now needs the approval of the House of Lords before becoming law.