Unite say 'cannot rule out' joint industrial action

[TrueBlueTerrier]

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Government is betraying British public over Royal Mail sale, say unions

Royal Mail workers and managers could join strike action against the Coalition government’s proposed £3bn privatisation.

Senior CWU reps have been meeting in Birmingham, following the announcement earlier today that ministers intend to sell at least 41% of shares in Royal Mail.

A further 10% of shares will be offered to Royal Mail staff.

Unite, which represents 8,000 Royal Mail managers, says it will liaise with the CWU and “cannot rule out” joint industrial action against the sell-off.

More than 120,000 Royal Mail staff are due to be balloted over the privatisation plan in the coming weeks, with any strike action likely to follow in mid-October.

Analysts expect the public sale of shares to begin in November.

Opponents have accused the Coalition of organising a “politically-motivated fire sale” of Royal Mail to try to fill a hole in Chancellor George Osborne’s budget plans.

CWU general secretary Billy Hayes said: “This isn’t about what’s best for the Royal Mail, it’s about vested interests of government ministers’ mates in the City.

“Privatisation is the worst way to access to capital as it’s more expensive than borrowing under public ownership.

“There’s no competition with money for schools and hospitals as the government would have you believe – look at Network Rail which has borrowed billions on private markets at cheaper rates under an arrangement which doesn’t affect public debt.

“This is simply about dogma from old-fashioned Tories wedded to privatisation.”

Unions say privatisation would be bad for customers, staff and for the industry.

Under the current proposals, Royal Mail will take on £600m of loans from banks, with a further 800m available if necessary. This is designed to replace existing loans from the Treasury.

However, critics say Royal Mail – which made a profit of £430m last year – would be able to secure loans from other sources without privatisation.

They say appeasing investors will be made at the expense of jobs, conditions of employment, pensions and quality of service, particularly to rural areas.

Unite general secretary Len McCluskey said: “Undoubtedly, this will provide handsome profits for the Tories’ chums in the City who will benefit for arranging the sale – this privatisation will be early Christmas present for the spivs and profiteers.

“In three-to-five years, a great British public service, owned by and run for the public, will be in the hands of hedge funds whose purposes a ripped-off Britain know all too well.”

A poll last week for the Sunday Times found 70% of the public opposed the proposals.

The CWU ballot will be the first of its kind since 2009.

Ballot papers are due to go out to 125,000 Royal Mail and Parcelforce (but not Post Office) workers on 20 September with a result to be announced on 3 October.

You can watch a film report on the CWU‘s anti-privatisation campaign here:

[Danelectro]

Unite, which represents 8,000 Royal Mail managers, says it will liaise with the CWU and “cannot rule out” joint industrial action against the sell-off.

[tpost]

RM managers will do as they are told,like always

[Shambles]

Inhuman breed made up of circuits not veins, so of course they will do as they're told, else the plug will be pulled on them too!

[Godric]

RM managers will do as they are told,like always

the cowards have no backbone

[Chelseablue]

We all should be Out!!! Grind this now third world country to a halt . Lets stand up to the fat cats and disgusting politicians who are killing the working class . Moaning and shaking.our heads is all we ever do ,,we need action . ,,!! Moya your soul must be rotten .

[tpost]

Managers will be offered nice bonus payments as always to toe the line.

[Budfrog]

Managers will be offered nice bonus payments as always to toe the line.

There has never been a bonus paid to managers which was directly linked to them undertaking postal work during IA although some were surprised at how high their bonuses were after the last strikes so there is no doubt a link. Said it before that as a minimum Unite/CMA should instruct their members not to do work that is proper to another trade union ... for some managers this would actually be welcomed. To even dream that they would strike, I think we all know better however I have a gut feeling that it will be the lower/middle tier management grades which will be hardest hit post privatisation, take away the current VR terms and they will be more nervous than turkeys at Christmas.

[houseoflords]

I believe in Unity, but! I will not stand side by side with Royal Mail managers, where have they been for us? Nowhere.

[Sidley]

Royal Mail managers, where have they been for us?

[TrueBlueTerrier]

I dont think Unite/CMA will take any action - however the act of not ruling IA out is quite militant for them

[Pete22]

I dont think Unite/CMA will take any action - however the act of not rulinlut is quite militant for them

Their spineless f**Ker's I told my line manager to start looking for another job , TNT will need a larger workforce to deliver post and he might have to do a days work. Needless to say it didn't go down to well but they will be decimated when we are privatised.

[SpacePhoenix]

I dont think Unite/CMA will take any action - however the act of not rulinlut is quite militant for them

Their spineless f**Ker's I told my line manager to start looking for another job , TNT will need a larger workforce to deliver post and he might have to do a days work. Needless to say it didn't go down to well but they will be decimated when we are privatised.

Probably in every office (MC, RDC, DO, etc) on any given shift whoever takes us over might well have 1 proper manager to be in overall charge, deal with paperwork etc and all the rest will probably be downgraded and become team leaders

[UnhappyGremlin]

I was discussing this with my manager the other day.
They said that a strike was pointless, as we'd only lose money and had no chance of stopping it.
I pointed out their own union had voted against it, and they said they knew that, didn't matter.

Managers really are short sighted.....or is it stupid? (Maybe both.....)