Strike action needed to save Royal Mail

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Robert McArdle, Coventry (South Midlands CWU member)

A gigantic battle is currently underway at Royal Mail as to who should run this 497 year old service.

The coalition government and fat cat bosses are in the process of carving up and selling off the postal service to the highest bidder, while the public and the Communication Workers Union (CWU) oppose privatisation.

A consultative ballot is currently taking place among the CWU postal members on four key issues - privatisation, pay, workplace issues and unfair competition.

Workplace reps have been actively building the campaign for a yes vote in support of the union, with results expected on 19 June.

Recent figures showed Royal Mail made £403 million in the past year - while in public hands - although it has spent the past few years gearing up towards privatisation.

This has cost 50,000 workers their jobs over the past decade and terms and conditions are under constant attack.
Further than Thatcher

Customers have seen stamp prices increase dramatically in recent years as they pay the price for liberalisation of the postal industry.

Only a determined fightback from rank and file union members can stop the government in its tracks.

The Con-Dems are going even further than Thatcher, who refused to privatise the Queen's head. The coalition of millionaires is continuing its scorched earth policies - rushing through the privatisation of our postal service, even though the sale is hugely unpopular.

This is why postal workers, with support from the wider community, need to take action urgently if we want to avoid what happened after the privatisation of our railways and utilities. This is a weak coalition that has made more U-turns than a bicycle with a wonky wheel!

CWU general secretary Billy Hayes will be one of the speakers at the National Shop Stewards Network conference on 29 June and workers will be looking for a speech that delivers a strong, militant leadership that is willing to fight for its members.