Pull plug on Cable's bid to sell-off Royal Mail : Love

[TrueBlueTerrier]

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ANDY Love has joined in the chorus of voices opposing the proposed privatisation of Royal Mail.

Following Business Secretary Vince Cable’s announcement in the House of Commons last Wednesday, Mr Love condemned government plans to sell-off its majority stake in Royal Mail this financial year.

Mr Love, who is on the Treasury Select Committee, said: “Both the Royal Mail and Post Office should be publicly-owned, giving the taxpayer an ongoing interest in the maintenance of the universal service obligation, as well as an ongoing interest in the business agreement between the two of them.

“In their rush to sell off Royal Mail, the government is certainly not delivering best value for the taxpayer or safeguarding Royal Mail’s longterm future.”

Last Wednesday, Mr Cable said the postal service sell-off was necessary for growing the service without contributing to government debt.

He disputed claims that the move would threaten the universal service obligation to deliver to 29million homes throughout the UK. But the Communication Workers Union, which launched a Save Our Royal Mail campaign last week, said the universal service obligation would very quickly go out of the window if the service was privatised.

Tony Davis, CWU branch secretary for north and north west London, said: “Despite what Mr Cable says we do not believe for one second that a private company will honour the universal service obligation, they will try and get around it somehow in order to bring down costs.

“If we are turned into a private company, management will be mainly concerned with turning a profit for the benefit of the shareholders.

“The number of deliveries would be cut, services in rural areas will suffer and there would no doubt be job losses. It should remain in public hands.”

Moya Greene, Chief Executive Officer of the Royal Mail Group, said existing services would
remain in place.

“As we move into the private sector, the current legal position is that all terms and conditions that apply to Royal Mail employees would remain in place, on the same basis,” she said.

“To provide further reassurance, we will create a legally-binding and enforceable contract with the CWU. Pay and protections could not be changed for the period of the contract without CWU agreement.”

An exact date for the sale of Royal Mail is yet to be announced and there is no guarantee a transaction will go ahead

[pants123]

As we move into the private sector.............. this comment already makes out royal mail is privitized... what the hell....

moya your only thinking of money you s..lly woman..

[UnhappyGremlin]

Moya Greene, Chief Executive Officer of the Royal Mail Group, said existing services would remain in place.

“As we move into the private sector, the current legal position is that all terms and conditions that apply to Royal Mail employees would remain in place, on the same basis,” she said.
And how long would it take for that to change?
“To provide further reassurance, we will create a legally-binding and enforceable contract with the CWU. Pay and protections could not be changed for the period of the contract without CWU agreement.”
Not possible. No new owner could or would accept this. The other way to look at it, is that they are saying they won't attack our pay/T&C's for say 3 years, at which point they definitely will.
An exact date for the sale of Royal Mail is yet to be announced and there is no guarantee a transaction will go ahead

We need to fight to make sure it doesn't.