Social cost of privatisation outweighs everything else

[TrueBlueTerrier]

Royal Mail universal delivery under threat: Social cost of privatisation outweighs everything else http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/ro ... er-4658688" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Mirror columnist Paul Routledge says the friendly postie faces on their “walk” who look out for lonely old folk will be a thing of the past


With his bulging bag of letters and wearing shorts even in winter, the postie is a familiar figure in the community.

And even more welcome at this time of year.

But for how long? Newly­ privatised Royal Mail warns that the days of the universal delivery may be numbered because of “unfair” competition.

Despite Coalition government guarantees, the profit­-hungry mail company sold off cut­-price to City slickers is preparing to ditch its promise that you’ll always be able to post a letter anywhere in the UK at the same price.

And differential pricing will be only the start. Across the Channel in Holland, privatisation has brought casual labour, paid as little as possible to avoid giving the posties a contract of employment.


Here, it will be higher prices, zero­-hours contracts for the staff and fewer deliveries than the six days a week we get now.

How long before we have to collect our own post, including the mass junk mail that sustains the business?

There is also a social cost to higher profits. The friendly faces we know of postmen and women on their “walk” who look out for lonely old folk and people living on their own will be a thing of the past, as they are on the continent.

That’s the real cost of privatisation. Not the falling share price of Royal Mail, but the loss of another piece of the community fabric, another slice of history made by the Victorians who had a keen eye to commerce but a better understanding of society than the folk who now own and run Royal Mail.


The posties and their union leaders warned repeatedly that this would happen, but the Tory and Lib Dem politicians, driven by ideology and fake pledges to uphold the universal delivery, wouldn’t listen.

Perhaps they’ll listen now, but don’t bet on it.

[clashcityrocker]

There is also a social cost to higher profits. The friendly faces we know of postmen and women on their “walk” who look out for lonely old folk and people living on their own will be a thing of the past

We'll still be able to look out for the lonely old folk 3 days a week, in between looking out for missing people.

[rubberbond]

There is also a social cost to higher profits. The friendly faces we know of postmen and women on their “walk” who look out for lonely old folk and people living on their own will be a thing of the past

We'll still be able to look out for the lonely old folk 3 days a week, in between looking out for missing people.

They might be with a neighbour,when you deliver there. Or maybe not......