Plymouth postal staff's protest over privatisation fears
POSTAL workers are preparing for a day of action to highlight fears of the Royal Mail's privatisation.
Unions are angry that posties already deliver piles of rivals' mail – and are calling for Ofcom to step in.
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Private postal company mail has rocketed in recent years and now makes up 45 per cent of letter volumes delivered by Royal Mail.
More than 150 city-based postal workers will be donning Santa hats outside the huge Royal Mail base in Plymstock to raise awareness of the issue.
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The employees will take to the street outside the Breakwater Road centre from 8am on Monday, December 17.
There will then be a meeting at Home Park's Green Taverners Suite at 7pm that evening set to include appearances from union chiefs, MPs and business leaders.
Chris Webb, divisional representative for the CWU union, said: "In the event of privatisation becoming a reality it will, as history clearly tells us, be areas like the South West that will be hit by worsening services and rising costs.
"The CWU and postal workers in general are not prepared to see the public and businesses that we serve isolated from this debate.
"The meeting on the 17th offers a real opportunity for all key stakeholders to debate the future of a fantastic British institution".
The union says unfair competition is undermining the Royal Mail's service.
It also has concerns over the equality of postal workers' pay and conditions in the private sector.
Regional secretary Kevin Beazer said: "The events in Plymouth on the 17th are the next step on the route to convincing the coalition Government that they must take a step back from their current path, which would see the postal service as we know it wiped out forever."
Billy Hayes, CWU general secretary, added: "Under unfair competition we've seen prices rise, services diminish, closures and job losses.
"Competition and privatisation are old-fashioned theories which have had their day.
"What's important is decent services and jobs and that's what we're standing up for."
The union is planning to ballot members in the New Year with the intention of boycotting competitors' mail.
"We're not prepared to stand by and watch the jobs of our members be ruined by unfair competition which could be avoided," added Dave Ward, the CWU's deputy general secretary.
"Boycotting parts of the mail which are damaging services is a proportionate response to the threat posed by unfair competition."
Comments
by timplymouth
Tuesday, December 11 2012, 12:48PM
“If RM is privatised the universal service obligation would remain, they simply wouldn't be allowed to stop delivering mail to addresses they don't want to.”
by PL1Plym
Tuesday, December 11 2012, 12:28PM
“Timofplymouth. Yes Royal Mail does get paid for delivering thi "Final Mile" post. I can't comment if this is just as profitable for them as mail bough with a regular stamp as I don't know. That wasn't the issue or point. The point is the private companies have the luxury of being able to send mail currently to every postal address in the UK. If they HAD to deliver it all themselves by employing Posties they wouldn't do so outside the larger cities. If RM was private then somewhere down the line this would happen so rural and smaller towns would suffer as a result. In many rural parts of many European countries you don't get a delivery. It just goes to a PO Box. If people want that then fine.
I worked for RM for 7 years and it was the best job I've ever had. The vast majority of Posties enjoy their job and care about what has happend to the service over the years.”
by 147ref
Tuesday, December 11 2012, 12:07PM
“and there me thinking i dont want anymore junk bloody mail”
by Kobybill
Tuesday, December 11 2012, 11:41AM
“I used to be a Postie for 13 years! It is a very easy job! There are too many moaners in there who haven`t a clue about how hard `other` jobs are! For a majority of them, it is the only job they have ever had and don`t know anything different. They think they are so hard done by! They are UNDERWORKED AND OVERPAID! Be thankful that you have a job or go and work in the real world!
But i must also say that there are also employees that do realise how lucky they are to have such a cushty job!”
by imalady
Monday, December 10 2012, 2:25PM
“Im not saying they dont work hard as i know they do but if it means me getting my post before 4pm in the afternoon I dont care who delivers it. And as for queing in the Post Office well thats just a joke.”
by Asyouwouldbedoneby
Monday, December 10 2012, 11:24AM
“I wish them all the best Personally we get an excellent delivery service and the posties are great.”
by josdave
Monday, December 10 2012, 10:43AM
“As with all privatisation this will lead to a deterioration in service and multiple job losses as profits come before customers every time. I have every respect for the posties who go out in all weathers and whose jobs are under threat from a government that just doesn't care or who have directorships in the companies who want to buy it.”
by Hermes_001
Monday, December 10 2012, 10:28AM
“Following privatisation will it mean Royal Mail too will only have to deliver items that are profitable, to areas that are profitable. Everyone in rural areas can then pick up their mail from the nearest Post Office or sorting office.”
by m_dalston
Monday, December 10 2012, 9:56AM
“I don't understand the problem. If they don't want "false" competition, why not either charge their "rivals" more or refuse to deliver for them altogether?
And why does it matter to a postie who posted (or better - who paid for the delivery of) the letters he is delivering anyway?”
by trudie2010
Monday, December 10 2012, 9:46AM
“I am extremely lucky with my postie and the previous one. I wouldn't like to do that job in all weathers, so give them a break. On the whole I feel they work really hard.”