'Action must be taken now to save USO' says CWU

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The universal service obligation is under threat and needs to reviewed urgently by Ofcom the Communication Workers Union (CWU) told the Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) select committee today (Wednesday).

The charge came whilst the union’s general secretary Billy Hayes and deputy general secretary Dave Ward gave evidence to MPs, along with Royal Mail CEO Moya Greene, Nick Wells, Chief Executive at Whistl, Roy Perticucci from Amazon and John Park and Les Baylis from Community.

CWU called for competitors to Royal Mail to pay into a universal service fund or for Ofcom to put a cap on competition cherry picking urban areas in which to deliver.

Billy Hayes, CWU general secretary: “We welcome the BIS select committee’s investigation into the sustainability of the USO. It appeared the Committee understood the damage currently being done by unfettered, unfair competition to Royal Mail.

“We hope that Ofcom will wake up to the reality that action needs to be taken now to save the USO.”

Dave Ward, CWU deputy general secretary, said: “We welcome the Committee’s call for the publication of terms and conditions across the postal sector. We feel it is important that all postal workers, whichever company they work for, are paid a decent wage with good terms and conditions.”