Post workers 'betrayed'at foreign sell-off plan

[TrueBlueTerrier]

http://www.bromleytimes.co.uk/content/b ... 3A59%3A867

POSTAL workers said they "feel betrayed" by the government after it revealed plans to sell more than a third of Royal Mail to a foreign company.

Union members said proposals to part privatise could mean up to 50,000 job losses and a decline in service.

The report, by Richard Hooper and read out in the House of Lords on December 16, advises the government to take over Royal Mail's £22bn pension fund which has a deficit of £8bn. It is claimed the move would make the postal service more attractive to potential buyer Dutch postal operator TNT. But the report, announced by Business Secretary Lord Mandelson, got a poor reception from the Communication Workers Union (CWU), which is staunchly opposed to any privatisation of the service.

One south east London member, who wanted to remain anonymous, said: "I have been a postman for 24 years. It's absolutely outrageous, particularly when you look back to June when the Labour government said Royal Mail would remain wholly publicly owned.

"We feel betrayed. It will lead to the decline of services just like Railtrack has. "Royal Mail would be sustainable if the government didn't let foreign competitors cherry pick the most profitable business from banks and corporate companies while leaving us with the scraps.

"This will most definitely lead to job losses. Royal Mail was preparing for this last week when it announced we would have to walk faster. That isn't to make us more efficient, it's for them to increase their profits on the back of the grass roots worker.

"A lot of postal workers will go part time. The role of a postman is changing. I'm worried about what my job will become. We have received lots of calls from elderly members who are concerned about the pension fund and how that will affect them."

But Lord Mandelson defended the plans and said he accepted the recommendations.

He told the Lords: "I believe that Royal Mail and the postal market can thrive in the future provided that decisive action is taken now. Without far-reaching change, the opportunities brought by technology will become overwhelming threats."

Mr Hooper said the status quo is "untenable" and that without reform the whole postal service is under threat.