USO...lies.

[billycat]

People keep stating the company is run for shareholders well they own the company some have invested millions of pounds are getting nothing back for their money without shareholders we are finished we are a private business the government washed their hands of us many years ago and would not touch us with a barge pole unless forced to save the USO then in my opinion you would see a watered down service.

[Pidleypoo]

Yes they have.

They have stated multiple times and one very recently about letters being Monday to Friday....

It is evident that they want 5 day mail Monday to Friday. No one is disputing that. We are saying don't expect your working days to be Monday to Friday.

I’m not saying they will be but Sundays aren’t in my contract.

[Foxel]

I’m not saying they will be but Sundays aren’t in my contract.

So you agree, or at least don't disagree with my original comment?

[richietns]

People keep stating the company is run for shareholders well they own the company some have invested millions of pounds are getting nothing back for their money without shareholders we are finished we are a private business the government washed their hands of us many years ago and would not touch us with a barge pole unless forced to save the USO then in my opinion you would see a watered down service.

Yes but that equates to more cut backs year after year just look at the state of it now compared to when the government owned it.

[A2B]

So like many others our office has had zero information on any planned USO changes.

Is this a regional thing targeting the areas of the UK where RM say they are losing the most money?

Would be nice to get some offical info on this instead of rumours

[dazzler123]

The USO has been changed since covid, just not official. On my lapse people get their mail delivered maybe 2 or3 days a week

[Foxel]

Perhaps Martin Walsh could confirm for the rest of you what some of us have been told.

[billycat]

When the government owned royal mail the letters part of the business was thriving nobody else would touch the letters side, parcels are the future as we all know what we have to hope for is the union securing our terms and conditions going forward because the majority do not have them the letters side of the business royal mail would love to get rid of all in my own opinion of course.

[LouBarlow]

I’ve heard this morning that all offices up and down the country will be told about scrapping the uso

Not saying you are wrong, but could we maybe offer more in the way of confirmation than rumour?

He wasn't wrong, our rep mentioned it today, in the middle of a few other subjects. A "pause" in the 6 day USO, just while the business gets back on its feet.

How does a pause in delivering letters on a Saturday turn the business around? People aren’t ordering as many parcels. Not sure stopping letters on one day is going to solve that. Unless you literally close the office for that day and save costs that way. It seems a bizarre tactic.

[bluempl]

People keep stating the company is run for shareholders well they own the company some have invested millions of pounds are getting nothing back for their money without shareholders we are finished we are a private business the government washed their hands of us many years ago and would not touch us with a barge pole unless forced to save the USO then in my opinion you would see a watered down service.

Won't somebody please think of the poor downtrodden shareholders it's not like they were paid record breaking dividends only 1 year ago. It's not like the shares were sold off cheap by the government when RM went private only to double in price shortly after putting millions of pounds into the pockets of lucky private investors. It's not like the share price might actually rise if the service were to be run in anything approaching a proper manner instead of slashing headcount to the bone and bullying remaining staff by trying to insinuate they're no longer good enough to do the job.

In case you can't tell I'm being sarcastic.

F*** the shareholders they don't create or produce anything, they are simply in the fortunate position of having spare cash available to take a punt on whatever company they think will make them some easy money. Our labour is what ultimately creates that money. They don't need our sympathy maybe if they collectively held to account the clowns in the boardroom we wouldn't be in this mess now.

[aiden01]

So like many others our office has had zero information on any planned USO changes.

Is this a regional thing targeting the areas of the UK where RM say they are losing the most money?

Would be nice to get some offical info on this instead of rumours

Maybe there is nothing offical an its just rumours.

[DirtyHarry]

Royal Mail is a private company now.
Why should it, out of all the private companies competing in the parcels market, be forced to provide a universal service?

Only a government owned, treasury backed, company, should do such a thing.

I'm afraid the USO's days were numbered when Vince Cable did the Tories dirty work for them.

Ce le vie, as the French say.

[Foxel]

How does a pause in delivering letters on a Saturday turn the business around? People aren’t ordering as many parcels. Not sure stopping letters on one day is going to solve that. Unless you literally close the office for that day and save costs that way. It seems a bizarre tactic.

It's not my plan.

But I don't believe for a second that the actual plan is to pause Saturday mail. They never mean to start it again.

The savings will be in wages. One person could do 2 to 3 rounds of tracked parcels on a Saturday or Sunday with no mail. You could half the Saturday wage bill, and look at sorting the Sunday agency splurge.

[Foxel]

Royal Mail is a private company now.
Why should it, out of all the private companies competing in the parcels market, be forced to provide a universal service?

Only a government owned, treasury backed, company, should do such a thing.

I'm afraid the USO's days were numbered when Vince Cable did the Tories dirty work for them.

Ce le vie, as the French say.

Because it was bought with it and the buyers knew it came with it. Also, it was a bargain at the time.

[Foxel]

Maybe there is nothing offical an its just rumours.

Well it was part of today's CWU brief, I'd be worried if they were including rumours.