CWU names opponents in Royal Mail battle

[TrueBlueTerrier]

Communications Workers Union names opponents in Royal Mail battle

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2009/mar/2 ... l-partners" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;



The government's choice of a strategic partner for Royal Mail appears to be narrowing to just two suitors, according to the Communications Workers Union.

In a letter to branch officials this week, general secretary Billy Hayes said the CWU had canvassed mail companies and unions in Europe over likely interest in the government's proposal to sell a minority stake in Royal Mail to an outside company as part of a package of reform.

"As can be gleaned for the attached schedule [of replies], it appears that the choice for the government is narrowing down to TNT and the private equity group CVC," he wrote.

Last month Hayes wrote to Peter Bakker, the chief executive of TNT, to ask if TNT was interested in buying 30% of Royal Mail. The general secretary made the union's position on the issue clear: "The CWU is completely opposed to the selling off of any part of the company and will be doing everything from a parliamentary perspective to prevent the legislation that would allow this to happen."

Bakker wrote back, pointing out that TNT had made its interest in Royal Mail clear in December, adding that the objective of a potential partnership "would be to help develop Royal Mail into a modern, best-in-class postal operator that combines excellent mail service with solid and sustainable financial performance as part of a broader, global network".

He added: "TNT recognises your position and we will await the outcome of the political process in the UK. Should the parliamentary process in the end decide in favour of a strategic partnership, then I expect to personally meet with you."

Unlike TNT, CVC is not a postal operator but has experience of the industry through a near-50% stake in Belgium's national postal operator, De Post/La Poste, having recently announced that it was selling its holding in Post Danmark after its merger with Sweden's Posten.

The government is seeking a strategic investor for Royal Mail - excluding the Post Office - as part of a package of reforms and support. The package includes the government taking responsibility for tackling Royal Mail's pension deficit, continuing to modernise the company in the face of declining mail volumes and switching the role of postal regulator from Postcomm to Ofcom.

The strategic investor is expected to bring management expertise as well as investment funds. The plan has attracted opposition from the CWU, which believes that Royal Mail's problems can be dealt with within the public sector, and from many Labour MPs.

The government has said it has received a number of expressions of interest in a strategic partnership with Royal Mail, though only TNT has made its interest public. Deutsche Post is another mail operator that has been linked with Royal Mail.

[DGP1]

FFS, has anyone actually seen one of these TNT posties in real life, anyone spotting one please take a picture and post it because I think it's just like the Loch Ness monster and Big Foot......................figments of someones imagination.

[TrueBlueTerrier]

FFS, has anyone actually seen one of these TNT posties in real life, anyone spotting one please take a picture and post it because I think it's just like the Loch Ness monster and Big Foot......................figments of someones imagination.

[DGP1]

Apart from the obvious publicity shots

[k979aaa]

FFS, has anyone actually seen one of these TNT posties in real life, anyone spotting one please take a picture and post it because I think it's just like the Loch Ness monster and Big Foot......................figments of someones imagination.

He does not look efficient too me just dodgy and lost maybe he does not like the colour of the girls bike!. I live near one of the biggest TNT depots in the UK and i have not seen one on foot maybe they do it in the night but with those orange stripes the police would be called out chaseing TIGERS IN THE NIGHT!.

[DGP1]

Of course you could always ask why TNT are investing in bikes whenever RM is getting rid of theirs (I thought TNT were to bring in expertise ).

[k979aaa]

Of course you could always ask why TNT are investing in bikes whenever RM is getting rid of theirs (I thought TNT were to bring in expertise ).

Well they anit much better with planes http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lc1X-78JvGk" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[DGP1]

Of course you could always ask why TNT are investing in bikes whenever RM is getting rid of theirs (I thought TNT were to bring in expertise ).

Well they anit much better with planes http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lc1X-78JvGk" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Should try putting the landing gear down Why was the police following where they going to do them for speeding

[k979aaa]

Of course you could always ask why TNT are investing in bikes whenever RM is getting rid of theirs (I thought TNT were to bring in expertise ).

Well they anit much better with planes http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lc1X-78JvGk" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Should try putting the landing gear down Why was the police following where they going to do them for speeding

No some big f**ker broke the gear as it landed :lfo and at the time the police were looking for :cfo IN THE FIND ADAM CAMPAIGN!. And also NATS as it is now was being sold off by you know who :mfo !.

[baldrick]

FFS, has anyone actually seen one of these TNT posties in real life, anyone spotting one please take a picture and post it because I think it's just like the Loch Ness monster and Big Foot......................figments of someones imagination.

He does not look efficient too me just dodgy and lost maybe he does not like the colour of the girls bike!. I live near one of the biggest TNT depots in the UK and i have not seen one on foot maybe they do it in the night but with those orange stripes the police would be called out chaseing TIGERS IN THE NIGHT!.

He doesn't seem to have much to deliver either, judging by the size of his basket and panniers.

[TrueBlueTerrier]

Why does his uniform remind me of a fast food restaurant rather than a postie

[andy2007]

Of course you could always ask why TNT are investing in bikes whenever RM is getting rid of theirs (I thought TNT were to bring in expertise ).

Well they anit much better with planes http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lc1X-78JvGk" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Should try putting the landing gear down Why was the police following where they going to do them for speeding

No some big f**ker broke the gear as it landed :lfo and at the time the police were looking for :cfo IN THE FIND ADAM CAMPAIGN!. And also NATS as it is now was being sold off by you know who :mfo !.

Aparently, the right Landing Gear, had fallen off, during takeoff. The Helicopter, was documenting the Landing. Presumably for later reference. If you look closely, during the first few seconds, you can see, that the landing gear (minus the right side) was down, in plenty of time. It was actually, an impressive landing, under the circumstances.

What puzzles me though: Is why complete the flight, before attempting to land?
Shouldn't the Pilot have returned to the original Airport, considering that something had blatantly gone wrong, for the Plane to loose part of the Landing Gear?

[DGP1]

What puzzles me though: Is why complete the flight, before attempting to land?
Shouldn't the Pilot have returned to the original Airport, considering that something had blatantly gone wrong, for the Plane to loose part of the Landing Gear?

It would've been deemed safer to complete the journey, unless the plane has a facility to dump fuel then they would have fly around in circles until the fuel had burnt off (planes hold fuel in the wings and if a plane tries to land with a full load then the wings can break off due to the weight but it also makes the plane a lot heavier so it will need a longer runway to come to a stop), so because it had no passengers on board and it was only the undercarriage then I would guess that was the reason why it was allowed to continue on (or divert to another airport).