The Socialist 26 May 2010 Millionaire ministers butcher public services Millionaire ministers butcher public services Con-Dem cuts - 'only the beginning' National Shop Stewards Network conference: Time to organise against con/dem attacks NHS cuts: The Con-Dem sting in the tail Sri Lanka: One year after the war Socialist Party national committee discusses building the fightback PCS conference: Preparing for action Local government: Where's our pay award for 2010? Young people: organise to fight the cuts Socialist Party National Youth meeting Students must pay, say the rich Pamphlet: Our Education Under Attack: why a mass campaign is needed London 2012 Olympics: A big business spectacle Greece: 2,500 hear Socialist MEP Joe Higgins declare week of action Romania: Mass protests against EU/IMF deal Puerto Rico: Students and workers fight austerity cuts Education under attack: Con-Dem government prepares for battle Unions must defend public services Tory government says rich must pay less Diane Abbott and the Labour Party leadership battle |
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Home | The Socialist 26 May 2010 | Join the Socialist Party Royal Mail not for sale The CWU protest February 2009 against Post Office privatisation, photo Paul Mattsson (Click to enlarge) DELEGATES TO the Communication Workers Union (CWU) conference have voted unanimously to fight the government's privatisation plans for the Royal Mail service, with a "broad-based public campaign". The emergency motion, moved by the union's leadership, called for "all actions necessary" to keep Royal Mail as a public-owned postal service. Gary Clark, Assistant Branch Secretary, Scotland No.2 CWUAfter the election of the Con-Dem government coalition many postal workers believed that privatisation would be back on the agenda, but most believed that it would be at least six months away. But after only one week in office, the government announced that the Queens speech would include a commitment to bring private finance into Royal Mail, in other words the privatisation of our industry. This comes only months after a Communication Workers Union-led campaign defeated New Labour on the question of selling off 30% of Royal Mail. Royal Mail not for saleThe timing of this announcement - only days before the CWU national conference - makes it clear we are heading for a battle with the new government. It's a declaration of war on postal workers and the CWU, and an indication of how they view the trade union movement. This pro-privatisation policy must be resisted by all means necessary from the CWU and the whole trade union movement. The government has not stated how much they plan to sell off but be it 1% or 100% the part-privatisation or the eventual wholesale privatisation of Royal Mail is unacceptable to the workforce and a majority of the public. The government claims that Royal Mail needs investment as the company is on its knees. But Royal Mail has just returned overall profits of £404 million - up by £83 million on last year, a year that included a major national dispute. Recently the union voted for a new 'modernisation' agreement that was negotiated with Royal Mail management following our last dispute with them. The danger is that this is a way for Royal Mail to raise money, at the expense of postal workers' pay and conditions. Now, the threatened privatisation is one of the first attacks by the new government on the trade union movement and the CWU is determined that it will be rebuffed. In this issue
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