The takeover of Royal Mail by Czech billionaire Daniel Kretinsky continues apace. The effects of privatisation on the postal service have been a disaster for customers and workers. The Universal Service Obligation is under threat, and workers’ pay and conditions are constantly under threat from shareholders squeezing profits out of the service.
Keir Starmer’s Labour government could block this sale and renationalise Royal Mail immediately, as is Labour Party policy! We have covered this in previous articles in the Socialist, including ‘No to a billionaire takeover – Renationalise Royal Mail!’ and ‘Royal Mail – what are the unions paying Labour for?’.
Kretinsky has offered to respect the Communication Workers Union’s (CWU) demand for no compulsory redundancies, but at the time of writing only until 2025! Union action fought back against attacks on pay and victimisation of reps during the strikewave, and can defeat attempts to run the service into the ground again.
But how much stronger would CWU members be if there was a mass workers’ party in Parliament that represented their interests, and when motions call for Royal Mail to be renationalised, they actually fight for that!
