Use Your Postal Service or Lose It
Hardened unionists, determined to stand on picket lines to the last, are a big part of Royal Mail’s present troubles.
There are of course many that will be doing so because the changes ahead at Britain’s monopoly postal provider will affect their way of lives, there is also a proportion who feel its in the interest of their customers, but by and large, activists make up a large percentage of strikers, particularly in areas that have in the past seen mining strikes.
Such memories are not easily forgotten – particularly in the north and parts of Wales but certainly Royal Mail has had a great deal of influence from the union in its lifetime, and its a strength that is not easily given up by its members.
In the private sector, flexibility has been key to maximizing profits and arguably with little reward for those doing the actual work but in most cases, productivity bonuses and reward payments have been welcomed. On the reverse side, the fat cat culture has swelled in some industries and understandably unions are becoming somewhat restless. That said, industrial action in the form of strikes also has a negative effect. Loss of revenue can weaken a business to the point of no return and Royal Mail is determined not to be bullied by strikes as it reorganizes the way it works simply to survive.
Britain’s car industry ultimately took a dive as cheaper labor in other countries forced car manufacturers to look elsewhere to make their cars. The Midlands is a virtual ghost town for industry now, the expertise of generations of engineers lost altogether. What makes the dispute at Royal Mail so different is that Royal Mail remains state owned.
EU Postal Liberalization forced a major change by forbidding direct funding from the British government to prop the service up in times of trouble, so now Royal Mail has to demonstrate it can cut the mustard in a competitive world. Those on the ground will tell you that they are the only ones doing the final mile deliveries but this alone is not power, and unless Royal Mail can maximize efficiency, it simply won’t be able to compete for business customers. Along with that will go the future for thousands of its workers. Strikes unfortunately can have exactly the opposite effect.
Numerous discussions between the CWU and Royal Mail bosses has achieved little in terms of agreement. The CWU concede that the service does need to run efficiently to secure jobs but seems unwilling to allow Royal Mail to revamp working conditions to meet the demands it now faces. The union seems more focused on the issue of developing new innovative products to secure the future of its members, albeit without any idea what those products might be, and with declining use of postal services, pinning hopes on new product lines isn’t enough.
