Scots, Welsh, Irish MPs backing anti-privatisation campaign, says CWU

Britain’s communications industry union took its campaign against postal privatisation to Westminster last week, and now claims the support of several MPs. The visit to Parliament came following last week’s launch by the Communication Workers Union (CWU) of a new “Protect the Post” campaign.

The campaign has two main aims, to oppose the privatisation of Royal Mail, and to prevent private sector competitors like TNT Post UK running end-to-end mail delivery services in the UK.

The CWU believes that TNT Post intends to “cherry pick” the most profitable urban delivery routes, leaving the less profitable rural delivery routes to universal service provider Royal Mail, damaging the financial viability of the service. It also complains that TNT Post pays delivery staff less than Royal Mail.

On Friday union officials insisted “we can win” as they addressed 200 members and politicians at a meeting in a House of Parliament committee room.

“Worried”

The meeting saw particular support for the union cause among Scottish, Welsh and Northern Irish Members of Parliament, including nationalists currently seeking independence from the UK.

The CWU said the support showed that the devolved nations were “particularly worried about the future of postal services”.

The Scottish National Party, Plaid Cymru and Northern Ireland’s Democratic Unionist Party and Social Democratic and Labour Party co-sponsored an Early Day Motion on Wednesday that suggested that regulator Ofcom has “failed to register the dangers” of allowing full competition in the UK postal market “without putting into place any safeguards”.

The EDM “calls on the regulator to reconsider its decision and ensure that Royal Mail is not subjected to unfair competition in delivery provision”.

Ofcom said only recently it is closely monitoring TNT Post’s current end-to-end delivery trial in West London, and said it does have the power – if it believes Royal Mail’s universal service is under threat – to step in and require TNT Post to meet similar operating standards, or contribute to a central fund to support the universal service.

The EDM opposing postal privatisation, which is not legally binding but indicates the strength of feeling of MPs, has so far been signed by nine MPs, all from Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland.

Scottish National Party MP Mike Weir, who represents the rural Angus constituency, said no private company was ever going to offer delivery services to his constituents, and suggested there was a “very real danger” to the universal postal service outside major cities.

The CWU said Labour MP Ian Murray told the meeting his party would back the aims of the EDM. Neither Murray nor anyone else from his party has as yet signed the motion, however.

Billy Hayes, the CWU general secretary, said his union would now be urging as many MPs as possible to sign up to the EDM, “right across the political spectrum”.

“The new regulator is not serious about defending the universal service obligation – we are the real defenders,” he said.

Bristol Strike

Meanwhile, the CWU has been backing a one-day strike in the city of Bristol today, complaining at new delivery methods adopted by Royal Mail as part of its modernisation programme.

The union said the new system “hasn’t worked from day one”, suggesting that there were not enough staff to provide deliveries in the required timeframe.

“The problems have been steadily mounting and our repeated warnings to the management have been ignored,” said CWU branch secretary Dave Wilshire.

The CWU wants Royal Mail to review its delivery arrangements and agree to an independent investigation of harassment grievances from staff. The union also wants a promise not to force workers to work extra Saturdays in the run-up to Christmas.