Tag: UK

The Communication Workers Union today welcomed the publication of the DTI select committee report on Royal Mail and called on the government to finally bury management proposals for employee share schemes.

The report criticised the management for demanding that the share ownership proposals are a condition of government funding. The CWU today said the share proposals were irrelevant to the real issues facing the company and the government funding was welcome and crucial to the future success of the company. It is not dependant on any particular management plan and the Union applauded the MP’s for highlighting the fact.

Billy Hayes, CWU General Secretary, said “the proposed share scheme has constantly been an obstacle to genuine discussion on improving company performance and securing a long-term quality public service. The sooner the government announce this plan is buried, the sooner we can all concentrate on both improving company performance and developing effective reward for the workforce”.

Scots householders face huge council tax hikes to pay for extra rubbish collections caused by an explosion in junk mail deliveries.

Royal Mail bosses have agreed a controversial deal to deliver vastly more unsolicited letters, meaning homes face a blitz of unwanted post.

Scots householders face huge council tax hikes to pay for extra rubbish collections caused by an explosion in junk mail deliveries.

Many councils are currently slashing rubbish collections to only once a fortnight in a bid to cut costs.

But with an expected junk mail deluge from the start of next year, there are fears extra collections will have to be arranged with council tax payers left to foot the bill.

Through its ‘door-to-door’ service, the Royal Mail currently delivers about 340 million items of junk mail addressed ‘to the householder’ in Scotland every year.

But this is likely to double from January, when the Royal Mail scraps rules which limit such junk mail deliveries to around three a week for every home.

Royal Mail’s Chief Executive Adam Crozier insisted today an employee share scheme involving a 20 per cent stake for postmen and women was the best way to ensure success for the investment package to modernise the company.

Commenting on a report from the Commons Trade and Industry Committee, Mr Crozier said: “Of course the investment plan in the company and an employee share scheme are linked.

“There is no doubt that the Government is generally supportive of employee share schemes and recognises their importance, and they have made this clear on a number of occasions.”

For example Stephen Timms, Chief Secretary to the Treasury, said: “Employee shareholders have a direct interest in the performance of their company and a real stake in its success. Research in both the US and the UK shows there is a clear link between employee share ownership and improvements in productivity.”

Mr Crozier said no-one should under-estimate the challenges facing Royal Mail.