POSTAL UNION VOWS TO PROTECT UK POSTAL SERVICES AND DEMANDS “NEW OWNERSHIP AND GOVERNANCE” AT ROYAL MAIL

25/04/2024
COMMUNICATION WORKERS UNION
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Following reports that foreign private equity investor EP Corporate Group could be buying into a controlling stake of Royal Mall Group’s corporate holding company, International Distribution Services (IDS), CWU General Secretary Dave Ward said:: “Handing over the ownership of Royal Mail to a foreign private equity investor cannot be right.

“Royal Mail’s vulnerability to this type of bid can’t demonstrate more clearly how privatisation has failed one of Britain’s most important institutions.

“Royal Mail needs a new ownership and governance model with its focus on delivering a postal service for workers and customers, not one simply about shareholder payouts and running down conditions.”

In an emergency motion at the CWU annual conference today (Thursday 25 April)(, delegates unanimously resolved that in the event of any takeover, it would completely oppose all attempts to:

Break up the company;
Introduce franchising to Royal Mail;
Introduce outsourcing into the company;
Introduce a three-or-four day USO or other severe USO cuts;
Raid the pension surplus.

The emergency motion also endorsed the call for a new ownership and governance model for Royal Mail.

ENDS

Editors notes:

Emergency Motion – Potential Takeover of IDS

Conference expresses its concern that on Wednesday, 17th April, International Distribution Services (IDS) confirmed it had rejected a takeover bid from EP Corporate Group.

Conference agrees that handing over the ownership of one of the UK’s most important institutions to a foreign private equity investor cannot be right. Conference also recognises that the current Royal Mail model is not delivering for our members.

Conference reaffirms that our policy is to bring Royal Mail back into public ownership but also recognises that the current political climate makes delivering this very difficult.

Conference therefore calls for a new ownership and governance model for Royal Mail that builds a postal service for the workers and customers – not one solely focused on shareholder payouts, driving down the service and lowering the pay, terms and conditions of postal workers.

Conference supports the widest possible public and political campaign to deliver this change.

Conference further agrees, in the event of any takeover, to oppose by all means possible any attempt to:

Break up the company;
Introduce franchising to Royal Mail;
Introduce outsourcing into the company;
Introduce a three-or-four day USO or other severe USO cuts;
Raid the pension surplus.
Conference agrees to launch an engagement exercise across and outside of the union to gain support for this policy.