CWU Steps Up Game In Royal Mail Sell Off

02 March 2009 by Mark White - © Hellmail.co.uk

The Communication Workers Union, concerned that it could see thousands of its members vanish under modernisation plans being pushed through by the government for the Royal Mail, is stepping up its game by recruiting the help of an online marketing service. The CWU is concerned that there could be a wave of job losses at Royal Mail, new terms and conditions of employment for the workforce, and a marked reduction in its membership if the plans go ahead.

Last year, senior CWU figures underlined an urgent need to recruit new members and a minority stakeholding at Royal Mail could wipe out thousands of CWU memberships once ownership of Royal Mail becomes partly transferred to a more commercially-focused postal operator. Similar issues have been raised by postal workers employed by other state-owned postal operators where full-time posts have been moved to a part-time basis or jobs lost altogether.

The UK government wants to sell at least 30% of the Royal Mail to another postal operator to provide new capital and expertise as well as put an end to poor relations between the company and the postal union that it says is hampering Royal Mail’s modernisation programme.

Blue State Digital, which boasts clients such as AT&T, Wal-Mart Watch, Open Society Institute, Wine & Spirits Trade Association (UK) and America’s Voice, recently formed part of the pre-election campaign for U.S president Barack Obama.

The CWU is thought to be using Blue State Digital as part of an ongoing strategy across a range of publicity outlets to thwart plans by Lord Mandelson to sell off part of the Royal Mail.