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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Royal Mail strike ballot planned over privatisation | Royal Mail strike ballot planned over privatisation |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Postal workers could vote on whether to strike over issues linked to the government's plans to privatise Royal Mail, their union has announced. | Postal workers could vote on whether to strike over issues linked to the government's plans to privatise Royal Mail, their union has announced. |
| Communication Workers Union reps have voted to press ahead with a ballot no later than September if "satisfactory agreements" are not reached. | Communication Workers Union reps have voted to press ahead with a ballot no later than September if "satisfactory agreements" are not reached. |
| It would be the first such ballot since September 2009. | It would be the first such ballot since September 2009. |
| Ministers say the sell-off is necessary to help Royal Mail to compete - a claim dismissed by the union as "nonsense". | |
| Increased profits | |
| The CWU said it wanted to protect jobs and maintain pay, while preventing the deterioration of its members' pensions and conditions and the deterioration of postal services. | The CWU said it wanted to protect jobs and maintain pay, while preventing the deterioration of its members' pensions and conditions and the deterioration of postal services. |
| Deputy general secretary Dave Ward said he thought a ballot was "inevitable". | Deputy general secretary Dave Ward said he thought a ballot was "inevitable". |
| He said there would be a national day of action in protest at the privatisation plans, which could include a 24-hour strike. | He said there would be a national day of action in protest at the privatisation plans, which could include a 24-hour strike. |
| The government was "talking nonsense" and had misled the public over its plans, he told delegates at a CWU conference in London. | The government was "talking nonsense" and had misled the public over its plans, he told delegates at a CWU conference in London. |
| "Workers have embraced modernisation, and helped increase profits by 60%, so why should we just hand it over to someone only interested in making money?" he asked. | "Workers have embraced modernisation, and helped increase profits by 60%, so why should we just hand it over to someone only interested in making money?" he asked. |
| "We have a duty to defend the postal service - and we will." | "We have a duty to defend the postal service - and we will." |
| Business Secretary Vince Cable has said 10% of Royal Mail shares would go to existing employees, while the rest would be sold-off. | Business Secretary Vince Cable has said 10% of Royal Mail shares would go to existing employees, while the rest would be sold-off. |
| The government and Royal Mail management say the service needs access to private capital in order to grow and compete. | The government and Royal Mail management say the service needs access to private capital in order to grow and compete. |
| Plans for privatisation have been on the table for a number of years, with legislation to pave the way for the sale enacted in 2011. | Plans for privatisation have been on the table for a number of years, with legislation to pave the way for the sale enacted in 2011. |
| "We do not take the decisions to hold a strike ballot lightly," Mr Ward added. | "We do not take the decisions to hold a strike ballot lightly," Mr Ward added. |
| "However, we will stop at nothing to ensure the future of our members' jobs - and of the services they deliver - are protected." | "However, we will stop at nothing to ensure the future of our members' jobs - and of the services they deliver - are protected." |