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| Version 3 | Version 4 |
|---|---|
| Royal Mail strike ballot planned over privatisation | Royal Mail strike ballot planned over privatisation |
| (about 2 hours 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". | Ministers say the sell-off is necessary to help Royal Mail to compete - a claim dismissed by the union as "nonsense". |
| Increased profits | Increased profits |
| The CWU said it wanted to protect jobs and maintain pay, while preventing the deterioration of its members' pensions and conditions and any worsening 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." |
| Pay-rise 'rejected' | |
| If the ballot goes ahead, it could include an option for postal workers to boycott delivering mail for rival companies such as UK Mail and TNT. | If the ballot goes ahead, it could include an option for postal workers to boycott delivering mail for rival companies such as UK Mail and TNT. |
| Royal Mail said competition with parcel delivery companies and the threat of quickly losing custom was one of the reasons it wanted to reach a swift agreement with the union. | |
| "Royal Mail proposed a legally binding, three-year, highly competitive agreement to deliver its agenda for growth and industrial stability that included an 8.6% increase in base pay over three years. It has been rejected by the CWU," a spokesman said. | |
| "We believe that a ballot on strike action is inappropriate. Disrupting the service Royal Mail provides to its customers is not helpful." | |
| A spokeswoman for the Department for Business added the decision was "very disappointing" and that the government was committed to going ahead with the sell-off "in this financial year". | |
| "We encourage the union to continue talking to Royal Mail management in order to achieve settlement on the issues they are concerned about," she said. |