‘We are fighting the government and business now,’ said Communication Workers’ Union (CWU) Eastern Region No.6 branch secretary Paul Olden yesterday.
Commenting on the government’s decision to part-privatise Royal Mail, he told News Line: ‘In my view, we should withdraw CWU finances to the Labour Party.
‘We should sever all links, we feel betrayed.
‘They’ve gone behind our backs and agreed part-privatisation of Royal Mail while they were telling us they would keep Royal Mail public.
‘It’s going to show where our general secretary stands on this.
‘This plan to privatise has to be fought all the way.
‘We should have a national strike ballot, not just 14 individual mail centre ballots.
‘We have to take all-out action now, nothing less will do.
‘There will be a conference of Eastern Region branches in the next few days.
‘We will be proposing occupation to save mail centres and our jobs.
‘We are facing another 50,000 to 60,000 job cuts if the part privatisation goes through.’
Edinburgh CWU branch secretary Willy Marshall told News Line: ‘Part privatisation will lead to full privatisation.
‘We should fight this tooth and nail.
‘We beat the Tories over privatisation.
‘Labour said they stood with the union to fight privatisation.
‘Labour have broken the manifesto now.
‘Members will be furious. They will demand we break the link with Labour and some form of strike action.’
The CWU Postal Executive was meeting yesterday.
CWU general secretary Billy Hayes said before the meeting: ‘This was meant to be a report about competition but Mandelson has ignored the damage done through irresponsible liberalisation and advocates more involvement by private companies.
‘We welcome the move to Ofcom which recognises both changes in the communications sector and the failings of Postcomm to manage the mail market effectively, however we look forward to receiving more information on future regulation.’
Dave Ward, CWU deputy general secretary, said: ‘There is no need to seek private funding from outside companies in a joint venture.
‘This would open the floodgates for full-blown, damaging privatisation.
‘Post is a key public and business service which must retain the protection and guidance of government for sustainable success.
‘We welcome the fact that our campaign to get the Government to secure Royal Mail workers’ pensions has been successful. The news that the Universal Service Obligation has been safeguarded is also very welcome.
‘We will be studying the detail of the report closely over the coming weeks and will respond fully in the New Year.’
Junior minister, Labour MP Jim McGovern resigned from the government in protest yesterday.
The MP for Dundee West, had been parliamentary private secretary to business minister Pat McFadden, whose department is overseeing the changes.
McGovern said in a statement: ‘I do not support what looks to me like partial privatisation of the Royal Mail.
‘In his statement Pat McFadden said he welcomed an expression of interest from the Dutch postal company TNT, for me it simply beggars belief that we would employ the services of a company from abroad to tell the Royal Mail in this country where they are going wrong.’
A number of Labour MPs have pledged to fight the plan.
• Second news story
MASSIVE 137,000 INCREASE IN UNEMPLOYMENT
The number of people out of work in the UK rose by 137,000 to 1.86 million in the three months to October, the highest level since 1997, official figures out yesterday revealed.
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said this took the unemployment rate up to six per cent from 5.8 per cent previously.
The number of people claiming Jobseeker’s Allowance in November rose 75,700 to 1.07 million, the largest rise since March 1991.
Rail and bus firm National Express announced up to 750 jobs cuts yesterday.
Mark Serwotka, PCS general secretary, said: ‘Today’s figures confirm people’s worst fears. The government needs to go further with extra resources rather than merely taking Jobcentre Plus back to the staffing levels of three years ago.
‘Jobcentre staff are doing an excellent job and are best placed to help people as the unemployment crisis grows.
‘The government needs to drop its plans to experiment with the private sector, which have neither the network, skills or capacity to deal with the continued rise in unemployment.
‘The government should be concentrating on getting additional resources to Jobcentre Plus and think again about plans to penalise some of the most disadvantaged through the introduction of a punitive and authoritarian benefits regime.
‘What is needed is job vacancies not benefit sanctions.’
Meanwhile, the TUC has called for Jobseekers Allowance to be increased from £60.50 to £75 a week.
TUC General Secretary Brendan Barber said: ‘Two million people are set for a very grim Christmas this year, many of whom will have also spent last Christmas on the dole.
‘These people are not scroungers. They are blameless victims of a worldwide economic downturn and deserve to be treated as such.
‘As well as more support to get back into work, unemployed people need more immediate financial support to help them cope with life on the dole.
‘Many people losing their jobs for the first time will be shocked to find that JSA is less than £10 a day. This is barely enough to pay the bills and feed their families, let alone pay for Christmas.’
