| Mark Saunders inquest: police identities kept secret The police marksmen who shot at Mark Saunders were granted special permission to remain anonymous at his inquest. telegraph.co.uk |
Liverpool sale 'blocked by injunction' A Texas court has granted a temporary restraining order stopping the sale of Liverpool Football Club, owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett have claimed. bbc.co.uk |
Spending Review 2010: George Osborne announces further £7bn welfare cuts A further £7 billion of welfare cuts among the measures announced by the Chancellor in his Spending Review. telegraph.co.uk |
No united front at the Royal Mail | Roy Mayall The thought of striking managers caused hilarity in the posties' smoking shed this morning. The thought of privatisation didn'tUnite, the trade union for Royal Mail managers, is balloting its members over the threat of compulsory redundancies. Up to 1,500 jobs are at risk.This was the subject of a great deal of hilarity in the smoking shed at work this morning.What would happen if Unite went on strike, I asked?"I'd laugh," said Dennis. "I'd come into work and I'd fuckin' laugh.""Let 'em," said Les. "I won't be going on strike for them, that's for sure. They came into work and broke our strike.""Yes," said Jerry, "they cheerfully took their bonuses and implemented all that shit. They can go whistle.""Compulsory redundancies?" said Dave. "It's because there's too many of 'em, that's why. They're right to be shifting managers out. Sometimes there's half a dozen of 'em in there, wandering about doing sweet FA."There's not a lot of sympathy for the managers.Meanwhile, the second reading of the postal services bill is going through the House of Commons this afternoon. This includes provision for the sale of up to 90% of the company to a private company. The other 10% is to be given away in share options to the workforce."It's a bribe," said Dave. "It's so we'll go along with privatisation."The bill provides for the transfer of the pensions deficit – currently estimated at around £8.4bn – to the government.Now this is odd as it's the pensions deficit that is usually cited as the cause of the Royal Mail's financial difficulties and therefore the reason it needs to be privatised. Once the deficit is transferred the company is in a relatively healthy state.This is despite the fact that the Royal Mail is being made to subsidise its rivals through a process known as "downstream access". What this means is that private companies are able to bid for the lucrative bulk mail contracts, such as for utilities and banks, and then demand that the Royal Mail deliver it for them.The bill also provides for the transfer of regulatory powers from Postcomm to Ofcom. Postcomm is the independent regulator that stops the Royal Mail lowering its prices and undercutting its rivals. Change the regulator, allow the Royal Mail to charge market prices for its products, and the company would soon beat its rivals into submission. There would be no need to privatise.Currently the Royal Mail is a regulated semi-monopoly. It has an almost complete monopoly in delivery, and is still the dominant company in all other areas of the trade. The only reason that rival companies even exist is because of regulation. Take this away, privatise it, and you will replace a publicly owned monopoly with a private one.The prospect of having to work for a company such as TNT, which has already embarked on a massive restructuring of its workforce, involving flexible contracts and franchises, was the subject of much worried speculation in the smoking shed."What happens with our contracts?" asked Beth."They'll make us all redundant and then we'll have to reapply for our jobs," said Les."They want a part-time workforce," said Dennis. "Full-time is a dirty word."In June, the government was talking about transforming the Royal Mail into a "John Lewis-style partnership" while keeping the Post Office in public hands. Now it's the Post Office that will become a partnership, while the Royal Mail is to be sold off completely.Everyone was wondering what had changed."They're trying to run the business down so they can sell it off cheap," said Les."It's all jiggery-pokery, ducking and diving, like the old barrow boys," said Dennis. "Sure they're suited and booted barrow boys, but they're still just barrow boys."Royal MailPostal serviceJob lossesTrade unionsPrivatisationRoy Mayallguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds guardian.co.uk |
Welsh farmers fear a 'big cat' is killing their sheep There are fears a big cat may be behind a series of attacks on livestock near a village in Pembrokeshire. bbc.co.uk |