Royal Mail privatisation threat grows as strikes continue

Friday, 30 October 2009 12:00 AM

By politics.co.uk staff

The Conservatives could privatise the Royal Mail outright if they win the general election and strikes continue, it has been reported.

The Communication Workers' Union (CWU) is holding the second of three days of strikes today after talks with Royal Mail managers failed to produce agreement earlier this week.

Growing public dissatisfaction with the impasse, made worse as the backlog of post threatens the busy Christmas mail season, could provide the political capital for a Tory privatisation after the next election.

Shadow business secretary Ken Clarke has reportedly begun considering the move as one of the first acts of a new Tory government.

In addition, the Guardian newspaper reported new minimum turnout thresholds for strike ballots were also being considered for future workforce confrontations, making it much harder for strikes to go ahead.

The CWU remained defiant in the face of government opposition to the industrial action.

But it did not announce a third consecutive week of strikes and said it was "seeking further talks with the Royal Mail to reach an end to the dispute".

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