David Linden: The privatisation of Royal Mail has been an unmitigated disaster

In the five years that I’ve been an MP, I’ve always vowed to get out of Westminster as quickly as possible after votes and back to Glasgow on Wednesday nights. In short, if there’s no need for me to be in London, then I want to be at home in the East End, focusing on my constituency work and hearing what actually matters to Glaswegians – not the political chatterati.

Yesterday I was gladder than ever to have got out of Parliament and back to the East End. If you focus solely on the murky world of politics, then you would be forgiven for thinking that Liz Truss’ departure as Prime Minister is at the forefront of people’s minds. Spoiler: It really is not.

Have the decisions she’s made had a devastating impact on the economy? Yes. Has that further compounded an already crippling cost-of-living crisis? Undoubtedly.

But the danger of getting too sucked into the chaos of Westminster is overlooking the other big issues we face challenges on. Escalating war in Ukraine; oppression of women in Iran and an assault on the terms and conditions of workers all across these islands.

That’s why on Thursday morning, I was back out on the picket line with, and standing by, our hardworking Royal Mail posties at the Carntyne delivery office on Gartcraig Road.

Quite aside from imposing a derisory 2% pay rise on its workers, Royal Mail are now threatening to make redundant up to 10,000 staff when they made a whopping £758m last year. To add insult to injury, the Royal Mail chief, Simon Thompson, banked a tidy £140,000 “short term” bonus this summer.

Some Royal Mail posties I’ve spoken to have less than £140 in their bank account to last them the rest of this month.

Privatisation of Royal Mail has been an unmitigated disaster and it’s the hardworking staff who have suffered most due to moving from a respected public service, to a private profit generator.

Throughout Covid-19, Royal Mail staff got on with their job when many of us had the luxury of staying at home and video calling into meetings from the comfort of a kitchen table. Don’t forget – at that time, our posties were out handling test kits and going door-to-door when everyone else had to stay at home to avoid a deadly virus.

What message does it send to Royal Mail staff when, after all their sacrifice, the meagre pay rise foisted upon them is so pitiful and redundancy notices are being prepared by greedy board room bosses.

We are all aware that the world of work is changing and I know from speaking to them that Communication Workers Union reps recognise this. They are not being unreasonable, they merely want fairer pay, terms and conditions for posties.

If you watch what’s happening in Westminster, the big story this week has been how long Liz Truss and her band of Tory ministers could remain in their jobs. For me, the jobs I’m more interested in protecting are that of Royal Mail staff who deliver our mail and a first-rate service.

So, whilst the Westminster government has had two chancellors and two home secretaries in the past week, and their chief whip was able to resign in a rage, then un-resign a few hours later, very few workers have the luxury of being so casual about their jobs. Whilst Government ministers can afford to come and go with the tide, most workers need to keep their job, and seek secure and well-paid work.

Yes, industrial action is frustrating for all of us. 

Delays to parcels in the run-up to Christmas will be a headache, but please remember that whilst our parcels might experience a short delay, for many Royal Mail staff – if things don’t change soon, this could be their last Christmas with a secure job. 

That’s why they’ve taken the difficult decision to withdraw their labour and that’s why you – indeed all of us – should stand by your postie.