Royal Mail privatisation... Would you?

scott_lithgows

alanq wrote: »

The Government is saying delivery 6 days a week is protected by legislation and that it would require Parliament to change this situation. It is not doing so as part of privatisation. I am not sure how much wriggle-room that allows.

There is only 5 days worth of mail now,put a skeleton staff on a Sat to deliver the special deliveries and tracked items,that continues the 6 day service.

It means you pay more for a Sat delivery but the whole service will be much dearer in the future.

Yorkie1

I get 6 days a week delivery now.

They were saying on the radio last night that the legislation protects the universal service (6 days, whole country etc) until 2022.

After that, I guess no guarantees ... and if the company whinges to the gov't before then, perhaps a change to the law to remove the protection sooner ...

Perelandra

j0nathon2 wrote: »

I was told that is the scheme they would be offered to employees under, but I could have been told wrong, I don't work for Royal Mail myself.

They free shares are to be offered under a SIP scheme:

http://www.employeebenefits.co.uk/benefits/share-schemes/royal-mail-staff-set-to-receive-2000-share-payout/102454.article

Not the employee shareholder scheme, so employees won't have to give up their rights to get the free shares.

custardy

scott_lithgows wrote: »

The jobs are going to go anyway,better to get the over 60,s out with a deal rather than sacked for being unable to walk as fast as a 20 year old.

not better for the company
VR will be thin on the ground

j0nathon2

Perelandra wrote: »

They free shares are to be offered under a SIP scheme:

http://www.employeebenefits.co.uk/benefits/share-schemes/royal-mail-staff-set-to-receive-2000-share-payout/102454.article

Not the employee shareholder scheme, so employees won't have to give up their rights to get the free shares.

Deleted my posts. It was a postman who told me this, so they're mis-informed it seems, I did check on the RM website just a few minutes ago and it also confirms they're SIP too.

Doshwaster

j0nathon2 wrote: »

The government are selling your share, back to you. You control your share through your MP.

Your dividend goes back into the company or goes back into government services. Your re-invested dividend ensures prices stay (relatively) low, that people stay in jobs, that your mail gets from North to South overnight, not within the month.

Of course, the Royal Mail had been loss making for years until recently. Which means that rather than paying a dividend to shareholders and tax to the government it has been using up money which could have been better spent on other public services rather than moving pieces of paper around the country.

j0nathon2 wrote: »

When the RM is private, and you've bought your shares, you'll get a dividend, equivalent to:

• Your share of the postmen's salary who are made redundant
• Your share of the increase in prices, that we all pay, for sending mail
• Your share in the savings made by reducing the quality of service

Well, the quality of service has been reducing for years. I used to get a delivery before 8am and a second one early afternoon. Collections from my nearest post post used to be twice a day. Now I get one delivery around 1pm and one collection a day. Moving to a 5 day standard delivery will be the logical next step to save money.

At least a private RM will be able to get investment money without going begging to the Treasury.

Perelandra

j0nathon2 wrote: »

Deleted my posts. It was a postman who told me this, so they're mis-informed it seems, I did check on the RM website just a few minutes ago and it also confirms they're SIP too.

That's very sad. I wonder how many Royal Mail employees think this, and will be disuaded from taking up the free offer on the back of it?

j0nathon2

Perelandra wrote: »

That's very sad. I wonder how many Royal Mail employees think this, and will be disuaded from taking up the free offer on the back of it?

Hopefully the unions will give proper advice, they need to do something for their fees.

At the end of the day, if you like it or not, if it's happening, you may as well take anything that is 100% free.

Of course, the Royal Mail had been loss making for years until recently. Which means that rather than paying a dividend to shareholders and tax to the government it has been using up money which could have been better spent on other public services rather than moving pieces of paper around the country.

True, but now we're getting the return on our investment.

At least a private RM will be able to get investment money without going begging to the Treasury.

It will also be free to implode, which it most likely will.

custardy

Perelandra wrote: »

That's very sad. I wonder how many Royal Mail employees think this, and will be disuaded from taking up the free offer on the back of it?

https://www.myroyalmail.com/news/national/2013/09/privatisation-myth-buster

atush

I'd have a punt as long as the govt pays the pension- that is a big black hole.

I live on an island, and get a lot of internet shopping. Most of it comes by royal mail, not by a courier.

With the continued rise of internet shopping, it is worth a small punt.