Postal workers' boycott may challenge Royal Mail privatisation

Postal workers in the CWU union could refuse to deliver post sent via anyone other than Royal Mail in the new year.

The CWU union raised a boycott because of “unfair” competition, which it said had led to job losses, price rises and fewer services.

The CWU announced plans to hold a consultative ballot in the new year with the intention of boycotting competitors’ mail.

Under so called “downstream access” arrangements, private companies cherry-pick profitable bulk mail contracts.

They sort and transport mail to a local Royal Mail office where they pay an access fee for Royal Mail postal workers to deliver that mail—known as the “final mile”.