Royal Mail Takeover
Johanna Baxter Excerpts(2 days, 12 hours ago)
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Justin Madders
It is not a privatisation—that began under the hon. Lady’s party’s time in office. This is an important step forward, getting commitments that were not previously in place to protect the Royal Mail brand and delivering the investment that we all clearly see is needed.
Johanna Baxter (Paisley and Renfrewshire South) (Lab)
Our posties go above and beyond 12 months of the year, but especially at this time of the year. I welcome my hon. Friend’s statement, but I particularly welcome the support that it has garnered from the workforce. Can he say a little more about his conversations with the trade unions during the negotiations about the industrial relations reset that has been discussed by the general secretary of the Communication Workers Union? What steps have been taken to ensure that any future owner of Royal Mail does not run it into the ground?
Justin Madders
The Secretary of State and I have regularly met the Communication Workers Union. As my hon. Friend rightly points out, there has been considerable industrial unrest in recent years, so it is extremely good news that the Communication Workers Union has talked positively about the groundbreaking deal that it has signed with EP Group. I agree with the union that it is time for a fresh start and a complete reset of employee and industrial relations. We want good industrial relations across the whole economy, so we welcome the constructive way that EP Group has engaged with the trade unions. We hope that that spirit carries forward into the future.