Poor decision-making in the past by the Royal Mail’s top bosses has led to today’s announcement of 2,000 managerial job losses, Unite, Britain and Ireland’s largest union, said.
Unite said that the Royal Mail had failed to recognise the pace of change in the industry, exacerbated by the pandemic, and was now axing the very managers tasked with creating a viable business future.
Unite, which represents more than 6,000 managers at the Royal Mail, privatised under the coalition government, said it would fight any compulsory redundancies amongst its members.
Unite National Lead Officer for the Royal Mail Group, Mike Eatwell, said: “The announcement today by Royal Mail to sack 2,000 managers is a classic example of trying to reposition a business to create a viable long-term future, while feeling under pressure to make short-term cuts that only hinder that transition.
“It also deflects attention from where the real problems lie. Poor decision-making at the top of Royal Mail in the past has failed to recognise the pace in the decline in the volume of letters, and there has been a too slow investment in technology and facilities to keep abreast of the huge growth in parcels. This scenario has been made worse by the adverse impact of coronavirus on the economy.
“This has led to this situation where Unite’s more than 6,000 members are now facing an uncertain future – it is a devastating blow for them. They are the managerial team who were tasked to carry out the board’s decisions.
“We will be pressing the top management to clarify how sweeping away the very employees managing the transition process is going to produce faster and better company decisions for the benefit of customers.
“Our members have always worked with the Royal Mail, but they will be holding the company to account to justify the window dressing of this cost cutting and how it is in the interests of employees, shareholders and customers.
“Our aim is to avoid compulsory redundancies and we believe that any job losses that do occur should be voluntary and by natural wastage.”
