He urged conference delegates to steel themselves for battle as Allan Leighton tramples all over New Labour’s manifesto promise to preserve Royal Mail as a state-owned operator.
“This poses the biggest single threat at this time,” he said. ”Now is the time for this conference to embrace the full threat that competition poses to this industry. We did not ask for the chaos that Postcomm brought here. The Government is avoiding its own responsibilities.”

JOBS, pensions and working conditions are under threat if Royal Mail chair Allan Leighton and Postcomm are allowed to push ahead with their assault on the industry.
In Emergency Motion E6 which was backed by conference, the National Executive Council (NEC) accused Leighton of attempting to buy postal workers’ approval of his privatisation plans with the promise of shares in the new company.
But the NEC warned that the real rewards of privatisation would be job cuts, worsening terms and conditions and worthless pensions.
The motion states: ”The record of partially-privatised companies and PPI on pensions, jobs, security and working conditions speaks for itself. The chair of Royal Mail’s persistent proposals to partially privatise the company, demonstrate a complete disregard for the commitment given to the British public by Government in the Election Manifesto.
“This continued uncertainty is damaging the ability of the company to face the challenges ahead and is undermining the morale of its workforce.”
The motion also highlights how Postcomm plunged the jobs of 150,000 plus postal workers into doubt with a tough new pricing regime, an imposed cut in the time allowed for Royal Mail to pay into its pension fund and the introduction of full market competition in six months time.
The offensive to be launched against Leighton and Postcomm is revealed in this six point battle plan:

· Mount a campaign amongst the membership to highlight the dangers of privatisation and build maximum support for our policy.

· Approach other trade unions, sympathetic politicians, consumer groups and other interested parties to win public support for the battle to beat privatisation.