Rebuilding Royal Mail for Workers and the Public

Conference believes Royal Mail is a vital public service facing existential challenges, requiring a new vision that secures its future in the interests of customers, communities and workers, including across Northern Ireland, while utilising its national infrastructure and trusted workforce to create social and economic value.

Conference notes the Business and Trade Select Committee’s May 2026 report, The regulation of postal services, which found that Royal Mail’s service is unacceptable, Ofcom is failing as postal regulator, and reform of the Universal Service Obligation is essential.

Conference calls on the NIC-ICTU to campaign for the Northern Ireland Executive and UK Government to:

1. Fully implement the recommendations of the Business and Trade Select Committee’s May 2026 report.
2. Create a level playing field in line with the Good Jobs Employment Rights Bill by introducing a single status of worker and sectoral collective bargaining, ending the race to the bottom based on bogus self-employment, insecure work and low pay.
3. Establish a new regulatory framework that puts universal service, investment, quality of service and sector-wide employment standards ahead of competition, and reviews downstream access arrangements.
4. Build on the UK Government’s golden share by developing a new ownership and governance model for Royal Mail, with democratic public control and oversight, and worker and customer representation, supporting investment, diversification, growth and public value.
5. Bring Royal Mail and the Post Office back together, creating a stronger national network delivering postal, banking, government and community services