THE IMMEDIATE impact of the government's one-month suspension of the Post Office's monopoly on mail deliveries in response to the postal unions' new series of one-day strikes is bound to be minimal.

But the lasting consequence could be that which the unions dread most - privatisation.

For while private firms are unlikely to seek or pick up much mail delivery business over a temporary period, the effect of the Royal Mail monopoly being lifted on an extendable basis, as government trade chief Ian Lang is already threatening, could provide the vehicle for permanent privatisation.

The unions, battling for better job security and shorter working hours, need to be wary.

This may not be all political bluster from the government; in particular, from Mr Lang who only recently revealed anti-union credentials out of the 1980s' Tory mould.

It may be that a currently-weak government is in no position to push through an unpopular privatisation as that of the Royal Mail would be - such much so that it has had to back away from the notion once already.

Nonetheless, the ideological Tory itch to privatise remains strong and the unions should be cautious about providing any excuse for it to be done by the back door - so that mail services are handed to the private sector ostensibly to protect business and domestic customers from the disruptive unions.

Far-fetched? The postal unions need only look what has happened to the British coal industry following the miners' union locking horns with the government.

They might feel secure in this confrontation because the government is weak at Westminster and possibly on the way out.

They might also draw comfort from the survey today showing how popular the public sector Royal Mail is with the customers.

But they will be foolish to give the government any opportunity to proceed with its privatisation - because seize it they will.

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