Reacting to the news, the Communication Workers Union, which represents postal workers, said it wants the government to “robustly scrutinise the detail of this takeover offer”.
“The contractual obligations negotiated between the failed current Royal Mail board and Mr Kretinsky are not strong enough to protect workers, customers and the crucial infrastructure that Royal Mail provides for our communities and the economy,” it said.
It also suggested it was time for a new business model “which gives workers a greater say”.
Mr Kretinsky, however, has said he would never walk away from Royal Mail’s commitment to deliver letters throughout the UK six days a week.
He has committed in writing to honouring the Universal Service Obligation (USO), but only for five years.
However, in an interview with the BBC earlier this month, he said: “Royal Mail is going to be the provider of USO in the UK, I would say forever, as long as the service is going to be needed, and as long as we are going to be around.”
He added that he “completely excluded” walking away from the USO “as long as I’m alive”.
He also said he is “very open” to profit sharing, but he is not in favour of the shared ownership the union are pushing for.
“I don’t think the ownership stake is the right model,” he said. “The logic is: share of profit, yes, [but an] ownership structure creates a lot of complexity.
“For instance, what happens if the employee leaves? He has shares, he is leaving, he is not working for the company, he [still] needs remunerating.”
Mr Kretinsky has also guaranteed no compulsory redundancies or changes in terms and conditions but only until 2025.
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