the obsession of politicians for making public services profitable - this ridiculous notion has it's roots in the big public privatisations of the 1980's and 90s

Not at all. Beeching closed down the "unprofitable" parts of the railway system in the 60s. It is a ridiculous idea though.

The working practices the posties are so aghast about are part of everyday life for a huge portion of the population

That's true too, and one good reason why we should support the postal workers. It's only by fighting to protect working conditions that we can ever improve them for the rest. Poles, Czechs and Chinese included.