Royal Mail Strikes ...

[Mutley]

Do the Postal votes for these ever get held up in the mail???

[jas xjr]

yes , i was listening to radio 5 this morning and a postie complained he had not received his ballot paper in the post

[BarnatosGhost]

Do the Royal Mail even know they're born?

Sounds like a great job to me. On the golf course by 3pm in the week. And they really need to get over this crap about not being paid for an hour at the end of their shift.

They talk about it as though its totally unusual in the world.

[Steamer]

I heard one moaning that he had to do 9 hours work in a 8 hour shift!

"I don't get paid after 2pm, and I don't get paid overtime" He said.

Boo fking hoo you short-wearing chump! Welcome to the world of work.

Be thankful that Drop-It Hide-it Lose-it are just as incompetent otherwise you would all be out of jobs.

[selwonk]

jas xjr said:

yes , i was listening to radio 5 this morning and a postie complained he had not received his ballot paper in the post

Oh, the irony!

[Menguin]

Amazon, their second biggest contract, have dropped Royal Mail in favour of HDN. No surprises there. Maybe all the fkwits who keep striking will realise they'll all be out of a job because they are too lazy and want too much.

[CedGTV]

Did anyone see that picture in one of the papers the other day with 3 or 4 abandoned postmen delivery trucks right out side a bookies.

And has anyone ever been in the Griffin pub between Chancery lane and St Pancras, you can't get near the stage to see the strippers for the legions of postmen knocking one out at the front.

[JonRB]

The BBC reports "Royal Mail postal workers have voted to take strike action over job security and working conditions"

Am I the only one who sees the crushing irony here? Royal Mail are struggling as a business, they desperately need to streamline to survive, both sides have acknowledged that a strike will harm the business..... so the Union strikes anyway.

I mean FFS.

[BarnatosGhost]

Are the Royal Mail and BT the only 'service' businesses that still run like this?

I'm not necessarily 'for' privatisation of the royal mail, but *something* has to change.

[Busa_Rush]

I quite like the RM, only had one problem in the last few years and that was caused by a strike in London not my local area. I suspect the smaller offices are not as militant as the cities.

They are a lot better than any courier I've been forced to negotiate with by a supplier . . . at least RM will let you collect a parcel from a local office. Don't use couriers unless the supplier insists and the goods are not available from another supplier who does use RM.

[Greenie]

selwonk said:

jas xjr said:

yes , i was listening to radio 5 this morning and a postie complained he had not received his ballot paper in the post

Oh, the irony!

He was most upset he lost his "democratic" right to vote in the strike. There were loads of complaining posties on R5 today. But not one of them or the Union reps could give an answer to "why are you going on strike?".

The best they could come up with was to save the Royal Mail. What none of them seem to grasp is that each time they stike they lose more customers and hence more posties will lose their jobs. Why this simple concept is beyond them I don't know.

Perhaps that's why they can only get employment in which the only skills required are the ability to walk and read. Granted sometimes they have to do both at the same time but really.

[JonRB]

Greenie said:

What none of them seem to grasp is that each time they stike they lose more customers and hence more posties will lose their jobs. Why this simple concept is beyond them I don't know.

Indeed.

[Busa_Rush]

Greenie said:

selwonk said:

jas xjr said:

yes , i was listening to radio 5 this morning and a postie complained he had not received his ballot paper in the post

Oh, the irony!

He was most upset he lost his "democratic" right to vote in the strike. There were loads of complaining posties on R5 today. But not one of them or the Union reps could give an answer to "why are you going on strike?".

The best they could come up with was to save the Royal Mail. What none of them seem to grasp is that each time they stike they lose more customers and hence more posties will lose their jobs. Why this simple concept is beyond them I don't know.

Perhaps that's why they can only get employment in which the only skills required are the ability to walk and read. Granted sometimes they have to do both at the same time but really.

The unions are using the RM as a stand against "der management" and "the right wing facist bosses" . . . they know there are significant job cuts to be had and that dilutes their power so they are making a stand while they can . . .

The loonie lefties have been quietish for a while . . . but when their ship is sinking they shout loudly as they know they are soon to be on the scrap heap - who would employ a former union activist ?

[davidjpowell]

The posties are fking crazy. These strikes are destroying the business and the jobs.

Let's see strike near Christmas time. Lots of people will send electronic Christmas cards as not other alternative.

Businesses who rely on Christmas sales and send post have 2 choices. Leave themselves open to very pissed off customers or use another courier. Easy choice really especially as customer would normally be charged the extra anyway.

Result - less post.

Is it me or is it not really obvious that they are going to be hurt more than anyone else. They seem to be thinking that they still have a monopoly.

fking crazy

[kramer78]

Can I just make a point, as a Postman who isn't in the Union, mainly because it's a comical, backward, stuck in the 70's tribute to Life on Mars.

Around 60% of UNION MEMBERS voted for a strike. That's not 60% of RM workers. Many like myself are not in the Union, mostly for the reasons stated above. We don't want to strike, hate the very idea of it and realise it will do nothing but harm our jobs. There are lots of decent RM workers out there, who enjoy the job and take pride in it, even if it is 'just walking and reading' as some put it. If we have to do some extra work during or hours then fair enough, it's not exactly slave labour. At the moment many people are finding their job changing, in most cases not for the better. Just get on with it and be grateful for a regular wage, that's my view on it.

The Union does way more harm than good to this job. It keeps crap people in RM by constantly defending them, despite their obvious wrongdoing. The Union reps in my office go out of their way just to make doing what a manger wants you to do more awkward. The constant bhing between the management and Union is tiring and makes an often pleasant job a right pain in the butt.

I hate to see this job go down the pan, it's done me well over the last 12 years. But the truth is it's being killed by the very people running it, which in turn is forcing out the decent workers like me I'm in the process of leaving, cut my days down to just 3 a week while I'm organizing my new career and hopefully by early next year I'll be out proper.

Anyway, just my thoughts on the matter. Hopefully showing that many of us aren't militant nutters, who shout 'everybody out!' whenever there's a hint of change.

Edited by kramer78 on Thursday 8th October 16:39

[Greenie]

kramer78 said:

Can I just make a point, as a Postman who isn't in the Union, mainly because it's a comical, backward, stuck in the 70's tribute to Life on Mars.

Around 60% of UNION MEMBERS voted for a strike. That's not 60% of RM workers. Many like myself are not in the Union, mostly for the reasons stated above. We don't want to strike, hate the very idea of it and realise it will do nothing but harm our jobs. There are lots of decent RM workers out there, who enjoy the job and take pride in it, even if it is 'just walking and reading' as some put it. If we have to do some extra work during or hours then fair enough, it's not exactly slave labour. At the moment many people are finding their job changing, in most cases not for the better. Just get on with it and be grateful for a regular wage, that's my view on it.

The Union does way more harm than good to this job. It keeps crap people in RM by constantly defending them, despite their obvious wrongdoing. The Union reps in my office go out of their way just to make doing what a manger wants you to do more awkward. The constant bhing between the management and Union is tiring and makes an often pleasant job a right pain in the butt.

I hate to see this job go down the pan, it's done me well over the last 12 years. But the truth is it's being killed by the very people running it, which in turn is forcing out the decent workers like me I'm in the process of leaving, cut my days down to just 3 a week while I'm organizing my new career and hopefully by early next year I'll be out proper.

Anyway, just my thoughts on the matter. Hopefully showing that many of us aren't militant nutters, who shout 'everybody out!' whenever there's a hint of change.

Edited by kramer78 on Thursday 8th October 16:39

Good to hear another point of view. If it really is more than "walking & reading" then by all means put me in my place!

I think you're well out of it. Good luck to you.

It is following the same route as other heavily unionised industries. Unions ask for more money for less work with each strike and they are on a great package by the end. Good workers leave as they hate the constant problems between unions and management. Quality drops as a results. Then one day the workforce wake up and find out the company is not viable in the modern world and they all lose their jobs. The shake their heads, blame the management, government, customers or whoever and never quite work it out that it was their (with the union whispering in their ear) inefficiency and greed which was the cause all along.

It's like watching a 10 year car crash. The end is inevitable.

Edited by Greenie on Thursday 8th October 16:58

[deevlash]

spoke to a postie today about the strike "fking stupid and pointless" were his words on the matter.

[johnnywb]

The more they strike, the more it will speed up the switch to other couriers. I'm still waiting for time sensitive post sent two weeks ago. A reply is needed from me by next Friday. I have made other arrangements to receive the documents, but only becasue i knew they were coming. God knows when they will actually turn up, if ever. We've resorted to hand delivering stuff around W1 where our office is, it's the only way to ensure it gets there.

[kramer78]

Greenie said:

Good to hear another point of view. If it really is more than "walking & reading" then by all means put me in my place!

I think you're well out of it. Good luck to you.

It is following the same route as other heavily unionised industries. Unions ask for more money for less work with each strike and they are on a great package by the end. Good workers leave as they hate the constant problems between unions and management. Quality drops as a results. Then one day the workforce wake up and find out the company is not viable in the modern world and they all lose their jobs. The shake their heads, blame the management, government, customers or whoever and never quite work it out that it was their (with the union whispering in their ear) inefficiency and greed which was the cause all along.

It's like watching a 10 year car crash. The end is inevitable.

Exactly.

Trouble is most people just hear the Union bods on TV and think they speak for everyone at RM. They most certainly don't, which is why I'm not a member anymore. Unfortunately the majority of Union members are 'lifers', they've been in the job for 20, 30 even 40 years and expect it to stay the same, forever. It doesn't matter how you explain it to them they don't get it. They want the same job that they signed up for back in the 60's and 70's, it's madness.

And you're wrong, it's not just 'walking and reading'. Sometimes I have to fight of a mental dog, talk to that lonely, crazy old lady and flick elastic bands at peoples cats. I tell you, it's no wonder I put the wrong letters though your door sometimes

[ninja-lewis]

kramer78 said:

Greenie said:

Good to hear another point of view. If it really is more than "walking & reading" then by all means put me in my place!

I think you're well out of it. Good luck to you.

It is following the same route as other heavily unionised industries. Unions ask for more money for less work with each strike and they are on a great package by the end. Good workers leave as they hate the constant problems between unions and management. Quality drops as a results. Then one day the workforce wake up and find out the company is not viable in the modern world and they all lose their jobs. The shake their heads, blame the management, government, customers or whoever and never quite work it out that it was their (with the union whispering in their ear) inefficiency and greed which was the cause all along.

It's like watching a 10 year car crash. The end is inevitable.

Exactly.

Trouble is most people just hear the Union bods on TV and think they speak for everyone at RM. They most certainly don't, which is why I'm not a member anymore. Unfortunately the majority of Union members are 'lifers', they've been in the job for 20, 30 even 40 years and expect it to stay the same, forever. It doesn't matter how you explain it to them they don't get it. They want the same job that they signed up for back in the 60's and 70's, it's madness.

And you're wrong, it's not just 'walking and reading'. Sometimes I have to fight of a mental dog, talk to that lonely, crazy old lady and flick elastic bands at peoples cats. I tell you, it's no wonder I put the wrong letters though your door sometimes

What particular parts of the modernisation programme are the CWU objecting to? I've heard it's mainly Inner London workers that are kicking up the fuss (with sympathetic strikes by others outside London) and it comes down to RM getting fed up with the CWU not holding their end of a previous agreement and have implemented the previous agreement anyway.