[Closed] Royal Mail Strikes Tomorrow and next week.

*Pulls up a chair, waits for the usual suspects to arrive*

Big bottles of Leffe, 2 for £5 at Sainsbury's. Blonde or Brune, folks?

Postierich to the forum please. The train drivers are at it as well. Whilst I can't be arsed to read why, I will say myself and many others would gladly have the jobs right now.

Big bottles of Leffe, 2 for £5 at Sainsbury's. Blonde or Brune, folks?

that maybe so but sainsburys in the next town and its raining, might make a run for the local offlicence though.

Don't panic when Maggie ppels off her Cameron suit next year she won't put up with any union fuss 🙄

Arent these or shouldnt these people be eternally gratefull to have a job.

Yes they should. They have their unions to thank for that.

How difficult can it be to drive a red van or ride a red bike,then pick up a pile of letters,and then deliver a lot of them to the wrong address, and have a walk around some streets then off home,when done.

Job done,or not it appears.

Project, amended for you;

How difficult can it be to drive a red van or ride a red bike,then pick up a pile of letters,and then deliver a lot of them to the wrong address, drop a load of red rubber bands everywhere and leave gates open and have a walk around some streets then off home,when done.

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh piss! Why does this have to happen when I`m waiting for something important to arrive....

[i]publicly owned Royal Mail are strikeing for god knows what.[/i]
Some related links.
I,m the Union rep out my workplace, amazing how many people are joining the union @ the moment.
http://www.cwu.org/news/archive/growing-postal-strikes-and-a-national-ballot-as-royal-mail-refuse-to-negotiate.html

I,m not going on strike as we as a office have not balloted but there will be a national ballot which we as a union will not get.A lot of it is down to big problems at the older offices where they are being closed down and forcing people to travel long distances for the measly wages that are the basic wage.

Rich

postierich,so basicly Royal Mail a publicly owned company by us the tax pyer is trying to modernise,and slim down the workforce,through provideing new buildings and facilities better suited to the needs of the paying public and the management of the service, a win win situation for all.
Haveing small outdated sorting offices is not productive, if it was we would have every town with a cinema,hospital,and petrol station all things they all had before the advent of shopping centres and supermarkets.

How difficult can it be to drive a red van or ride a red bike,then pick up a pile of letters,and then deliver.......

So why don't you deliver your own mail then - if it's so ****ing easy ?

I'm guessing from your whingeing that you in fact find it [i]impossible[/i] to do - and you therefore want some else to do it for you.

And yet you appear to expect that person to be some sort of registered charity.

Or do you think postmen/women should have a second job to make up for the fact that they have a crap job with no security or a decent wage which pays the bills ?

It's funny how you appear happy to slag them off even though by your own admission, you haven't a clue what the strike is about.

Do you always base your opinions on ignorance ?

Haveing small outdated sorting offices is not productive, if it was we would have every town with a cinema,hospital,and petrol station all things they all had before the advent of shopping centres and supermarkets.

The supermarkets have a lot to answer for. Its not about being productive, its about profit.

Or do you think postmen/women should have a second job to make up for the fact that they have a crap job with no security or a decent wage which pays the bills ?

No, but how about they look for a better job, eh?

*Blue touchpaper lit, time to retire*

I get the destinct impression it's a case of lose x% of the workforce or loose 100% of the workforce. It's outdated and no longer competitive so changes need to be made to save something.

Can't comment on whether it's been done well though.

how about they look for a better job, eh?

Well if you agree that it ought to be a crap job which no one should want to do, then presumably that suggestion applies to everyone.

So who's going to deliver project's mail then ?

I'm very happy for the postmen/women to carry on enjoying the employment conditions which they have always enjoyed.

We the customer deliver our mail to a red box on the corner of most streets,a mailman comes once a day and empties it,he then drives to a sorting centre, and its then sorted mostly by mechanised machines,and then another man,delivers it to the regioanl hub, where it is then distibuted to the local centres,and then a man in a van on a bike or on foot shoves it through your door.

Now how difficult is that.

Better offices equal better turnaround of mail,and less staff,they are not duplicated, as in a lot of smaller offices.

It's outdated and no longer competitive

And yet it makes huge profits.

if posties don't like the pay and conditions, find another job simple, or maybe it isn't in the current climate.
just shut up and put up till the economy is in a better state for a pay rise.

Now how difficult is that.

It's difficult because you can't do it. That's how difficult it is.

And then there are the train drivers, anyone who`s watched Thomas the Tank Engine will know its the fat Controller who does all the work.

so basicly Royal Mail a publicly owned company by us the tax pyer is trying to modernise,and slim down the workforce,through provideing new buildings and facilities better suited to the needs of the paying public and the management of the service, a win win situation for all.

Win win if you are not sacked in this process.
Your interpreation is as simplistic as your spelling suggest you are.

To all those who are whinging about the posties - get stuffed.

Having been made redundant i would quite happily do that job but i also know how horrible it is to work in an industry were there is absolutely no job security, your hours are being cut & your working conditions changed on a whim.
All you you fat-arsed middle class ****ts pontificating about real peoples lives know bugger all about how most people are struggling.

It's difficult because you can't do it. That's how difficult it is.

Not convinced I want to be a postie, but neither is it the world's worst job. However the point isn't whether I want to do it, it's whether enough other people want to do it, and I get the impression that's not actually a problem - it's not like they're all resigning to go off and do something else, which you'd think they might be busy doing if it really was becoming that awful.

"Arent these or shouldnt these people be eternally gratefull to have a job."
Yes they should. They have their unions to thank for that.

[i]Your interpreation is as simplistic as your spelling suggest you are.[/i]

Priceless.

BB

Big bottles of Leffe, 2 for £5 at Sainsbury's. Blonde or Brune, folks?

that maybe so but sainsburys in the next town and its raining,

🙄

I'm fairly sure I could actually manage to deliver letters if I had the infrastructure of the post office behind me.

But you haven't. So you can't. In fact it's impossible for you to deliver your own mail. So either, don't bother sending and receiving mail, or pay someone else to do it and shut the **** up.

So you'd be happy for any old scrote who's prepared to accept minimum wage to deliver letters or expensive bike parts / bank statements around the country?

At face value it appears to be a 'simple' job, however geberally I trust the post people that deliver to my door because I've always received my bank statments, payslips, xmas cards, birthday presents and so on.

In order to get your post handled in a professional manner then they need to be treat like professionals.

I think the problem is poor management, but also incompetent and unrealistic ministers putting equally unrealisitc targets on a system that takes a long time to change.

Unfortunately thats the way of the public services.

OTOH it seems unreasonable that the Royal Mail is facing bankruptcy whilst the taxpayers are pumping billions into the banks, the champions of capitalism.

Dave Ward, CWU deputy general secretary said: "Postal workers are sick and tired of an incompetent management running their business into the ground. Workers are busier than ever and being treated badly. The current round of cuts in jobs and services is unacceptable.

"Royal Mail agreed in 2007 to work with the union on agreeing modernisation. Despite explicit commitments to negotiate they are reneging on that agreement and imposing panic-driven cuts to jobs and services. This is downsizing, not modernisation.

"The company has failed to set out any clear or joined up vision of what modernisation really means. They must stop imposing change and work with the union to agree the bigger picture of modernisation that the postal service badly needs."

http://www.cwu.org/news/archive/growing-postal-strikes-and-a-national-ballot-as-royal-mail-refuse-to-negotiate.html

Some people seem confused. People are trying to keep theirs and others jobs in a recession, where is the problem with that? Or should people only try and protect their jobs when the economy is doing well?

Right on comrades!

GG - you appear to be horribly confused between the job the post office does and the job an individual postie does.

FWIW I do agree they have a point in this case, and the way the royal mail has been managed (right from the top where the policy is ultimately decided politically) is appalling. However it doesn't do anybody any favours to come out with the same tired old union cliches. Still not convinced the union wouldn't oppose modernisation involving job cuts even if said job cuts were in the best interests of the company - however they do seem to have a point right now.

GG - you appear to be horribly confused ......

Well I certainly don't feel confused.

As far as I can figure out, postal workers collect and deliver mail. Something which I would find impossible to do myself.

Which bit do you reckon I'm getting wrong ?

Which bit do you reckon I'm getting wrong ?

Something which I would find impossible to do myself.

Do you mean you couldn't do a postie's job....

Pretty much so - yes.

How could I get on with my job if I had to spend the day driving around in a red van delivering and collecting my own mail ?

its a bit frustrating for me as I'm trying to excange contracts on my house and all communication is done by post, so these strikes will not help that in any way.
🙁

well at least our parcels will only be stacked up rather than stolen

It's called collective bargaining, a fundamental right in a democratic society, and often the only way employees have to prevent employers from completely taking the pi$$. I'd suggest that allowing employees to protect their jobs and/or conditions of employment is probably more important than someone receiving their titanium bolt on Tuesday instead of Monday. House contracts is a bit more irritating I'm sure, but I guess the whole point of striking is that it causes some short term inconvenience in return for what should be longer term stability/security.

That should be Monday instead of Tuesday. I know what I mean, but I don't even know what day it is.

It's called collective bargaining, a fundamental right in a democratic society,

Unless you work for McDonalds or Walmart.

its a bit frustrating for me as I'm trying to excange contracts on my house and all communication is done by post, so these strikes will not help that in any way.

You could always do it yourself...I think that's what being suggested above 🙄

Ok but tell me again why they are going on strike? Anyone?

I wonder why, if someone is doing a 'simple' job, it is ok for them to have rubbish working conditions or low pay or live in constant fear of being sacked? Why is it acceptable for hardworking people who are providing a SERVICE not a business, to struggle to have a home, family, food or whatever?

Lets face it, the public are paying for modernisation of a service - so that more people can go on the unemployed list or the tax credits for low paid list (which costs the coutry) so that the mail service can be sold of to foreign corportations who will make a vast profit at our expense.

Also, the 'new improved' mail service is ****. A couple of years back, my post came in the morning, now it does not turn up til mid afternoon, the post boxes round here were emptied a couple of times a day at a given time, now it says something like 'if we can be bothered we will pick up the mail at any time of the day, before 7.00pm' which is no use for something urgent. So, ok lets post it at the main city sorting office, which now also spins the same line and dispite being the main office, no longer empties its post boxes at all on a Sunday.

I use the post more these days than I ever have before, but I want the old ineffective service back - where I actually GOT service.

I feel so sorry for the postal workers as thier business is being run down into unsatisfactory rubbish by the managers who want to sell out.

I wonder why, if someone is doing a 'simple' job, it is ok for them to have rubbish working conditions or low pay or live in constant fear of being sacked?

But does that person have a right to retain that job for the rest of their working life, regardless of how much or little effort they put into it?

I worked for the Royal Mail between terms at uni, and then for a bit after I finished, a bit of delivery but mainly sorting office. It was by far the easiest unskilled minimum wage job I've had, plus heavily subsidised food and I was all done by lunchtime and could go and ride my bike. Yet I was surrounded by people with massive chips on their shoulders making out it was really difficult. If they think it's that bad why not go elsewhere?

[i]Ok but tell me again why they are going on strike? Anyone? [/i]
because it's been a few weeks since the last one

AndyP - Member
Ok but tell me again why they are going on strike? Anyone?
because it's been a few weeks since the last one

Crucial Fourth test and a decent weather forecast?

Well thanks to the Royal Mail, I get on great with my neighbours because we speak to each other every week when we deliver the mail to the correct adresses, something the postal service seems incapable of doing.
I've also taken to the new neighbours' wee lassie since she told me she closes my garden gate because the "postman doesn't do it, but there's a sign on the gate saying to close it, maybe he can't read and that's why you keep getting mummy's letters and mummy keeps getting the letters for the people with the big dog"

Postal staff worried about modernisation threatening their jobs? If every ****er got to keep their jobs despite technological advances, we'd all still employ stablehands for the upkeep of the horses that WE NO LONGER HAVE, so they can buy 52" TVs for their 10*10" lounge.

If you're job is so hard, how come simple machines can do the same thing at 100 times the pace for 24/7/365 without a break?

(Mr MC posting)

The post office is the single largest source of hours lost to industrial action in the UK, and accounts for a huge percentage of the overall total. Oxford (where we are) has always been known as one of the most militant depots though I have heard that there are cultural/bullying issues there.

One of the working conditions the PO sought to address in a previous round of disputes was the long-held practice of basically p1ssing off early when you'd done your round, rather than sticking around until the end of the rostered working day. I dont know if this was offered in lieu of other benefits and what level of sanction it had, but I can't think of many jobs where that practice would be accepted (and would welcome further explanation from posties into the facts behind it, it isnt a troll).

And I am totally lost with this "you cant do it so..." agrument. As aracer says I can do what a postie does, but not singlehandedly do what the organisation does, and I can't figure out how someone else being able to do something I can't do should give them carte blanche on working conditions or financial recompense.

And I am totally lost with this "you cant do it so..." agrument.

The same old tired lines come out every time the subject of postmen and the Royal Mail come up. Postmen are seen by the British public in the same light as bin men, street cleaners, traffic wardens, i.e. invisible, treated with contempt until they want to complain about it. Yes the Mangers aren't very good, yes the union is stuck in the 1970's, and yes not every postie is as diligent as he/she should be. It is however a fantastic service compared to many around the world, you actually get your mail delivered to your door, and if you have issues about the way your mail is being delivered, contact Royal Mail, don't bitch about it on a bicycling website. Most postmen just want to do there job, and your mail gets delivered despite the obstacles put in the way by the company and the postal regulator. It is a business that relies on humans, with that comes human error; are you or your business infallible?

Postmen are seen by the British public in the same light as bin men, street cleaners, traffic wardens, i.e. invisible, treated with contempt until they want to complain about it.

As I said before, I do think they have a point in this case, but the union does still seem to be pushing things (and has done many times in the past, hence the "crying wolf" issue).

Jupiter, well put. Can we close this thread now?

It's nearly bike riding time 😀

Well I can understand the workers point but I can also understand everyone hating posties as they are affected by the strike waiting for mail and important letters.

Thank god for email.

jupiter, I happen to like/respect my postie (slightly mad american who always wears shorts and is permanently I-podded), but the level of industrial action, whether or not its justified and whether or not it is indicative of poor working conditions, loses the public's sympathy/empathy. I am not anti-union (I happen to work for an organisation where industrial action is illegal), but is it any wonder the
"same old tired lines" keep coming out, when as you say the union is stuck in the 70's and so is the the public's reaction to it.

In my experience the US postal system is also examplary, the workers and the institution there is more respected. I routinely had high value parcels left on my front door step (about 4 feet away from a busy pavement) and never had anything taken-the mail is treated as sacrosanct.

If the union did something as simple as publicise their grievances before things broke down maybe the public might be more supportive of industrial action? The fact we are all ignorant of the grievances means the union has played into the management's hands, in that the public response is what youve seen here- "bloody lazy posties" rather than "crikey, they are treated like sh1t, good luck to them".

A classic example of too much union power.

Their mail delivery is essentially useless. Too much post goes missing to believe they're delivered to the wrong address. Just compare how often mail you post not arriving with the amount of other people's mail you receive, the two just dont tally. The RM has a glut of thieving bastards who probably make more money rifling through mail than they'll loose whilst on strike.

And don't get me started on Recorded Delivery and how it can't be tracked unless it arrives...

The sooner the RM is broken up, sold off and fixed the better

****ing workshy ****wits 👿

enfht=cock

Mr MC - more to the point, apart from the lack of poublic sympathy, businesses, the largest users of the service will be inclined to move their biusiness away to private couriers (I seem to be getting a lot of stuff via TNT just now), further weakening the position of themselves and their workers, and strengtheing the government's position with regard to privatising all mail deliveries.

You can blame the incompetent management all you want, but the biggest threat to worker security is increasingly coming from inept union mangement IMO, as they desperatly try to hang on to the last vestiges of power.

jupiter=thieving postie

BigButSlimmerBloke, how dare you blame the union management! Do you not realise that all they care about is the humble worker?

"And don't get me started on Recorded Delivery and how it can't be tracked unless it arrives..."

That might be because it's the DELIVERY which gets RECORDED, shame they don't make that clear from the name of the service...

So Johnners, what does Special Delivery mean? 🙄

"And don't get me started on Recorded Delivery and how it can't be tracked unless it arrives..."

That might be because it's the DELIVERY which gets RECORDED, shame they don't make that clear from the name of the service...

Owned.

I reckon Mandelson must be delighted with some of the comments on this thread, it gives him a mandate to privatise the PO. That will be a massive mistake.

There is lots of talk about modernisation and efficiency - unfortunately that usually means a drop in the quality of service and the number of services offered. If the PO is privatised expect to pay extra if you're posting something more than x miles; if you live in a rural area expect delivers a couple of times a week rather than daily; want something from Northern Ireland? that will cost you more too.

Do you not realise that all they care about is the humble worker?

but

That might be because it's the DELIVERY which gets RECORDED, shame they don't make that clear from the name of the service...

I reckon Mandelson must be delighted with some of the comments on this thread, it gives him a mandate to privatise the PO.

Wow, Mandy reads STW does he? Who do you think he is Captain Flashie? Ernie_Lynch? The Nuisance Formerly Known As Fred? No wait, don't tell me, this isn't a bike oriented web site at all,m it's actually a secret labour consiracy where they whip up their right wing politics knowing we, the lycra clad middle classes will spread them as gospel.
The quality of the shyte on this site just goes from strength to strength

Wow, Mandy reads STW does he? Who do you think he is Captain Flashie? Ernie_Lynch? The Nuisance Formerly Known As Fred? No wait, don't tell me, this isn't a bike oriented web site at all,m it's actually a secret labour consiracy where they whip up their right wing politics knowing we, the lycra clad middle classes will spread them as gospel.
The quality of the shyte on this site just goes from strength to strength

Yeah, cos i meant it literally...

"Hello, can I chase a parcel that hasn't arrived yet please"

"Certainly Sir, how did you send the parcel?"

"I sent it recorded, ref XXXX"

"I'm sorry Sir we can't trace that parcel because it hasn't arrived"

I think Johnners and CaptJon are both aliases for Postman Pat

CaptJohn what does owned mean? Is that "owned" like the cabin boy you have stowed below deck? 😕

BigButSlimmerBloke - Member

Wow, Mandy reads STW does he? Who do you think he is Captain Flashie?

Sir, that is a vicious statement. I demand satisfaction! Consider my gauntlet thrown. Pistols at dawn it is.

"Hello, can I chase a parcel that hasn't arrived yet please"

"Certainly Sir, how did you send the parcel?"

"I sent it recorded, ref XXXX"

"I'm sorry Sir we can't trace that parcel because it hasn't arrived"

I think Johnners and CaptJon are both aliases for Postman Pat

CaptJohn what does owned mean? Is that "owned" like the cabin boy you have stowed below deck?

You should use Special Delivery. And where i store my cabin boy is no business of yours, thank you very much.

Sir, that is a vicious statement. I demand satisfaction! Consider my gauntlet thrown. Pistols at dawn it is.

I have arranged with my second to send you details of an appropriate venue.
They're in the post.

"Hello, can I chase a parcel that hasn't arrived yet please"

"Certainly Sir, how did you send the parcel?"

"I sent it recorded, ref XXXX"

"I'm sorry Sir we can't trace that parcel because it hasn't arrived"

Another failed delivery adventure..
"yes we can trace that package sir, it's... let me see, ah yes, it's in the van"
"What van?"
"The delivery van which delivers to your address, it should be with you shortly"
"Excellent, when did it go in the van? (meaning what time, address is work, it's a big place, I'll go to the mail room and pick it up)
"Ahhh let me see, at 1:30 on the 14th"
"This is 10:30 on the 27th"
"yes, so it is"
"Does it take your van 13 days to drive 5 miles across town?"
"Apparently so, sir" Delivered with no hint of irony

You should use Special Delivery

What does that mean, using people with mental health problems to deliver mail? Are they any better than the "normal" posties?

LOL!

CFH you don't get to choose the weapon if you throw down the challenge. Call yourself a gentleman, pah. 🙂

Will the postie that delivers the bits my LBS needs to get my bouncer back on the trails please get on with it ?!
I'm having to do an unfortunate amount of lycra clad road riding 😳
Mind you, the trails look like gloop after the rain we've had this week.

I do seem to have not gotten a hell of a lot of mail over the past 6 months or so.

Bunch of w**s,this is peoples jobs and lives your knocking here - i am one of them and take great offence over some of the comments.I need a job to feed the family which i may fall "below the line" of cuts - surley that is worth fighting for! Its always the minority thats gives a bad name - what about the thousands of us who do a good job and just want to get on. I know we as a company have to role with the times - but just so some "managers" can get a few grand bonus is bo**s!

i am one of them and take great offence over some of the comments

I wouldn't worry too much about the the offensive comments made by some on here. After all, they are made by arrogant middle-class simpletons who are too stupid to realise that postal workers are fighting to defend a service which they use.

They are far too concerned about getting their mail one day late because of the strike, to have time to worry about the destruction of the universal pricing principle.

Of course when RM no longer provides a postal "service" and mail is delivered by a postal "business" then they can expect their mail to regularly arrive substantially later - depending on where they and the sender, happen to be.

Unbelievably, they trust the dodgy self-serving and twice forced to resign Baron Mandelson, and his mate the RM chief executive (who helps himself to £3 million a year as reward for closing down thousands of post offices*) to defend their services, more than they trust the CWU....... [i]that's[/i] how stupid they are.

.

*[url= http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/uk-world-news/2008/05/24/outrage-as-royal-mail-boss-adam-crozier-picks-up-3m-pay-86908-20427711/ ]ROYAL Mail boss Adam Crozier raked in £3million last year as his company closed 2500 post offices, it was revealed yesterday.[/url]

Well said Ernie, although i'm not sure what being middle class has to do with it.

i'm not sure what being middle class has to do with it.

The predisposition to be arrogant and condescending towards other people's jobs, is considerably more prevalent amongst the middle-classes than it is amongst the lower-classes.

The reference to "arrogant middle-class simpletons" was in response to muppet4's remark that he took "great offence over some of the comments".

I qualified my comment by using the words "[b]some[/b] on here". As, by no means do I believe [i]all[/i] middle-class punters on here are 'arrogant simpletons'.

Although....... [i]whilst on STW[/i] ...I am more than happy to express the same level of prejudice towards the middle-classes, as some are so willing to show towards those from lower social strata.

HTH

.I need a job to feed the family which i may fall "below the line" of cuts - surley that is worth fighting for!

As, by no means do I believe all middle-class punters on here are 'arrogant simpletons'.