Postal Strikes

[clacher_holiday2]

Or do those union members who dont want job cuts and at same time expect salary increases honestly believe that crippling their company with walk outs is going to solve the problem?

I mustve missed something but I wouldve thought that every day they dont work, their courier competitors will be making enough money to eventually ground them all out of existence.  The government will only bail out the Royal Mail until they are deemed surplus to requirements, which will get closer with ever hour they arent working.  I have sympathy with anybody who is being forced to lose their jobs, even if the reasons are glaringly obvious but the majority of workers who would be keeping their jobs can only achieve cutting their own throats.  It's not the 1960's, Britain isnt as dependant on the service as it once was and never will be again.  The speed items are passed around the country and the logistics behind it all are ridiculous but its not impossible for somebody else to do.

or have I missed something?  Is there the odd Billion being wasted every year elsewhere in the company that could save these peoples jobs?

Dont they realise strikes that slow down everything I buy from amazon just p1ss me off

[+Gringo]

Strikes are a pain the erse at the best of times. The only people that suffer through strikes are the general public and not the companies themselves. Companies can recover from strikes (most of the time) but some individuals may not, including the workforce. Lots of small businesses depend on the postal service as alternatives are generally more expensive. For the postal workers to take this action is nothing short of criminal.

To those postal workers that are on strike may I suggest you just resign your post and give it to someone who really wants a job.  :finger02:

[Guest donmac298]

Is that single finger display deemed appropriate behaviour for a senior moderator?

[Scotty]

Is that single finger display deemed appropriate behaviour for a senior moderator?

lets just dispel a little myth here once and for all ......

Admin, and any of the moderators (senior or otherwise) are just as entitled to express a personal opinion as anyone else who comes on here .... so long as what they post falls within the site rules.

Mods/Admins cannot remove the "moderator" badge from their profile when posting so the fact that they have agreed to help with the (hopefully smooth) running of the site has absolutely no relevance when they are posting something as a normal user.

The moderator tag is only of relevance when they are moderating something or policing the forums - and it should be patently obvious to anyone when someone is, or is not, wearing their "moderator hat".

[clacher_holiday2]

:finger02:

Well said Gringo, apparently the strike will cover Today :finger02:, Saturday :finger02:, Monday :finger02: and Tuesday :finger02: :finger02:.. with further  :finger02: 48 hour  :finger02: walkouts planned until the dispute is resolved, absolutley scandelous.  None of them deserve to keep their jobs if ONE single person or business goes under because of this action.

[Guest donmac298]

Not "patently obvious" Scotty.

[Scotty]

Not "patently obvious" Scotty.

I would disagree. If they are moderating a thread or editing a post, they are wearing the mod hat. If they are making a post of their own they are not. quite simple. But this is going off-topic so thats my last word on it.

[Guest donmac298]

Thank goodness for that... the last thing we want is another Scotty "War and Peace" post!

[Kingsmills]

Despite leftish political leanings I can't for the life of me see what the posties hope to acheive by this strike except inconveniencing business and the public to a greater or lesser extent and hastening the end of the universal postal service and many of their own jobs.

[tm4tj]

crikey colin, do any of your letters get to the right address?

[Kingsmills]

If I'd known thirty years ago that they were going to invent the internet I would have learned to type !  :003: :003:

[+Gringo]

Is that single finger display deemed appropriate behaviour for a senior moderator?

If I want to give a personal view on an issue that affects me I will do. The mod' status does not mean I have to keep my mouth shut. I suggest you bare this in mind in future and stop trying to drag a thread off topic by making such stupid comments. Millions of people are affected by this unecessary strike - including you - but, then again, maybe nobody writes to you.. 

[Guest donmac298]

Who's expecting you to keep your mouth shut?  I am just as much affected by this annoying postal strike as anybody else, you silly boy!

[kiltarlity]

To my mind

Strike action will achieve nothing except get the public/business backs up.  This in turn will weaken public support for a nationalised postal industry.

All you are doing is bringing yourselves one step closer to being privatised...

G

[L_G]

Who's expecting you to keep your mouth shut?  I am just as much affected by this annoying postal strike as anybody else, you silly boy!

:021: When were you last called a boy Gringo, biggest compliment of the day.  :015: :015:

Sorry just taking this more off topic, maybe we can get back to the postal strike topic.  I am waiting for a cheque to arrive, but as I'm going on holiday on Monday I now won't be able to bank it until the middle of next week.  This causes me significant inconvenience.

[IMMORTAL HOWDEN ENDER]

:finger02:

Well said Gringo, apparently the strike will cover Today :finger02:, Saturday :finger02:, Monday :finger02: and Tuesday :finger02: :finger02:.. with further  :finger02: 48 hour  :finger02: walkouts planned until the dispute is resolved, absolutley scandelous.  None of them deserve to keep their jobs if ONE single person or business goes under because of this action.

Quote Clacher - The number of smileys says it all IHE - deemed a sign of attention seeking.  :024:

One rule for one and one for another.  :024: :023: :014: :blah01: :sillywave:

[clacher_holiday2]

Sorry just taking this more off topic, maybe we can get back to the postal strike topic.  I am waiting for a cheque to arrive, but as I'm going on holiday on Monday I now won't be able to bank it until the middle of next week.  This causes me significant inconvenience.

Middle of next week  :015:  Theyve downed tools until Wednesday 3am, youll be lucky to get it by next Saturday if they arent striking again.

The goverment will have a Xbillion number in a safe somewhere that will be the limit they are willign to subsidise the postal service, every day they CWU strikes they'll be geting alot closer to it, then the plug will be pulled and everybody will lose their jobs.  Future economic downturns will lower xbillion considerably, these workers are insane.

Post will stop for all of a week before British Mail or whoever come into existence and take over, which will signal the end of virtually the last massive union in this country and hopefully I'll never have to wait over a week for a letter again.

Are we still counting number of smilees, thought we played that yesterday  :finger02:

[IMMORTAL HOWDEN ENDER]

Yas can all get tae feck - I've a feckin cat to feed.

:rotflmao: :rotflmao: :rotflmao: :rotflmao: :rotflmao:

IHE 2 CLACHER 0  :crap01:

[clacher_holiday2]

Was that on topic or off topic?  :018:  ..who cares its not the house of lords

[canuck]

As an ex-postie (albeit many moons ago) I am interested in the mail strike.What are the issues? I remember having to work overtime to earn a decent wage and the biggest'' kicker''was working every Saturday, especially when most people were on a five day week. It was a real ''bummer'' coming off the ''Strath'' dance bus, going home, getting changed and going to deliver Her Majesty's Mail every Saturday morning. As far as I know they still work a six day week.

I know their pension plan was very poor also. Their extremely unsocial hours, both in the dayshift and evening shifts would'nt suit too many. There are, I am sure some ''plusses'' but possibly outnumbered.

Could somebody please enlighten me? What was the strike vote? Do they have a history of bad Management/ Union relations? Is the Union too militant? Are they demanding too much? Is the Corporation looking for cut-backs/concessions? Who holds the ''high cards?''

I know we have some ex Union officials who are regular users of this site, maybe they could ''shed some light'' and hopefully not too biased! I am interested to know why they went out as I was one who ''downed tools'' during the strike in the late 1960's. If I remember correctly we had to go back with little or no gains.

Hopefully it will end soon with minimal disruption.

[+Gringo]

The unsociable hours of a Posties job has been like that ever since the service came into being. All those that applied for the job of Postman/Lady will be aware of this and shouldn't use it as ammo in a strike situation. Have a read of the story on the Beeb web site Day in the Life of a Postman. My heart bleeds for this guy...not! I've been doing shift work for 35 years and that has included Christmas Day and New Year Eve and New Year Day so they needed feed me that bull.

[clacher_holiday2]

The big difference now is that being a postie doesnt necessarily have to be a job for life (if it ever was), like any employee in any field, if the job isnt providing satisfaction then you do something about it yourself, you should head down to the job center and you apply for something better.

Are the Royal Mail providing an essential public service?  Aye!  But as far as I'm aware theyre privatised now, not sure they should have right to just go on strike or get goverment protection for it.  They've been losing hundreds of millions a year since going private ffs!

I've no idea, if there are some former Union types on here then maybe they could clear things up, give us a hint as to when the workers will do the smart thing and get back to work!

[PullMyFinger]

Isn't it great living in a democracy where you can withdraw your services in protest at your working conditions etc., without fear of reprisal.

Electronic mail has all but killed off the posties job. Most of my mail is junk and goes straight in the bin.

I would however be a bit upset if the posties jobs were to disappear as I'd have to collect my mail from the post office (as in some rural areas or from a designated locker in the street akin to the USA).

We are all victims of the house price boom and as time marches on more and more industries are going to be faced with industrial action where the employees struggle to make a living.

Don't criticise them for fighting for a better wage.

[clacher_holiday2]

My gripe is fairly straight forward.  If being a postie isnt earning you enough money or taking up too much of your time then retrain as something else, apply for something better, do more for the extra money or accept that for wage increases mean cuts have to be made elsewhere.

It is great living in a democracy, myself, gringo and whoever else that has been inconvenienced by the walk out are entitled to have our say the same as the posties are, we're even allowed to be p1ssed at them.  As for reprisals, we all know nothing will happen to those involved, no matter what the economics dictate!  You said it yourself, electronic mail is taking over and the Royal Mail staff wont accept cut backs?!

If I wanted a better wage and the company I worked for was losing hundreds of millions a year, then I'd need a bloody good reason before switching off the computer and waiting for negotiations to swing my way.

[+Gringo]

Don't criticise them for fighting for a better wage.

But they knew what it was like before they filled in the application form for the job in the first place. And if by publishing the 'Day in the life of a Postie' story they're thinking it'll make me sympathise with them, it won't - it just gets my back up even more.

I'm working the night shift next week, seven nights Mon thru to Sun with 12 hours shifts on Sat and Sun night - that's just too darn unsociable, think I'll go on strike for better conditions.