official industrial action

[Big Daz]

smaller offices itching for ia just waiting on one of the big areas to lead

What type of IA?

[Tman]

I also wonder why if it is an unskilled job that they allow up to 6 weeks training, including ring fenced duties, to allow people to learn it. Thats about the same length of time the RAF take to train you in basic military skills.

To have "skill" or "skills" is not the same as being classed as "skilled".
To be referred to as skilled normally required successful completion of a four/five year's (or even longer) apprenticeship.
Lorry drivers require skill, but it sure doesn't take four years at five days a week to get an HGV license.

[andy2007]

I also wonder why if it is an unskilled job that they allow up to 6 weeks training, including ring fenced duties, to allow people to learn it. Thats about the same length of time the RAF take to train you in basic military skills.

To have "skill" or "skills" is not the same as being classed as "skilled".
To be referred to as skilled normally required successful completion of a four/five year's (or even longer) apprenticeship.
Lorry drivers require skill, but it sure doesn't take four years at five days a week to get an HGV license.

Actually, for a job to be classed as skilled. It must require specific qualifications (either Vocational or Academic). Unskilled jobs, are the ones which require little if any qualifications on the part of the applicant. And none, which are vital for the task.

For example: To be a Delivery Postie, you need to be able to read and write English. But don't actually need a GCSE in English. You also need a good memory, a good sense of direction, and good interpersonal skills. But again, no formal qualifications are required.

To Drive a Lorry, you need at least a C License, and a C+E to drive Artics. You can't be employed to do the job unless you have those qualifications. Hence, it's a skilled job.

The length of the training required, is irrelevant. It's the fact that there are 1 or more essential qualifications, in order to perform the tasks involved in the job.

[Tman]

The length of the training required, is irrelevant. It's the fact that there are 1 or more essential qualifications, in order to perform the tasks involved in the job.

See my post above Andy. Seems you're still confusing have a skill with being skilled. There's a world of difference; just ask the blokes in the job centre...

[spilie]

i suppose you description could cover MP`s too jennifer but the scary thing is all we can do is f**k up your mail while MP`s can and frequently f**k up our lives

[axeman]

And perhaps the illfated driver of the royal fail artic !!!!!

[andy2007]

What about Computer Programmers (2 year course)?
System Analysts (2-4 years depending on course)?

There are many others, although I don;t know the exact length of the courses. I come from a background of Computers, so that's why I know what courses are needed. Although my qualifications are hopelessly out of date now (pre Windoze).

[dvbuk55]

A thought on which to ponder. For all intents & purposes most RM work is unskilled labour. Where oh where are all these people going to get jobs if they misbehave in RM & collapse the business? They seem to think that RM owes them a living! Therea re now so many hardworking men & women out there who have lost their jobs who would come into RM at the drop of a hat & work like Billeo.

We'll probably stay at home doing the washing and ironing and making the tea. Royal Mail employees aren't responsible for the recession, the greedy bankers, the money grabbing lords and all the ills this nation suffers and if hard work counted for anything all those men and women wouldn't be out of work - but of course it isn't that simple is it - oh and primarily all those out of work are also unskilled, shop assistants, production workers et al.

[axeman]

oh dear me another turns up '''''jenifer'''' your talking from the wrong orifice

[Tman]

You know what i KNOW i could become a skilled spanner before i ever become a skilled delivery OPG!

I can make a pretty good meal; doen't make me a chef, and I can make a fairly good attempt at wood-work, but that doesn't make me a chippy.

It's the old cliche, "you don't know what you don't know", although if you got "a few shocks" when doing that wiring, maybe YOU should know what you don't know? Let's hope your missus and kids don't suffer through that incompetence.

[andy2007]

To be fair, he's got a good point about unqualified people doing DIY electrics. If you've made any mistakes, it could result in an electrical fire, later. How long ago did you do the work?
If it was a long time ago, then you should be ok, as any problems would have shown themselves by now. If not, please get a qualified electrician to come and check that you did a proper job. There's far more to it, than just connecting up some wires.

I had to learn about electrics as part of my courses in Computers, back in the days when we actually repaired them. Rather than just replacing entire Circuit Boards. Including of course the Transformers (240 VAC). You'd be surprised just how much difference it makes, using the correct grade of wire. Too thin, and it overheats, risking a fire. Too thick, and there's too much resistance, which reduces the efficiency.

[Tman]

Yah gotta learn somehow brother and learn i did. LOL. And the only suffering the wife and kids have had to endure was the cash saved from some overpaid sparkie and plumber!

Now that's an interesting concept.
So if, say 30,000 Ukrainians came here and said we could do the job of RM posties much cheaper (not better, just cheaper) and the media (led by the vile Sun, no doubt) proclaimed that cash could be saved by not using some over-paid British postie, you'd happily accept that?

Hang on, it's already happening......oh, well, I guess you won't protest too much then, eh?

Its saved them / us tens of thousands! What a hard life for the wife and kids.

It may come to that yet. Many a kiddie's been electrocuted and houses burnt down because some monkey thinks he knows what he's doing, and by getting "a few shocks" you've proved that's you...

Now spanners need to be careful cause when they get machines or cheap labour to fix machines there wont be jobs for spanners and that will be a real tragedy wouldnt it.

I wouldn't know, as I don't know what point you're making.

[andy2007]

It sounds like you would do well on the proper training courses. That way you could do the whole thing yourself. You could do it in the evenings.

[andy2007]

It sounds like you would do well on the proper training courses. That way you could do the whole thing yourself. You could do it in the evenings.

Nah i love being a Postie and saving the odd bob or two. Although looking at the D2Ds i have been delivering they want us all to be plumbers brickies and electricians at a price for the course of course.

I wasn't suggesting that you give up being a Postie. But you could earn a lot of money, fixing electrical appliances in your spare time.

[dvbuk55]

If only I was technically trained - but like linkin, I've rewired, re-plumbed, plastered, tiled, laid bricks, installed solid fuel central heating and fires, fitted windows and doors, repaired washers and cookers, landscaped gardens, put in fencing, grown vegetables and fruit, built computers, the last one just a few weeks ago, repaired and configured them, painted and decorated, replaced slates on the roof and installed outdoor aerials - I have to admit I was trained for many of the things as I went to college - but the reason why I did them, apart from jobs I was paid to do, was because I knew I could do it and I couldn't afford to pay people to do it.

So I would say, read a book and apply the knowledge, nothing is impossible.