Questions I’d like answered on Royal Mail

[Stormproof]

http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/colum ... -25075349/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;


Questions I’d like answered on Royal Mail

Nov 3 2009 by Denise Robertson, Western Mail
Add a comment


I BELIEVE in the right to strike when it is used as a last resort but I have never seen the point of striking against a firm on its last legs.

That is how I now see the Royal Mail.

That same Royal Mail used to be one of our crown jewels. It ensured that every citizen, no matter how remote their dwelling, was guaranteed the same service.

I’m prepared to pay taxes for such equality as long as I get value for money so I feel entitled to ask why the Royal Mail is in such a parlous state.

Was it bad management, in which case management should be sacked? Was it Spanish practices on the part of workers, in which case ditto? Was it bad decisions by this or previous governments or has it been edicts from the European Union which has brought the Royal Mail so low?

Answering those questions would have far more influence on me than not getting my letters for a week or so.

[dogfood]

I’m prepared to pay taxes for such equality as long as I get value for money so I feel entitled to ask why the Royal Mail is in such a parlous state.
Was it bad management

Yes.

Was it Spanish practices on the part of workers

No, I have worked for RM for 10 years and I have no experience of so called Spanish Practices. If there were any the company consistently made profits for many years whilst these practices were supposed to be happening. The workload on the postie is now so great many are lucky to finish their deliveries on time.

Was it bad decisions by this or previous governments

The previous Government took a 13 year break from paying into the pension scheme creating the huge hole in the funds. However, throughout this period the Postal Workers continued to make payments every week. We are now being robbed of our pensions.

Was it bad decisions by this or previous governments

Yes, European Parliament decided that the postal market should be open. This Government went head with this 2 years before it needed to be done creating this ridiculous situation whereby RM can not compete on a level playing field with other operators and has to deliver the mail of its competitors at a loss. RM loose money whilst Private companies profit at RMs expense.

[padraig1965]

I’m prepared to pay taxes for such equality as long as I get value for money so I feel entitled to ask why the Royal Mail is in such a parlous state.
Was it bad management

Yes.

Was it Spanish practices on the part of workers

No, I have worked for RM for 10 years and I have no experience of so called Spanish Practices. If there were any the company consistently made profits for many years whilst these practices were supposed to be happening. The workload on the postie is now so great many are lucky to finish their deliveries on time.

Was it bad decisions by this or previous governments

The previous Government took a 13 year break from paying into the pension scheme creating the huge hole in the funds. However, throughout this period the Postal Workers continued to make payments every week. We are now being robbed of our pensions.

Was it bad decisions by this or previous governments

Yes, European Parliament decided that the postal market should be open. This Government went head with this 2 years before it needed to be done creating this ridiculous situation whereby RM can not compete on a level playing field with other operators and has to deliver the mail of its competitors at a loss. RM loose money whilst Private companies profit at RMs expense.

Great post dogfood well done.

[damcka]

imo i think everything you mention is partially responsible for the position the business and its employees find themselves in.

The ways the business was run in the past with all the "perks" was unsustainable, and not fit for purpose.

The staff and CWU have become used to the "perks" (understandable) and find it difficult to adapt. Which comes down to problems with culture/ attitude etc.

Managers are have a very hard job (believe it or not) in challenging the various attitudes as well as managing a business within budgetary constraints.

A lot of (but not all) Managers in the business, are not fit for the job, and should have remained PHGs or have been led into some other supervisory role...

I guess what i mean is.....nobody is blameless.

[Wessex]

What perks was I meant to have had damcka ? Please be specific and I'm fairly sure I will be able to tell you I ve never had them.
I'll start with one Ive never had -the average National wage nor anything near it

[chunk]

I recently chatted to a number of staff in my local area, and questioned them about their strike action (which is over revision), to which 4 out of 5 said they felt the revison was "the right thing to do", "it had made their delivery easier", but "the CWU didn't agree, so that why we're out". that makes sense.......what the hell sort of business is this?

Does damcka still stand by this quote!
Your "Phd" obviously wasn't in maths as your 80 percent of happy workers doesn't really tally with the 75 percent that voted to strike.
stop union bashing as Ive read your posts. We are a democracy i'm a worker and the union work for me !
not the other way round.

[Big Daz]

What perks?

RML introduced job and finish not in the 1970's 20th century but 2004 in the 21st Century.

J and F is a very modern invention indeed!!!!!

J and F according to Mr leighton was designed to bring about mutal benefits, if that is no longer the case then why?

Decent top level managers would give a clear and coherent explanation as to why there has been a complete reversal of policy. .

[smokerjim]

imo i think everything you mention is partially responsible for the position the business and its employees find themselves in.

The ways the business was run in the past with all the "perks" was unsustainable, and not fit for purpose.

The staff and CWU have become used to the "perks" (understandable) and find it difficult to adapt. Which comes down to problems with culture/ attitude etc.

Managers are have a very hard job (believe it or not) in challenging the various attitudes as well as managing a business within budgetary constraints.

A lot of (but not all) Managers in the business, are not fit for the job, and should have remained PHGs or have been led into some other supervisory role...

I guess what i mean is.....nobody is blameless.

What perks are there? Two years ago, Crozier said in an interview that he had identified 92 ( then ) current Spanish prctices upheld by the union and the membership, and he detailed 12 of them that were printed in the Daily Telegraph 09/10/2007 ( http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/ ... spute.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; ) none of which I have personally experienced, nor heard of happening in 3.5 years, with the exception of the additonal meal and grace breaks, ( but if you have your MR after 3.5 hrs, and then work 2 hrs overtime, you must take at least 20 mins break after 8.5hrs cumlative aka 5hrs since your last break - and that is under EU legislation ).

Even now, we hear the mantra from management & mass media of Spanish practices.....but no one specifies what they are - it isn't because the worst they can find no longer exist to any degree, and have not existed for over 3 years is it? It isn't because any of these practices that do still persist, do so at the behest of local, area and national management, due to their use being of disadvantage or no advantage to the union or their membership? We ask these questions, but no one even dignifies us with an answer - I would ask you, damcka, to answer these questions ( becuase your post seems full of the wrong lexicon and syntax of an opg, but not that of an LM or DOM either - almost like a manager trying to think like a Blue Army soldier ) but because you might be able to answer those questions for me is the exact reason you will ignore and evade those questions.

[bitchface]

company on its last legs.......

would you be refering to the company that made a healthy profit this year,dispite the global recession?
the same company that payed the top man 5 million in pay and bonuses?
the company that has just given managers a 10 million pound bonus pot between them ,whilst freezing our pay?


your taxes donot pay our wages.royal mail has made profits for 350 years.all the money going to the exchequer to lower your taxes.in the 90's it was billions of profits.
it wasnt until this government crippled royal mail by forcing them to deliver competators mail for a loss that we became less profitable

the reason for privitsation is because of our pensions black hole.but if part privatised the goverment will cover it...well ask yourself why it doesnt just cover it and leave it as it is..
the answer the government will get its hands on our pension pot of well over 40 billion pounds.as it is they cant touch it

can you think of,oh i dont know,40 billion reasons the government wants privitisation???????????????????????

it was only stopped because of public outrage....force us to strike and outright lie in the press and the public are already saying it....sack um all,privavtise them.

please think for yourselves people.its not about pay ,its about the future and it belongs to all of us.

[dogfood]

Great Post Bitchface

This should be sent to every media outlet in the country. How many would have the balls to print it?

[dimble]

I’m prepared to pay taxes for such equality as long as I get value for money so I feel entitled to ask why the Royal Mail is in such a parlous state.
Was it bad management

Yes.

Was it Spanish practices on the part of workers

No, I have worked for RM for 10 years and I have no experience of so called Spanish Practices. If there were any the company consistently made profits for many years whilst these practices were supposed to be happening. The workload on the postie is now so great many are lucky to finish their deliveries on time.

Was it bad decisions by this or previous governments

The previous Government took a 13 year break from paying into the pension scheme creating the huge hole in the funds. However, throughout this period the Postal Workers continued to make payments every week. We are now being robbed of our pensions.

Was it bad decisions by this or previous governments

Yes, European Parliament decided that the postal market should be open. This Government went head with this 2 years before it needed to be done creating this ridiculous situation whereby RM can not compete on a level playing field with other operators and has to deliver the mail of its competitors at a loss. RM loose money whilst Private companies profit at RMs expense.

Great post dogfood well done.

It's the less interlectual (had to go to univercity because I needed more than the standard 11 years education to get me into employment) brigade that are causing these problems. Sad people.
Dimble.

[stokes11eg]

'was it bad Management?" you've answered your own question. Everything is down to Management!

[Big Daz]

Define healthy profit ?

Based on offical figures as set out in the 2008/2009 accounts RML does not have a healthy profit as it's profit of 58 million is less than 1% of revenue.

Unless of course the figures in the accounts are complete and utter lies?

[borders]

imo i think everything you mention is partially responsible for the position the business and its employees find themselves in.

The ways the business was run in the past with all the "perks" was unsustainable, and not fit for purpose.

The staff and CWU have become used to the "perks" (understandable) and find it difficult to adapt. Which comes down to problems with culture/ attitude etc.

Managers are have a very hard job (believe it or not) in challenging the various attitudes as well as managing a business within budgetary constraints.

A lot of (but not all) Managers in the business, are not fit for the job, and should have remained PHGs or have been led into some other supervisory role...

I guess what i mean is.....nobody is blameless.

what perks are you talking about ? the media seem to have forgotten about the staff that work in the Mail Centres. they work to their time and have done for years now. with regards to the delivery staff , Mr A. Leighton was happy with job and finish, people could come in early , work through their meal reliefs, take their own cars out on delivery all in return for making a bit of time at the end of their shift. now if your Top Boss offered you this and was happy with this practice , whats the problem and more to the point what the hell has it got to do with anyone else ?

[bitchface]

Define healthy profit ?

Based on offical figures as set out in the 2008/2009 accounts RML does not have a healthy profit as it's profit of 58 million is less than 1% of revenue.

Unless of course the figures in the accounts are complete and utter lies?

daz you do know what profit is dont you?
its how much actual money you have after paying all costs .
58 million is profit.rocket science it isnt....well for most of us

and thats after the extra millions for the pension fund,and managers multi million pound bonus pots.

and all the lost employment tribuneral costs.running into millions for lawyers ,staff ,payouts...

i could go on forever..but you get the drift..your on a loser here daz.percentage of revenue is a distraction by idiots to prove that its in a pickle...profits are profits..end of.the fact it could have been more if managment were competent is not my concern