BA and Royal Mail have to change.

[Geezer]

Editor's Blog

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MT editor Matthew Gwyther's take on the burning business issues of the day.

Editor's blog: Painful changes at BA and Royal Mail

Strikes are damaging to everyone, except the competition. But BA and Royal Mail have to change.

I watched Channel 4 News last night – BA strike – followed by the Panorama about the lamentable state of the Royal Mail. It was enough to remind you of the bad old days of 3 day weeks, when I did my homework by candlelight and the rats ruled London’s streets.

Relations between management and staff need to have got pretty awful within an organisation for the workers to down tools. It’s like a marriage where the rowing has escalated into chucking things, including fists. The company is badly damaged by loss of business and reputation, the staff lose money; the competition is the only winner. Everyone gets angrier and more miserable. There has to be an easier way, you might think. Get in the marriage guidance folk at ACAS.

What you cannot argue with is that BA and the Royal Mail desperately need to change how they do things, otherwise oblivion beckons. I’d rather travel BA than Ryanair any day, but you simply cannot sustain a contract system which pays a 'cabin services director' £56,325 when the equivalent at Ryanair makes do with two bob and a toffee apple. Beardy Branson only pays his lush Barbie and Kens who shove the trolleys nineteen grand.

BA cabin crew go on about Willie Walsh being confrontational and not shaking their hands when he’s onboard in seat 1A. He may be no charmer and a little deficient in the Emotional Intelligence stakes, but he has a job to do – to ensure his airline survives. And many will not make it out of this downturn. But he clearly hasn’t done the job of winning hearts and minds. And if the strike goes ahead, screwing up the emotion-laden plans of a million Christmas travellers, then everyone in his airline will suffer – staff and management.

As far as the Royal Mail is concerned, I fear the game is up and in the medium term the organisation is a basket case. Looking at that footage of all those millions of letters whizzing through high-tech sorters, I couldn’t help but wonder why on earth we still bother with paper, stamps, franking machines, and postie gallantly lugging them all down the street when the net does away with such a wasteful process. (Except getting your copy of MT delivered each month, of course.)

The postman Panorama interviewed was a thoroughly depressed man who’d been pacing the streets for 26 years and looked ready to burst into tears at the prospect of being told to walk at 4mph to increase his efficiency. You felt some sympathy for him. But many Royal Mail people I come across are surly and not very likeable at all. Quite the reverse of charming brand ambassadors who stop for a kindly chat with lonely OAPs, they speed down the 20mph street where I live in their trucks and Transits at 35mph plus, giving you the finger and a mouthful of abuse if you dare to make any comment. At their worst they appear like an unmanageable rabble, whingeing and fiddling while their organisation is levelled by the firestorm of the market.
Published Dec 15 2009, 08:19 PM by Matthew Gwyther
All Comments

[axeman]

***** With a capital P

[norbert]

***** With a capital P

as Corporal Jones used to say they don't like it up 'em - a lot of union bashing waffle about biting pillows - Nasty character assianation - take prozac - you'll be all right and walk faster

He did post a parcel once though - the " magic " powers of the market that worked so well with the utilities , the tube and the trains

Glorified Saloon Bar bore stuck in a 80's time warp

[La Poste]

But many Royal Mail people I come across are surly and not very likeable at all. Quite the reverse of charming brand ambassadors who stop for a kindly chat with lonely OAPs, they speed down the 20mph street where I live in their trucks and Transits at 35mph plus, giving you the finger and a mouthful of abuse if you dare to make any comment. At their worst they appear like an unmanageable rabble, whingeing and fiddling while their organisation is levelled by the firestorm of the market.

Sounds like a well balaced and thought out article.
No bias that I can see.

[Scarlet Pimpernell]

He obviously wasn't paying attention when he watched Panorama, if he doesn't understand the driving habbits that some feel pressurised into adopting.
they speed down the 20mph street where I live in their trucks and Transits at 35mph plus, giving you the finger and a mouthful of abuse if you dare to make any comment.

Well what does he expect. When people are given targets which aren't achievable any other way?
Don't get me wrong. I would never condone dangerous driving. But some people give in to the pressure. And that's also why they're likley to react badly, to being criticised for doing it.

[Dogs of War]

The difference between BA and Royal Mail is that BA are losing 400 million a year and Royal Mail are making 400 million. So which company has to make major change we all know which one. :cfo :cfo :cfo :cfo :cfo

[bogstandard]

heard some bloke the other day on radio 5 talking to a unite rep (i think) about his wish to see his son get married and his grandson get christened in south africa, how he really needed to be there and couldnt the proposed action get sorted around a table and why do they have to go on strike.
i belive that their boat is similar to ours in that these are the actions of the frustrated.
Frustrated because at every turn doors are closed, ears are closed, opportunities are rejected for the "my way or the highway" attitude of senior RM management.
What really galls me is that joe public doesn't have a problem with anyone wishing to join a union, indeed they may even encourage it, but hold on a minute there my friend when you mention strike action. What do you mean strike action, you and your ilk are dinosaurs.

I tell you he'd soon be moaning his arse off down the pub with his mates about the lack of trolly dollies and the p*ss poor service and oh yeah never agin will he use B.A., if they're gonna treat people like cattle he's gonna go easy jet, at least that's what you expect.

FFS strike action is not the first thing someone thinks of to get their voice heard its the absolute last.

At no point were BA approached to find out why they were being so ridgid and inflexible, honestly, i think the feelings of the public cannot be brought in to any decision making. Why should some bloke be allowed to devalue what i do, pay himself more in a year in bonuses than i may possibly earn in a lifetime, if it comes to it, and my job and thousands of others are on the line i hope my actions will cost him his job too, he really is pond life of the lowest order.

[Yahoorsur]

The postman Panorama interviewed was a thoroughly depressed man who’d been pacing the streets for 26 years and looked ready to burst into tears at the prospect of being told to walk at 4mph to increase his efficiency. You felt some sympathy for him.


Not asking for your sympathy,the 4mph cant be done,did you watch the full programme you dope?,ah buts its all about increasing 'efficiency',,so that makes it all right then,what a w****r,as me old gran used to say 'dont ask somebody to do something you cant do yourself or your not willing to try yourself',lets see if he can give 4mph a go and we will see if he's ready to burst into tears.