Why strike?

[notpastit]

As a customer, I have been viewing comments with interest.
Guys - your union is letting you all down big time and as the columnist says
'The dispute is seeing the fastest migration in business customers that Royal Mail has ever experienced and the longer the strike goes on, the worse the situation is becoming. Far from protecting job losses, postal workers are actually ensuring they happen.'
I totally agree with him and am transferring my business elsewhere – and you will be aware of many customers doing the same!

Your union is trying to stop essential changes to automation which will help stop the rot - to RM - of business going elsewhere; competitors already have such equipment. Strikes will most certainly NOT stop job losses, it will only increase the likelihood that they WILL happen. If the union was not playing it’s own games, and thus ignoring your best interests, they should be actively co-operating with RM to ensure all possible efficiencies; the country can see this – why can’t you and your ‘leaders’?
They appear not to have any sort of plan – everyone, especially customers, would be more impressed if you worked for no money on ‘strike’ days. It would actually show that you understand the issues and the implications on your own jobs of striking.

RM has 'lost' tens of thousands of managers in the last few years, all of whom left with good voluntary redundancy or early retirement packages - RM has never made anyone compulsorily redundant so job issues will only become an issue if the business is not turned around urgently; further strikes will help ensure that compulsory redundancies become inevitable.

It is unbelievable that the majority of union members cannot see this; there will always be a minority of trouble makers but they should be ignored in this situation.
You may not like the sound of this but it is the real world - it is high time you saw that and faced the reality!
You are only hurting yourselves and colleagues by striking.

[Stormproof]

everyone, especially customers, would be more impressed if you worked for no money on ‘strike’ days

Customers may well be going elsewhere, but we are still delivering it, look on the envelopes of all your 'junk mail'!

[cruisey]

It's good to have input from outside the business notpastit. But my friend, i don't think you understand the real reasons why this strike is happening.
Initially there were 22 strings set out in RM's business plan for us to earn £8 a week extra. To earn this £8, we would have to give up allowances of £12 per weekfor starting later, (your post could arrive at 2pm). Scheduled payments for collections, rest day working etc, a reduction in weekend processing meaning a cut in the service we provide, sunday and bank holiday collections being ceased meaning a drop in service, zero payment for door to door items of which we currently get paid, (average loss £25 per week) there are more strings. You should write to RM and ask them for a list.
On top of this they pay out £40M managers bonuses for quality of service. The quality of service is only provided by the frontline staff not by the idiots in charge.
Postal workers don't strike for no reason. Its's been 11 years since the last strike. Mr Leighton is trying to strip workers pay and conditions to the bone in exactly the same way he did at asda.

[DGP1]

As a customer, I have been viewing comments with interest.
Guys - your union is letting you all down big time and as the columnist says
'The dispute is seeing the fastest migration in business customers that Royal Mail has ever experienced and the longer the strike goes on, the worse the situation is becoming. Far from protecting job losses, postal workers are actually ensuring they happen.'
I totally agree with him and am transferring my business elsewhere – and you will be aware of many customers doing the same!

Your union is trying to stop essential changes to automation which will help stop the rot - to RM - of business going elsewhere; competitors already have such equipment. Strikes will most certainly NOT stop job losses, it will only increase the likelihood that they WILL happen. If the union was not playing it’s own games, and thus ignoring your best interests, they should be actively co-operating with RM to ensure all possible efficiencies; the country can see this – why can’t you and your ‘leaders’?
They appear not to have any sort of plan – everyone, especially customers, would be more impressed if you worked for no money on ‘strike’ days. It would actually show that you understand the issues and the implications on your own jobs of striking.

RM has 'lost' tens of thousands of managers in the last few years, all of whom left with good voluntary redundancy or early retirement packages - RM has never made anyone compulsorily redundant so job issues will only become an issue if the business is not turned around urgently; further strikes will help ensure that compulsory redundancies become inevitable.

It is unbelievable that the majority of union members cannot see this; there will always be a minority of trouble makers but they should be ignored in this situation.
You may not like the sound of this but it is the real world - it is high time you saw that and faced the reality!
You are only hurting yourselves and colleagues by striking.

Anyone reckon this is a manager??

[dogfood]

I think the Union and workers are aware that job losses are inevitable it is how RM goes about the changes that are causing the strife.

[jafferpants]

RE DISGRUNTLEDPOSTIE'S COMMENT, ANYONE RECKON THAT LEAD LETTER IS FROM A MANAGER. NO MY FRIEND IT'S FROM A PRIZE PRATT OF THE HIGHEST ORDER AND IF HE HAD ONE MORE BRAIN CELL HE'D BE POND LIFE. IT WASN'T LONG AGO THE GOVERNMENT WAS ASKED TO SAY SORRY TO BLACK PEOPLE FOR THE SLAVE TRADE 200 YEARS AGO SO WHY THE f**k DOES HE THINK IT'S ALRIGHT FOR US TO WORK FOR NOTHING NOW. IF YOU'D LIKE TO LEAVE US A CONTACT ADDRESS WE'LL ALL HAVE A WHIP ROUND FOR ONE OF THE NEW DRUGS TO TREAT DEMENTIA BECAUSE YOU OBVIOUSLY ARE NOT A FULL SHILLING. NEVER MIND NOTPASTIT I DON'T THINK YOU EVER REACHED IT.

[darude]

Top post jafferpants

[POSTMAN GATTUSO]

[hi you might be changing mate where 2 parceline still waiting 4 my parcel posted on the 12th where next other courier service not in taken back 2 depo ,you have 2 phone this no ,not your postman he will try his best give it to your next door neighbour trying 2 help you ,people like you who forget about it watch this space told u so.

[pilot]

As a customer, I have been viewing comments with interest.
Guys - your union is letting you all down big time and as the columnist says
'The dispute is seeing the fastest migration in business customers that Royal Mail has ever experienced and the longer the strike goes on, the worse the situation is becoming. Far from protecting job losses, postal workers are actually ensuring they happen.'
I totally agree with him and am transferring my business elsewhere – and you will be aware of many customers doing the same!

Your union is trying to stop essential changes to automation which will help stop the rot - to RM - of business going elsewhere; competitors already have such equipment. Strikes will most certainly NOT stop job losses, it will only increase the likelihood that they WILL happen. If the union was not playing it’s own games, and thus ignoring your best interests, they should be actively co-operating with RM to ensure all possible efficiencies; the country can see this – why can’t you and your ‘leaders’?
They appear not to have any sort of plan – everyone, especially customers, would be more impressed if you worked for no money on ‘strike’ days. It would actually show that you understand the issues and the implications on your own jobs of striking.

RM has 'lost' tens of thousands of managers in the last few years, all of whom left with good voluntary redundancy or early retirement packages - RM has never made anyone compulsorily redundant so job issues will only become an issue if the business is not turned around urgently; further strikes will help ensure that compulsory redundancies become inevitable.

It is unbelievable that the majority of union members cannot see this; there will always be a minority of trouble makers but they should be ignored in this situation.
You may not like the sound of this but it is the real world - it is high time you saw that and faced the reality!
You are only hurting yourselves and colleagues by striking.

Notpastit - what a T*ss*r!

If you are a business man then you will understand the simple economics of profit and loss. Adam Crozier signed an agreement that allowed every major competitor to undercut Royal Mail's prices, the agreement was "Downstream Access". Royal Mail can charge as a minimum 18p per item for delivery, the "Downstream Access" agreement allows competors charge as low as 13p per item, as a business man you would, if you were sending vast amounts of mail use the "Downstream Access" option as this would be far cheaper than using RM. Crozier signed this agreement with NO commercial pressure or indeed directive from the regulator to do so. This is one of the major issues that RM is now in such a position, not the Union letting its members down, more like INCAPABLE executives running RM into the groud ready for privatisation - who do you think will get massive share options? Not a difficult question is it - Crozier & leighton of course.

Notpastit - if you don't understand all the issues keep your f***ing stupid remarks to yourself. w****r (ps - what unit do you manage in RM?)

[IWW Fellow Worker]

I normally wouldn't bother to read anything which refers to everyone as 'Guys', just as I wouldn't pay much attention to anyone who begins a message with the word 'People'. I get this image of a git in a suit who drinks Perrier water or coffee, walks about with a laptop in a shoulder bag, uses words like 'performance indicator', 'best practice', 'flexing and tweaking' and 'touch base'. These are all hallmarks of an Estuary English speaking ponce. But this little gem:

Your union is trying to stop essential changes to automation which will help stop the rot

Tells me you are a lying Estuary English speaking ponce.

[BoltonPostie]

Iww i like the cut of your jib and i wish to subscribe to your newsletter.
Top bloke.

[IWW Fellow Worker]

Iww i like the cut of your jib and i wish to subscribe to your newsletter.
Top bloke.

Cheers mate!

Here's my Alter Ego who writes about the great game of rugby league from time to time.

M. Cheshire of Warrington writes about The Greatest Game for Last Tackle. www.lasttackle.com


Considering our game does not receive the coverage due to it in our national press, we do seem to attract some high profile supporters. I hear that Australian star of stage and screen Mr Russell Crowe is an avid follower of South Sydney Rabbitohs, Mr David Hinchliffe MP, watches Wakefield Trinity whenever his busy schedule allows, soccer player Mr Alan Smith is a Castleford fan and comedy actors Mr Johnny Vegas and Mr Ricky Tomlinson watch St Helens.

On a recent visit to London, I had the very good fortune to bump into Lord Douglas of Hoyle when his Rolls Royce motorcar almost ran me over as I stepped off the platform of an AEC Routemaster omnibus at Marble Arch. Lord Douglas is well known to be a supporter of Warrington Wolves and I instantly recognised him as he wound his window down and ordered his chauffer to reverse and finish off “that stupid old sodâ€

[Jan Molby]

Yep, we need to be more modern. that's why my managers keep telling me "it's not the 70s" even though i wasn't born then. that must also be why some of our best pickets are lads in their 20s.

You stop trying to give us victorian working conditions, and we'll stop "acting like it's the 70s".

[IWW Fellow Worker]

Yep, we need to be more modern. that's why my managers keep telling me "it's not the 70s" even though i wasn't born then. that must also be why some of our best pickets are lads in their 20s.

You stop trying to give us victorian working conditions, and we'll stop "acting like it's the 70s".

The brother of our DUM keeps on saying "It's not the 70s" every time we hold a meeting outside the gates. He's in his late 30s and has 17 years service. What could he remember about working life in the 70s? I remember the 70s. Around our way, Dunlop's closed through lack of investment. They were using a paintbrush and a bowl of red paint to paint the lines around tyres. The German plant had a turntable with a jet nozzle attachment for example. Tate and Lyle closed because the business brains didn't have the wit to see European beet sugar was the future and carried on bringing in cane sugar from the Carribean. For a company which made it's cash during the slave trade, it's ironic that their lagacy is a modern art gallery built right on the docks. Standard Triumph (or Pressed Steel Fisher) closed down because they invested millions in a sports car which looked crap and for which there wasn't a market. Within a few years, both factories had closed down. Often the workforce was sent home for days on end because of over-production.

As for the idea that no one can afford to strike these days because everyone has more responsibilities, people had mortgages to pay back then. More people rented, but if you fell behind with the rent, you could be evicted. Fall behind with the mortgage and the building society will try to help for a while.
It might not be the 70s, but the mentality of bosses doesn't change. They're still grabbing scum and Leighton and Crozier are just the modern day Ian McGregor and Michael Edwades.

[strangler]

I normally wouldn't bother to read anything which refers to everyone as 'Guys', just as I wouldn't pay much attention to anyone who begins a message with the word 'People'. I get this image of a git in a suit who drinks Perrier water or coffee, walks about with a laptop in a shoulder bag, uses words like 'performance indicator', 'best practice', 'flexing and tweaking' and 'touch base'. These are all hallmarks of an Estuary English speaking ponce. But this little gem:

Your union is trying to stop essential changes to automation which will help stop the rot

Tells me you are a lying Estuary English speaking ponce.

Good post. Sounds like he overdosed on WTL.