PRESTON DO WALKOUT

[pauliboo]

I don't work for the Royal Mail, but I do work for a similar giant 'untouchable' Aerospace company based in the North West which has been in the news recently.
I'm a Unionist through and through, I volunteer as the Workplace rep, and Equality Rep and becuase of my disability I specialise in Disability issues.

Although I can understand why the workers went on strike, surely it isn't fair on the customers?
If it was an official strike then customers can plan around that, but with no notice you have inconvenienced a lot of people.

We (the unions) will support you, but I worry that the general public will be getting annoyed and stop supporting your causes, and once you have lost public support it won't be easy fighting.

[dubdaz]

We (the unions) will support you, but I worry that the general public will be getting annoyed and stop supporting your causes, and once you have lost public support it won't be easy fighting.

The public did'nt support later deliveries,the cancelation of 2 deliveries down to 1,and many other desisions RM have made over the years,but it still happened.The publics support whilst very nice to have, when push comes to shove does'nt count for a bag of beans to RM or us.
The tube workers pay and conditions are fantastic because of Bob Crowe and his union,yet they have next to no 'public support'.
The wages of top directors pay does'nt have 'public support' (or shareholders) but do they care? I dont think so.

[TrueBlueTerrier]

Although I can understand why the workers went on strike, surely it isn't fair on the customers?

But who decides what is fair. Is it fair that a CWU member was suspended and a potentially Unite (CMA) member involved in the same incident was not. Apparently they were both having an exchange of views.

If it was an official strike then customers can plan around that, but with no notice you have inconvenienced a lot of people.

But whenever we go on strike we inconvenience the public that's the nature of a strike. Should we respond to an immediate and unfair suspension of 1 member and a continuing saga of bullying and harassment by organising a ballot and then giving notice of a strike which is the legal approach. Or should we show management that some things are unacceptable. Sometimes an immediate illegal strike is the correct response, and if RM had not dug their heels in an agreed to at least discuss that matter, the strike could have been over in 30 minutes.

As a Unionist, albeit one that has our Managers as members , you must realise that the press never give the whole story, and sometimes action is required no matter the consequences.

We (the unions) will support you, but I worry that the general public will be getting annoyed and stop supporting your causes, and once you have lost public support it won't be easy fighting.

Thanks for the qualified message of support.

[TheCobra]

We (the unions) will support you, but I worry that the general public will be getting annoyed and stop supporting your causes, and once you have lost public support it won't be easy fighting.

The public did'nt support later deliveries,the cancelation of 2 deliveries down to 1,and many other desisions RM have made over the years,but it still happened.The publics support whilst very nice to have, when push comes to shove does'nt count for a bag of beans to RM or us.
The tube workers pay and conditions are fantastic because of Bob Crowe and his union,yet they have next to no 'public support'.
The wages of top directors pay does'nt have 'public support' (or shareholders) but do they care? I dont think so.

This is an excellent response which I agree with!!

[pauliboo]

I was possibly a little harsh with my reply.
And you are right, if the media actually reported what had actually happened it may have been perceived better.

i was volunteering at my doctors surgery yesterday for the annual Flu Day, the amount of complaints we got becuase they had only received their letters the day before/that day was immense. I wasn't expected to field complaints but I did to stop the staff getting the abuse. The letters were sent out (albeit by 2nd class - this is the NHS) last Monday and so would have been expected to arrive no more than a week later, which would have given time for people to ask for time off from their employers.

I will reply more later, need to do some 'work' today...

[Lounge Lizard]

I was possibly a little harsh with my reply.
And you are right, if the media actually reported what had actually happened it may have been perceived better.

i was volunteering at my doctors surgery yesterday for the annual Flu Day, the amount of complaints we got becuase they had only received their letters the day before/that day was immense. I wasn't expected to field complaints but I did to stop the staff getting the abuse. The letters were sent out (albeit by 2nd class - this is the NHS) last Monday and so would have been expected to arrive no more than a week later, which would have given time for people to ask for time off from their employers.

I will reply more later, need to do some 'work' today...

I understand volunteering for a decent charity but I don't understand "volunteering at my doctors surgery yesterday" given the billions of pounds of taxpayer's money the NHS gets, the massive incomes it pays to GPs etc, the inefficiency, the wastage, etc. but we've been programmed to believe how marvellous the NHS is, especially the Olympics opening ceremony, all those children in hospital beds, but never mind that dodgy DJ lurking in the background.