Well paid yes or no?

[k979aaa]

I'M GOING TO GIVE A SLIGHTLY MORE POSITIVE VIEW ON A FORTY YEAR CAREER WITH ROYAL MAIL. WAS TOLD AT THE OFFSET THAT I'D HAVE A JOB FOR LIFE.WOULD PAY MY MORTGAGE OFF.THAT I'D NEED TO COMMIT A HENIOUS CRIME TO GET FIRED. WENT THROUGH TWO YEARS AS A WALK POSTMAN,THEN ON TO BE A P.H.G. MANY YEARS PUTTING IN AT LEAST 25-30 OVERTIME A WEEK AND I WAS AT THE LOWER END OF THE BUNCING PHENOMONOM. THEN SPENT MANY YEARS ON T.P.O BEFORE THE POWERS THAT BE [QUITE RIGHTLY.BUT ANNOYINGLY] DECIDED THAT IT WAS FAR TOO COSTLY TO RUN.SO BACK INTO THE OFFICE WHERE A CUSHY LITTLE NUMBER IN THE BENEFITS AGENCY AROSE AND MORE YEARS OFF THE FLOOR WERE SPENT. GOOD THINGS CAME TO AN END SO IT WAS DECISION TIME.TWENTY YEARS AGO GOT DIVORCED,BOUGHT ANOTHER HOUSE,HAPPILY LIVING A SINGLE LIFE WHILST BEING IN A RELATIONSHIP,DECIDED TO TAKE A PORTION OF MY PENSION WHEN I TURNED 55,PAID OFF MY MORTGAGE,STOPPED DOING OVERTIME. ALTHOUGH KNOWING I WOULD LOSE A PERCENTAGE OF MY PENSION I WOULD BE RECIEVING AN AVERAGE SIX GRAND A YEAR SO NOT REALLY LOSING AT ALL.FIFTEEN MONTHS AGO I VOLUNTARILY DECIDED TO CUT MY HOURS DOWN TO 16 A WEEK [TWO NIGHT SHIFTS] THIS GIVES ME £230 IN MY BACK POCKET. I ALSO TAKE MOST OF MY LEAVE IN THE SUMMER WHICH MAKES IT A SIX DAY WEEKEND INSTEAD OF FIVE DAY WEEKEND. I'LL BE 66 IN FEBRUARY AND THE FINAL DECISION WILL HAVE TO BE MADE, RETIRE WITH ALL THE MAINLY HAPPY MEMORIES, 0R PERHAPS THE NEW MANAGEMENT WILL HAVE DECIDED. EITHER WAY I'M FINANCIALLY SECURE AND WILL ACCEPT EITHER WITH GOOD GRACE.

COULD BE WORSE 46 NOW WITH VERY EARLIEST RETIREMENT 57 AND GOD KNOWS WHEN AFTER COVID-19 STATE RETIREMENT THANK YOUR LUCKY STARS SOME WILL SAY BUT THE PILLAGING OF PENSIONS WAS RAISED BY ME ON HERE AND YET IT WAS AT THE FIRST AGREEMENTS HEART BUT SUCH LITTLE THINGS FALL ON WHIMSICAL HEARTS YOU ALL VOTED FOR IT IN THE PAST!

[wacko74]

I'M GOING TO GIVE A SLIGHTLY MORE POSITIVE VIEW ON A FORTY YEAR CAREER WITH ROYAL MAIL. WAS TOLD AT THE OFFSET THAT I'D HAVE A JOB FOR LIFE.WOULD PAY MY MORTGAGE OFF.THAT I'D NEED TO COMMIT A HENIOUS CRIME TO GET FIRED. WENT THROUGH TWO YEARS AS A WALK POSTMAN,THEN ON TO BE A P.H.G. MANY YEARS PUTTING IN AT LEAST 25-30 OVERTIME A WEEK AND I WAS AT THE LOWER END OF THE BUNCING PHENOMONOM. THEN SPENT MANY YEARS ON T.P.O BEFORE THE POWERS THAT BE [QUITE RIGHTLY.BUT ANNOYINGLY] DECIDED THAT IT WAS FAR TOO COSTLY TO RUN.SO BACK INTO THE OFFICE WHERE A CUSHY LITTLE NUMBER IN THE BENEFITS AGENCY AROSE AND MORE YEARS OFF THE FLOOR WERE SPENT. GOOD THINGS CAME TO AN END SO IT WAS DECISION TIME.TWENTY YEARS AGO GOT DIVORCED,BOUGHT ANOTHER HOUSE,HAPPILY LIVING A SINGLE LIFE WHILST BEING IN A RELATIONSHIP,DECIDED TO TAKE A PORTION OF MY PENSION WHEN I TURNED 55,PAID OFF MY MORTGAGE,STOPPED DOING OVERTIME. ALTHOUGH KNOWING I WOULD LOSE A PERCENTAGE OF MY PENSION I WOULD BE RECIEVING AN AVERAGE SIX GRAND A YEAR SO NOT REALLY LOSING AT ALL.FIFTEEN MONTHS AGO I VOLUNTARILY DECIDED TO CUT MY HOURS DOWN TO 16 A WEEK [TWO NIGHT SHIFTS] THIS GIVES ME £230 IN MY BACK POCKET. I ALSO TAKE MOST OF MY LEAVE IN THE SUMMER WHICH MAKES IT A SIX DAY WEEKEND INSTEAD OF FIVE DAY WEEKEND. I'LL BE 66 IN FEBRUARY AND THE FINAL DECISION WILL HAVE TO BE MADE, RETIRE WITH ALL THE MAINLY HAPPY MEMORIES, 0R PERHAPS THE NEW MANAGEMENT WILL HAVE DECIDED. EITHER WAY I'M FINANCIALLY SECURE AND WILL ACCEPT EITHER WITH GOOD GRACE.

What a great first post, I enjoyed reading that Kempy. I share a very similar philosophy to yourself, I 'work to live' rather than the other way round. I fully understand most people are under constraints to have to work many hours a week because of family commitments, but would thoroughly recommend this alternative approach. Be interesting to see if the last 6 months will see people appraise they way they have been living their life and make better work/life choices (if finances allow).
regards

It's quite easy to have the ''work to live'' philosophy if you've enjoyed the insanely generous levels of pay and pension and readily available employment opportunities all handed to you on a plate if you happen to be one of the ''Boomer'' generation, as outlined by kempy.

These days that kind of work-life balance isn't an alternative or an option for anyone on a modern day posties wages no matter how frugal you are and no matter how well you try and make your ''life choices''.

This isn't a boomer bashing post, just stating a fact.

[mickeymacca]

No I don't think you are Boomer Bashing, I think you are pretty accurate. But how many guys of Kempsy' generation and service length do you have in your office that weigh in with 10+ hours of OT a week? And that's not a criticism of them, everyone's situation is different. For me, I respect that someone who has the opportunity to enjoy his free time has taken that option rather than continue to work because they value money more, when there is no imperative for them to do the OT. Moreover, if more long-termers had this outlook there would be more OT available to the younger generation and those that require the money more, to establish themselves financially.

Regardless, Like an earlier poster said, in the SE its very difficult to get yourself on the property ladder esp. if you are having to pay rent while trying to save for a deposit. I don't think a 'career' with RM is the best move in this case, I'd be using it as a route to train to do something more lucrative.

I don't agree that in other parts of the country you can't have a work-life balance as a postie with a frugal approach, because I do.

regards

[Woody Guthrie]

It's not very accurate and a bit lazy to call them boomers.

The "Boomer Generation" is generally considered to cover those
born between 1946 and 1964.

Most of those guys have moved on, even those who are still around left school straight into the eighties, high unemployment and Thatcher and didn't benefit from the same kind of protection that those born in the 50s did.

This is not the first generation to find economic conditions difficult. There was 10% unemployment when I left school and thousands of applicants for every job. The wage I started on at Royal Mail was a pittance.

[mickeymacca]

And there was really high inflation in the 1970s, and even the 80s compared to more recent times.

[wacko74]

And there was really high inflation in the 1970s, and even the 80s compared to more recent times.

Along with really high wage inflation, where as these days they just conveniently ''look through'' CPI & RPI in order to suppress wage inflation.

[wacko74]

I don't agree that in other parts of the country you can't have a work-life balance as a postie with a frugal approach, because I do.

regards

That was my point the ''boomers'' were able to have a fantastic work-life balance without needing to adopt a frugal approach, they could literally have their cake and eat it.

[mickeymacca]

These days that kind of work-life balance isn't an alternative or an option for anyone on a modern day posties wages no matter how frugal you are and no matter how well you try and make your ''life choices''.

This isn't a boomer bashing post, just stating a fact.

Its not that big a deal, but that is not what you posted, you wrote it wasn't an option no matter how frugal.
But house price inflation in the late 90s early 00s is probably the most significant factor in limiting the younger generation from reaching a level of financial security.
regards

[Woody Guthrie]

I don't agree that in other parts of the country you can't have a work-life balance as a postie with a frugal approach, because I do.

regards

That was my point the ''boomers'' were able to have a fantastic work-life balance without needing to adopt a frugal approach, they could literally have their cake and eat it.

Yeah sure mate, with what they paid us it was just cake every day, sometimes even trifle.

[Tman]

I don't agree that in other parts of the country you can't have a work-life balance as a postie with a frugal approach, because I do.
regards

That was my point the ''boomers'' were able to have a fantastic work-life balance without needing to adopt a frugal approach, they could literally have their cake and eat it.

Yeah, those years under Tha*cher of yo-yoing interest rates of between 10- 15.5% and high unemployment were the golden years.
Never had it so good, as some other useless Tory PM said earlier.

[mickeymacca]

I don't agree that in other parts of the country you can't have a work-life balance as a postie with a frugal approach, because I do.
regards

That was my point the ''boomers'' were able to have a fantastic work-life balance without needing to adopt a frugal approach, they could literally have their cake and eat it.

Yeah, those years under Tha*cher of yo-yoing interest rates of between 10- 15.5% and high unemployment were the golden years.
Never had it so good, as some other useless Tory PM said earlier.

Harold MacMillan :)

[wallan]

I'M GOING TO GIVE A SLIGHTLY MORE POSITIVE VIEW ON A FORTY YEAR CAREER WITH ROYAL MAIL. WAS TOLD AT THE OFFSET THAT I'D HAVE A JOB FOR LIFE.WOULD PAY MY MORTGAGE OFF.THAT I'D NEED TO COMMIT A HENIOUS CRIME TO GET FIRED. WENT THROUGH TWO YEARS AS A WALK POSTMAN,THEN ON TO BE A P.H.G. MANY YEARS PUTTING IN AT LEAST 25-30 OVERTIME A WEEK AND I WAS AT THE LOWER END OF THE BUNCING PHENOMONOM. THEN SPENT MANY YEARS ON T.P.O BEFORE THE POWERS THAT BE [QUITE RIGHTLY.BUT ANNOYINGLY] DECIDED THAT IT WAS FAR TOO COSTLY TO RUN.SO BACK INTO THE OFFICE WHERE A CUSHY LITTLE NUMBER IN THE BENEFITS AGENCY AROSE AND MORE YEARS OFF THE FLOOR WERE SPENT. GOOD THINGS CAME TO AN END SO IT WAS DECISION TIME.TWENTY YEARS AGO GOT DIVORCED,BOUGHT ANOTHER HOUSE,HAPPILY LIVING A SINGLE LIFE WHILST BEING IN A RELATIONSHIP,DECIDED TO TAKE A PORTION OF MY PENSION WHEN I TURNED 55,PAID OFF MY MORTGAGE,STOPPED DOING OVERTIME. ALTHOUGH KNOWING I WOULD LOSE A PERCENTAGE OF MY PENSION I WOULD BE RECIEVING AN AVERAGE SIX GRAND A YEAR SO NOT REALLY LOSING AT ALL.FIFTEEN MONTHS AGO I VOLUNTARILY DECIDED TO CUT MY HOURS DOWN TO 16 A WEEK [TWO NIGHT SHIFTS] THIS GIVES ME £230 IN MY BACK POCKET. I ALSO TAKE MOST OF MY LEAVE IN THE SUMMER WHICH MAKES IT A SIX DAY WEEKEND INSTEAD OF FIVE DAY WEEKEND. I'LL BE 66 IN FEBRUARY AND THE FINAL DECISION WILL HAVE TO BE MADE, RETIRE WITH ALL THE MAINLY HAPPY MEMORIES, 0R PERHAPS THE NEW MANAGEMENT WILL HAVE DECIDED. EITHER WAY I'M FINANCIALLY SECURE AND WILL ACCEPT EITHER WITH GOOD GRACE.

What a great first post, I enjoyed reading that Kempy. I share a very similar philosophy to yourself, I 'work to live' rather than the other way round. I fully understand most people are under constraints to have to work many hours a week because of family commitments, but would thoroughly recommend this alternative approach. Be interesting to see if the last 6 months will see people appraise they way they have been living their life and make better work/life choices (if finances allow).
regards

It's quite easy to have the ''work to live'' philosophy if you've enjoyed the insanely generous levels of pay and pension and readily available employment opportunities all handed to you on a plate if you happen to be one of the ''Boomer'' generation, as outlined by kempy.

These days that kind of work-life balance isn't an alternative or an option for anyone on a modern day posties wages no matter how frugal you are and no matter how well you try and make your ''life choices''.

This isn't a boomer bashing post, just stating a fact.

I started in 1963 , aged 16 the pay was £4 - 16 -0 a week for 48 Hrs , a Postman did NOT GET ON FULL PAY UNTIL THEY WERE 28 Yrs Old , Over time was compulsery , if you failed scheduled O T you could & would be " Fined " an hour,s pay

[k979aaa]

I was 6 days a week you had to do it it was not an option when people say the union has done nothing for me do they mean personally union fees only go so far. listen we all have a future in this land and we need to make it right for everyone not just those in their ivory towers or mansions just outside London with their helly pads. Nothing is given unto us all we have to work at it and fight for our rights for dignity and respect as we work or are in despute with our employer things never get better by chucking the towel in. Freedoms are won and not given rights are to be beholden by the bequeathed terror shall be vanquished by the brave. All these rights things were fought for through proper bloody hardship sweat and tears we as we all are should never forget the sacrifice of those we cannot hear now.

[mickeymacca]

That's a superb effort Wallan delivering since the year JFK was assassinated. All in the same office?

How many years have you done K9? and surely I'm not the only postie on this forum with a helipad

regards

(I haven't really got a helipad, I've got a vauxhall corsa)

[k979aaa]

30 plus if you must know was not talking about posties having helipads but those that rule the roost as they say it is nonspecific but I believe you need to spit it out as occasion I do!