What happens on the day of a strike

[steve7]

Hi everyone, I know this sounds a silly question but...On the day of the strike what happens?, you go to the picket line, then is it a case of standing around? the union sheet we had at work says you can stay for as little or as long as you like. I take it the local papers come along and take pictures etc?. Forgive me I've never been involved in a strike, so if anybody has been involved in a Royal Mail strike before, any info would be appreciated. Thanks

[postieblueshirt]

I've been out on loads of strikes but we never had a picket line I'm in a different office now and they used to in the past.But it will be closed on strike day so don't know of they will picket or not.in the past I've stayed at home.withdrawing your labour is the most important thing

[pinstripe]

First of all, you don’t have to turn up to the picket line. You can if you want to, but you don’t have to.
If you decide to turn up remember you are there as a show of solidarity with your work mates
Stay as long as you like

[cobrakai]

Once on a strike day we all decided to go to the coast. It was best day I’ve ever had at rm tbh. The important thing is not working and making sure that we stick together.

I firmly believe this is strike to make the company survive this time.

[Pharox]

Each time I've been out on a national strike, I've never been to the picket line. When we've had local issues, I've been on one then for a couple of hours. Our rep as asked everyone to turn up for the picket line on Friday, as we are one of the LAT / parcel hub office, he is thinking that if there is a picket line, various agency staff will not cross it. I know Manpower have said their staff will not cross and heard today that Blue Arrow will not cross either. I don't know if Blue Arrow is a local or national agency.

[steve7]

Thanks everyone for the replies. I'm thinking I should show my face as I did vote YES, and like you say it shows solidarity. So you turn up and you just stand with your workmates for however long and basically that's it? sometimes you see them on the news shouting and chanting thats what made me think. Also is it likely the local papers will turn up wherever you are?

[pinstripe]

Your rep should ensure that there is no shouting or intimidating behaviour as that is the sort of thing RM would love to see, they’d be straight to the courts to have our strike declared unlawful. Local press may show up, but probably won’t. Basically, you’ll spent a few hours hanging out with your mates, swapping stories and jokes and earning the respect of your fellow strikers.

[greengiant]

From what I understand you can have only 6 people on an official picket line plus picket supervisor. Everyone else who wants to support the picket has to stand further down the road or on the opposite side of the road etc.

[LaggyBand]

I’m going down for a chat a bacon butty and a fag. Our office is closed but we are smack bang in the centre of the town so wanted the public to see us and we’ll talk to them if they want. I’ll probably stay down for an hour n half.

[hans solo]

You should have made up Rotas for everyone striking to do their bit
Don’t leave the same people doing everything
Easy enough to get volunteer to times
And you can also pop down to support your pickets
I will be doing both

[Simondavid]

Going to spend the day with strange women who lives in my house for past 2 years like ships in the night just paying bills Enough is ENOUGH !!