Working after strike days

[ddtc]

Personally I'm not bothered what people do and I've said it to people at my office. No one knows what circumstances people are in so why stress about it, just do what you want to do.

In my opinion as long as the majority of colleagues strike then we're all good. If I was a business I'd be seriously thinking now as its heading to xmas about switching to someone else. Doesn't matter how much backlog there is or isn't. The businesses won't know what is and isn't delivered and its this uncertainty that the strikes are causing that will hit RM. Major backlog will come soon enough anyway when other couriers can't handle the extra workload, and they start fobbing parcels back to us.

[geordieboy123]

If it means people can afford to strike for as long as we need to then I don't care if they're working their day off or doing some overtime. The most important thing is to not cross the picket lines.

It’s also very important that we don’t clear the backlog of work after strike action as what’s the point? The action which is costing members money and heartache has got to hurt the company to the max

[POSTPERSON50]

If it means people can afford to strike for as long as we need to then I don't care if they're working their day off or doing some overtime. The most important thing is to not cross the picket lines.

It’s also very important that we don’t clear the backlog of work after strike action as what’s the point? The action which is costing members money and heartache has got to hurt the company to the max

Striking this Tuesday is a weak one. Ok, it keeps the strike action in the public eye, but it's a financial blow for us all which will have little effect on the operation on that occasion

[Mickeybrowneyes]

If it means people can afford to strike for as long as we need to then I don't care if they're working their day off or doing some overtime. The most important thing is to not cross the picket lines.

It’s also very important that we don’t clear the backlog of work after strike action as what’s the point? The action which is costing members money and heartache has got to hurt the company to the max

Striking this Tuesday is a weak one. Ok, it keeps the strike action in the public eye, but it's a financial blow for us all which will have little effect on the operation on that occasion

Most places the work wouldn't have caught up from Thursday's work. Only three working days in between so I can see why they have done it.

Getting busier as well, then rolling strikes week after.
Hopefully we get something before the rolling strikes although not convinced at minute.

[Zicomurphy]

If it means people can afford to strike for as long as we need to then I don't care if they're working their day off or doing some overtime. The most important thing is to not cross the picket lines.

It’s also very important that we don’t clear the backlog of work after strike action as what’s the point? The action which is costing members money and heartache has got to hurt the company to the max

Striking this Tuesday is a weak one. Ok, it keeps the strike action in the public eye, but it's a financial blow for us all which will have little effect on the operation on that occasion

Will have to wait and see. I did wonder myself why they would pick a Tuesday, the lightest day of the week. I would guess it’s because of mail centres being out on the Tuesday night, the heaviest night of the week. It could actually have a bigger impact than the action we’ve seen so far.

[Dorset Plodder]

I feel we need to keep focused on the fact that this series of Strikes may have been called for by the CWU but they're certainly not to blame for them!

Several posters come across as begudging having to Strike, and the loss of income, as if the CWU is somehow in the wrong.

ROYAL MAIL, and in particular the CEO: SIMON THOMPSON, caused these Strikes (perhaps even engineered them for his own ends).

These Strikes ... The Pressure on Royal Mail ... The Loss of Important Contracts .... The worry about Christmas ... can all be made to go away very easily. All Simon Thompson has to do is get back to the negotiating table ( preferably Turning Up) and start talking about resolving them.

I think we all need to keep in mind that all this guy thought we were worth was a 2% payrise, and decided to tear up every agreement we've made in the past. At the same time going behind everyone's back and trying to sell off the profitable parts of the Business (no doubt getting a nice back hander). I know who I blame for this situation!

[priority102]

There is one pause for thought that I know the ones on here who can't think outside the box will pour scorn on, but those who can see further than the end of their noses will spare a minute to reflect on;

Royal Mail are standing firmer than they ever have before, stating that the company has to make substantial savings, modernise to compete and allow Royal Mail to run the company rather than the CWU.

The CWU are opposed to this, causing strikes etc; the CWU have an alternative plan on how to run the company but it's pretty obvious that RM won't be told how to run their business by a union, so even if the CWU's plan was a brilliant one, it won't get there for that reason alone. The idea now being to bring down the CEO due to the volumes of revenue we lose to competitors.

I am CWU 100%, I must add, I was offered the opportunity to become an associate member when I left and took it up.

BUT, the fact is, unlike the old days before RM lost the monopoly, a lot of the revenue lost will never come back, there is no doubt that RM are amongst the best for deliveries but even if this dispute is settled, the clock immediately starts ticking to the next dispute. It never changed in my 25 years with the company and there is no evidence to suggest it will in the future. Companies using RM do not want this constant uncertainty in today's volatile market, so may well stick with their new couriers as a result. I for one have sent several parcels since the dispute began, each time using other couriers as I simply didn't want the hassle of them being held up and having buyers chasing me up as a result. Each and every one I sent has arrived as planned (so far).

So, when Thompson is finally shown the door, any new CEO coming in will have no option but to continue along the same lines, but by then many more savings and efficiencies will have to be made due to the substantial loss of business and the need to realign the costs accordingly.

Anyone who clings on to the belief that there will be redundancies is in my view daft, as by then so many will have realised the gravity of the situation and left to move on to grab one of the MANY far better jobs out there now that pay decent wages but also give you the decent outside life as well, so natural wastage will save them millions of pounds, those who stay will fill the vacancies and keep having to mop up the daily mess.

My family and friends have said I have changed totally since I left, I feel so much better in myself as well, it really is a great feeling finishing on a Friday afternoon each week knowing that is it until Monday, going out with friends and family on a Friday night or simply cuddling up to the wife with a glass of wine and a film...and not falling asleep 10 minutes after the film has started.

I realised that nothing would change, it was a big decision after just over 25 years, but I have never looked back. With RM & the CWU it really IS a vicious circle, akin to what you see everyday between political parties - no one ever wins, and no one ever admits they're wrong.

[DirtyHarry]

Totally agree mate, People will be coming in early today and working over to clear the backlog. All it's proving to me is that 6 days of Mail can be cleared in 5, which is what they want.

There are far too many of our colleagues who lack the plain common sense to see the wisdom of that, I'm afraid.

[KnowItAll]

Working overtime after strike days is cheaper for RM too. Hourly rates for overtime are lower, and not pensionable. Also, for those saying agency cost RM more, bear in mind that they don't pay agency holiday, sick pay, pension contributions, etc. Which rather softens the blow.