[Update] The Royal Mail strike thread

[Ben B]

Urgh I hate these strikes they're gonna delay my Visa Debit card!

[webcrawler2050]

Originally Posted by Ben B

Urgh I hate these strikes they're gonna delay my Visa Debit card!

I've just applied for a new bank account, thats going to be delayed, which means, I aint going to get paid "on time"

http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/Bus..._Workers_Union

Also, what a joke. Are the Union moron's seriously trying to annoy a sleeping giant?

[Stuart]

Originally Posted by arcamalpha2004

While I respect your opinion I do not agree.
Why do we not all work 80+ hour weeks for £2.50 per hour because after all, these are hard times, and hey, atleast we have a job!

Hmm.. Don't see many postmen working 80+ hours a week, and I live two streets away from the local sorting office (I would notice, they use my street as a free car park).,

The royal mail are obviously not short of money, looking at their recent actions, taxi's for scabs etc.

What, Taxis for people clearing the backlog caused by who? Oh yes, the strikers..

The guys pay their union subs they're entitled to their rights.

They are. The customer is also entitled to a decent service.

Rizzi, can the hospital not find other ways of delivering your appointment card? plenty of private couriers out there.

So, an NHS that already has massive funding shortages should use couriers to do something that the Royal Mail is already supposed to be doing?

If the Royal Mail want the Backlog cleared they should pay them the going rate regardless of the action.
Or the Posties could just work their normal hours which will mean longer to clear the backlog.
If I work overtime I like to be paid for it.

Why should they be rewarded for clearing a backlog they caused? If I cause a backlog of my own work, I am expected to clear it with no reward.

Would you be paid overtime to clear a backlog of work you caused? If no, why should the Royal Mail be any different?

I've been given a 10 day window to fill in the fraud documents that Barclays sent to me..I hope that they get there in time because the implied threat is that the case won't proceed if they arrive late even though I got them late..and despite the assurances I was given at the bank yesterday I'm not too sure that they will care if the documents sit in some sorting office somewhere instead of being delivered to the correct address within the 10 day window.

I sympathise as I do think the government handed a very unfair situation to the Royal Mail management after giving away the money making parts of their service to other companies and leaving them with the very much reduced snail mail to try and make profit on.

Inevitably it was going to impinge onto the postal workers and their working conditions,pay and job security.

However destroying the goodwill of the public is no way to win their support.

Originally Posted by webcrawler2050

Damm straight you are lucky to have a job. I know people in the job centre, who would kill to have a job and they wouldnt care. The fact they are in work would be an achievment to them.

Atleast you have a job. I think your being a tad over the top there, if your working for that, then your just not all there, it's against the law. So report it. #

Re: the hospital apointment, why should the NHS of all people, WASTE vital cash on a "private" delivery firm, which could be used to treat somebody?

Jesus.. I am with RM of this one aswell. Why should you be paid anymore to clear the backlog you created? I mean, what the HELL?!?!?!

Talks arnt gonna happen properly as it seems RM are sticking to their guns. I think, all the VM employees should be dismissed and temps taking on through an agency..

Webcrawler, the fact that the country is in the state it is in, which by the way is not the fault of the Royal Mail Workers or Anyone other than the Government, is no reason for Workers Rights to be Ignored.
Do you not Get that?
The Health Service should have in place contingency plans, correct?
The RM ( not VM ) Workers are taking Lawful Action, you may find that inconvenient or not agree with it but that is their given right, a right that they pay weekly/monthly Subs to have.
Your suggestion would be as far as I know would be Illegal, but we will find out on Friday about that.
Royal Mail workers have not caused the backlog, the company and the workers combined failing to find a solution has caused the Backlog.
But ofcourse, feel free to sit on one side of the argument.
I do not know how old you are, but it has always been the practice that when there was extra work needed after a dispute the workers were paid the Going Rate, be that time and a half/Double time.
It happened in the car industry years ago Webcrawler, and those workers were paid their correct wages for the hours extra they worked.

---------- Post added at 09:53 ---------- Previous post was at 09:48 ----------

Originally Posted by Maggy J

I've been given a 10 day window to fill in the fraud documents that Barclays sent to me..I hope that they get there in time because the implied threat is that the case won't proceed if they arrive late even though I got them late..and despite the assurances I was given at the bank yesterday I'm not too sure that they will care if the documents sit in some sorting office somewhere instead of being delivered to the correct address within the 10 day window.

I sympathise as I do think the government handed a very unfair situation to the Royal Mail management after giving away the money making parts of their service to other companies and leaving them with the very much reduced snail mail to try and make profit on.

Inevitably it was going to impinge onto the postal workers and their working conditions,pay and job security.

However destroying the goodwill of the public is no way to win their support.

I can totally understand your point Mags.
But tell me, will public goodwill put food on the table or pay their mortgages etc?
Are you willing to say to the Workers " Tell you what, get my documents to Barclays and I will pay this months Mortgage for you " ?
Ofcourse not, so it leaves the situation as it is at the moment.
There does come a time when workers feel agrieved that a line has to be drawn in the sand, whether or not you agree with their reasoning.

Originally Posted by arcamalpha2004

Webcrawler, the fact that the country is in the state it is in, which by the way is not the fault of the Royal Mail Workers or Anyone other than the Government, is no reason for Workers Rights to be Ignored.
Do you not Get that?
The Health Service should have in place contingency plans, correct?
The RM ( not VM ) Workers are taking Lawful Action, you may find that inconvenient or not agree with it but that is their given right, a right that they pay weekly/monthly Subs to have.
Your suggestion would be as far as I know would be Illegal, but we will find out on Friday about that.
Royal Mail workers have not caused the backlog, the company and the workers combined failing to find a solution has caused the Backlog.
But ofcourse, feel free to sit on one side of the argument.
I do not know how old you are, but it has always been the practice that when there was extra work needed after a dispute the workers were paid the Going Rate, be that time and a half/Double time.
It happened in the car industry years ago Webcrawler, and those workers were paid their correct wages for the hours extra they worked.

---------- Post added at 09:53 ---------- Previous post was at 09:48 ----------




I can totally understand your point Mags.
But tell me, will public goodwill put food on the table or pay their mortgages etc?
Are you willing to say to the Workers " Tell you what, get my documents to Barclays and I will pay this months Mortgage for you " ?
Ofcourse not, so it leaves the situation as it is at the moment.
There does come a time when workers feel agrieved that a line has to be drawn in the sand, whether or not you agree with their reasoning.

And it's public good will that can make governments and employers change tactics..without it you've lost half the fight already.

Originally Posted by Maggy J

And it's public good will that can make governments and employers change tactics..without it you've lost half the fight already.

Mags, if the workers have a dispute with their employer, do you think that the company are going to meet their demands solely on the point that the workers have the support of the public?
Particularly if all the workers had was the support of the public and did not have the right to withdraw their Labour?
Relying on public goodwill will do nothing to give the workers what they want, and how are the Government going to change Tact?
They will just say " Whats the fuss? the Posties are still delivering the mail, the public are out their waving their postman pat flags! "
So the Government will not feel the need to get involved.
After all, where is the point? if all the posties can rely on is the public/government and not the Ballot Box.
It will not put food on the table/pay the mortgage relying on goodwill.

Flyboy i know this might be hard for you to get but i am only doing things the way the hospital told me too and the reason i am not using my landline is because they have given me some text message thing to send which i can't do on a landline. I really am loving this "the public can go out of their way to handle this" attitude some have in relation to these strikes and were all meant to accept these strikes well i don't and neither do the vast majority.

It's the wrong time in the wrong way and your losing the support you need if you are to have a chance to win how is that the right way to do things.

Originally Posted by arcamalpha2004

Mags, if the workers have a dispute with their employer, do you think that the company are going to meet their demands solely on the point that the workers have the support of the public?
Particularly if all the workers had was the support of the public and did not have the right to withdraw their Labour?
Relying on public goodwill will do nothing to give the workers what they want, and how are the Government going to change Tact?
They will just say " Whats the fuss? the Posties are still delivering the mail, the public are out their waving their postman pat flags! "
So the Government will not feel the need to get involved.
After all, where is the point? if all the posties can rely on is the public/government and not the Ballot Box.
It will not put food on the table/pay the mortgage relying on goodwill.

Well neither will a failed company and no job as a result...and think how many companies are now using alternative methods of mail.My inbox is full of company emails from various mail order companies assuring me their customer, that they are not using Royal Mail anymore for deliveries..and I think as Christmas looms and busy workers who would rather use online services rather than go to the high street to get Christmas presents and then have to find a way to post said presents to family how many of the public will be still as supportive.

As I write this I have a strange feeling of deja vu.It's not the first time that postal workers have picked the run up to Christmas to turn the screws..

Originally Posted by Maggy J

Well neither will a failed company and no job as a result...and think how many companies are now using alternative methods of mail.My inbox is full of company emails from various mail order companies assuring me their customer, that they are not using Royal Mail anymore for deliveries..and I think as Christmas looms and busy workers who would rather use online services rather than go to the high street to get Christmas presents and then have to find a way to post said presents to family how many of the public will be still as supportive.

As I write this I have a strange feeling of deja vu.It's not the first time that postal workers have picked the run up to Christmas to turn the screws..

Mags,Mags, Mags
Without the tool of industrial action the public do not give a toss, sorry to be blunt, but that is a fact.
So they have to fight their own corner, by the way, seems common sense to choose the busiest time of the year to take industrial action.
Yes, I concede to your point about businesses looking elsewhere for their needs, but Royal Mail had 2 years to sort things, the last deal was sorted in 2007?
Sorry, but my criticism is against Royal Mail and the Government, certainly not the posties, exercising their democratic right to not be walked over.

[Flyboy]

Originally Posted by RizzyKing

Flyboy i know this might be hard for you to get but i am only doing things the way the hospital told me too and the reason i am not using my landline is because they have given me some text message thing to send which i can't do on a landline. I really am loving this "the public can go out of their way to handle this" attitude some have in relation to these strikes and were all meant to accept these strikes well i don't and neither do the vast majority.

It's the wrong time in the wrong way and your losing the support you need if you are to have a chance to win how is that the right way to do things.

You are not being asked to "go out of your way" at all. It takes nothing to pick up a phone and talk to the hospital. They are not going to ignore you because you haven't sent a text. What it does seem, however, is that you are prepared to be bloody-minded and pretend to be put out, because your new mobile telephone hasn't arrived yet. You would rather blame Royal Mail workers, for missing a hospital appointment, than pick up a telephone, dial the number and speak to the hospital. If it wasn't them, it would be someone else.

Wow and i needed you to tell me how to use a landline as clearly it would never have occured to me to do it i love how you assume i havn't rather then thinking that maybe i am so peed off because that option is not available. For any phone call to them i have to quote my reference and can you guess where the reference is in relation to my specific appointment in case you don't it's on the letter they sent me which i still don't have.

No one needs to "make up" problems with this bout of industrial action because it is genuinely causing many people problems still as long as your ok i guess we should all be happy for them to strike.

Originally Posted by arcamalpha2004

Mags,Mags, Mags
Without the tool of industrial action the public do not give a toss, sorry to be blunt, but that is a fact.
So they have to fight their own corner, by the way, seems common sense to choose the busiest time of the year to take industrial action.
Yes, I concede to your point about businesses looking elsewhere for their needs, but Royal Mail had 2 years to sort things, the last deal was sorted in 2007?
Sorry, but my criticism is against Royal Mail and the Government, certainly not the posties, exercising their democratic right to not be walked over.

I'm more than happy to support postal workers but when the whole thing is over one way or another I hope I will be getting the £197 back in my account after my card was cloned and not be out of pocket because the documents arrived late.This was money that I worked very hard for and I don't see me being reimbursed by you or Royal Mail if I lose out..

Originally Posted by RizzyKing

Wow and i needed you to tell me how to use a landline as clearly it would never have occured to me to do it i love how you assume i havn't rather then thinking that maybe i am so peed off because that option is not available. For any phone call to them i have to quote my reference and can you guess where the reference is in relation to my specific appointment in case you don't it's on the letter they sent me which i still don't have.

No one needs to "make up" problems with this bout of industrial action because it is genuinely causing many people problems still as long as your ok i guess we should all be happy for them to strike.

Rizzy, I would guess that the Hospital that have given you the appointment will have a record of the details of your appointment, including the reference number.
So if you call them, giving them your details, as I have in the past, they will or should be able to tell you when your appointment is.
What are you going to say when the hospital contact you after the dispute and ask why you did not turn up?
Will they not think that you could have telephoned them on the landline to get your appointment details?
I think they will Rizz.
But if you feel happy blaming someone taking legal action fine.

---------- Post added at 09:53 ---------- Previous post was at 09:47 ----------

Originally Posted by Maggy J

I'm more than happy to support postal workers but when the whole thing is over one way or another I hope I will be getting the £197 back in my account after my card was cloned and not be out of pocket because the documents arrived late.This was money that I worked very hard for and I don't see me being reimbursed by you or Royal Mail if I lose out..

While I understand your situation Mags, what do you suggest people do when they go through the usual channels of airing a dispute and get nowhere?
Just carry on working so letters can arrive at their intended destination ?
I mean after all, the ones who are striking are not being paid, they too are losing money.
So they carry on working and in the meantime the employer carries on in the manner that they do because they know that said worker/s will do nothing but huff and puff about how unfairly they are treated.
Sorry Mags, while I appreciate your situation, we do not pay union subs just for lip service.

Originally Posted by arcamalpha2004

Sorry Mags, while I appreciate your situation, we do not pay union subs just for lip service.

Well some of them clearly do - so far as I can tell, all the regular posties at our local delivery office have worked every strike day so far.