Royal Mail strike

2nd classToday the Royal Mail have asked us all not to use post boxes so as to avoid backlogs when the strikes are over. There will be no deliveries until next Thursday. My question: since it was privatised, and mail delivery has been opened up for competition, why does this affect me? Why can’t I just post a letter in a post box belonging to some Royal Mail rival?

UPDATE: Royal Mail was not privatised, but postal delivery was opened up to competition except for the last mile.

In the mean time, if you live near a nice old Post Office building and like using it: hurry up! Near me there’s one in Post Office Road — POST OFFICE ROAD! — that’s going to be closed when they move it into WHSmith. Has it really come to this?


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77 responses to “Royal Mail strike”

  1. R Snowdon avatar
    R Snowdon

    Copy of an email sent to Royal Mail customer services. Everyone should do the same and have thier say. We will not stand for it anymore!!!!!

    How can you help?
    Sort out the problems and put an end to these strikes. You are punishinshing the people who put the money in your bank account “Your Customers”.
    It is disgusting that we are the ones who are suffering. Your striking for what? More Pay? to provide a service that is overpriced and unreliable.
    We the general public are sick of it and we do not support or condone your actions. Maybe you shouldn’t be so selfish and greedy and try putting your customers first. If we had another company to use for letters that was easily available I think you would be out of business by now. I only use Royal Mail as a last resort now, maybe you should go back under Government control a privatisation clearly does not work for the consumers.
    Appalled
    Mr R Snowdon

  2. Geraint avatar
    Geraint

    Tet Says:
    October 11th, 2007 at 4:27 pm

    I heard on the news that RM wants its employees to work the full hours they’re set out to work, meaning if you’re done doing one thing and you’ve got 30 minutes left to work, you go and actually work for those 30 minutes instead of going home early? Is this the case?

    yes and although it dose sound bad one thing is certain when we went from 2 day delivers ((2 in one day))

    but we went to 1 delivery day ((all goes out in one))

    but royal mail DEMANDED that it be job and finish they pushed it on us but when we were rushing and finishing 1-2 hours early they worried and tried to push more on us.

  3. kirsty avatar
    kirsty

    i’m very sorry but other people got more important things thank books to be delivered, yea i’m still waiting for my payslips from work but come on… books just got to a flaming shop

  4. Steve Ono avatar
    Steve Ono

    The Royal Mail worker who left a message on October 9th, 2007 at 12:41 pm says that “I now just don’t care”.

    That is all we asking of the CWU (the people authorising the strikes) – to “care”.

    Other people are facing far worse conditions at work and are getting paid a lot less without any annual pay rises. To some extent that is their choice.

    I sympathise that modernising may mean job losses or new working conditions but new jobs and opportunities always come about from progress. If that were not true then everyone would have been out of a job since the wheel was invented or when computers arrived on the scene. I feel sorry for people that are afraid to move forward with the times because, sadly for them, the times will move forward without them. After a while everyone else will move on and adapt to these strikes, perhaps with a new competitor to Royal Mail entering the arena.

    I can see that there is some support for the strikers on this forum which is totally understandable. I support them myself in that my local postman was feeling a bit down because he doesn’t get paid on strike days. He doesn’t want to strike but the CWU force him to. I have some letters which need delivering locally and he was more than happy for me to pay him to do so in his spare time. Perhaps, other supporters might consider providing some genuine support by taking their own money to give to the strikers that need it. If you personally don’t want to do this then maybe it is time to consider whether you truly support their cause.

    Oh, and personally I agree with Paul’s comments because he describes the situation in an informative manner whilst seeming to genuinely feel for those that are losing out. Also I have been able to go away to research and verify his comments. But that’s my personal opinion.

  5. Steve Ono avatar
    Steve Ono

    I love this article: http://www.campaignforcrossrail.com/news/es_09_07_07b.pdf

    It shows a very interesting angle has relevancy for everyone – both Royal Mail staff and everyday customers.

    Regards, Steve Ono

  6. Richard avatar
    Richard

    I am told that RM deliver the “last mile” for their competitors at a loss.

    WHY?

    What kind of Board of Directors would authorise doing business at a loss?

  7. Steve Ono avatar
    Steve Ono

    Royal Mail are obliged to deliver the “last mile” and at a set price. That is what opening the market up for competition has meant.

    Other companies will effectively be creaming the most lucrative part of the delivery when customers who are jaded by the strikes switch to other delivery companies.

  8. Russ avatar
    Russ

    Its amusing that all the comments from postal workers here all state about how hard the job is. There is very little comment on here which reflects what the CWU are complaining about on their website. They are complaining about the pensions being moved to a Defined Contribution scheme and the retirement age being upped to 65. So in essence complaining that they are being moved in line with the rest of the country!

    Defined benefits plans are unsustainable and in effect a loan that has to be paid back by future generations of workers.

    The official strike is not about starting at some ungodly hour or having to walk for miles.

  9. Aideen Cunning avatar
    Aideen Cunning

    Just spent a small fortune on gifts for my boyfriend’s 30th before the I knew about the strike , not a chance I’ll receive anything before 23rd. I suppose if I’m lucky they might arrive beofre Christmas then I won’t need to worry about getting him another set of presents.
    Thanks Royal Mail !

  10. Pete avatar
    Pete

    We’ve been waiting 14 days for cheques posted to arrive for work carried out in August. We’ve encountered huge bank charges due to this postal strike.

    Many small businesses will be suffering in a similar manner, but RM just use the same feeble excuse of exclusion clauses to avoid failure to deliver and goods fit for purpose requirements.

    Proper provisions should be in place to cope with strike action. If they are going to charge for “First Class Post” then they should provide it! Otherwise the sale of a stamp would be NOT FIT FOR PURPOSE and a refund issued. (See sale of goods act).

  11. aberdeen loon avatar
    aberdeen loon

    These posties have such an easy job ………. I just seen two posties on sat both carrying two very heavy bags {a bag in each hand } and deliverying mail at the same time. I cant believe the quality management at royal mail allow there workers to rish the health of there workforce in this way !!!
    Unlike so many people I bother to find out the facts regarding the reasons why the posties are striking !!! untill you can be bothered to do so stop passing your ignorant comments ! and you all know who you are ! Why in the world did Blair allow Alan Leighton a fat cat money loving goon to get involved in the royal mail ??? If anybody out there knows of this goon you will know what Im talking about !!! I read with great intrest the latest fantastic idea from the we must make as much profit as we can people at royal mail ! lets have the postie starting there jobs at between 6am and 7am ! tough luck if you happen to be near the end of the posties delivery ! thats just the way it goes.

    Lets get Leighton and crozier out of royal mail and lets go one step further lets get Brown out of this country !!! and does the CWU still fund and support Labour ??? Why the **** do they still do that.

    God Bless

  12. Respect avatar
    Respect

    What happened to respect for people who work in the public service? The nurses are abused by drunks they are trying to administer aid to, teachers abused by pupils whose parents can’t be bothered to discipline them, police officers unable to use a common sense approach to criminals for fear of abusing their human rights.

    Then your hardworking posties take a stand against bullying, arrogant managers for trying to erode their pay and conditions and you whingeing lot berate them whilst hiding behind your computer. At least they have the guts to go out on strike and stand up for what they believe in.

    Heaven help us if we were ever to be threatened by a powerful enemy. Has this country lost the will to stand up and be counted or would we just rollover and allow ourselves to be invaded?

    The problem with this country now is everyone wants to be a chief and no-one wants to be an indian. Who do you think pays for your education, training and benefits, government grants etc? I’ll tell you, its the hardworking nurses, policeman, teachers, firemen, road sweepers, cleaners, dustmen, factory workers and all manual workers including your humble postmen.

  13. jane avatar
    jane

    i work at my local hospital, and half my colleagues are awaiting to find out who will lose their jobs theyve held for many years, left dangling while the managment decide who goes, they work so hard and really care unlike some being brought in to do the work from some other countries, who dont understand the patients and who really dont care, i wish my colleagues could do something about the changes and the way we are being treated but it seems not, i fully support the r.m workers, i just hate that it does disrupt on so many different levels, but still fair play to you and lets hope that the r.m bosses see sence and meet half way at least.

  14. jane avatar
    jane

    an update to my comments 15.10.07 8.43, im sure not all workers from foreign countries are like this, and i dont wish to blanket you all, i am stating facts from my experience in my workplace, just making my position clear.

  15. GEORGE avatar
    GEORGE

    R M put the goal post,s up 2 suit themselfs. when they dont win they move them even more.Crozier is in another planet he should get on the shop floor and see for himself how hard postmen and women work.

  16. very angry girl avatar

    i am waiting for a tutu for a fancy dress party!!! it best be here by thursday!!! ARGHHH!!!! regards X

  17. jane avatar
    jane

    wouldnt it be a good idea to send the suits in to test out this new work load and see what a daft idea it is, you know why its like that bank advert you know the one where two suits get togethor and come up with crap ideas for new mortgages completely ignoring the brainy bloke, pen pushers who’d av em, im peed off ive got loads of chrissie prezzies just waiting to be delivered and i carnt stand it im very impatient, but i think the posties are right to stand up and be counted, just try to av a few days inbetween were we av a bit of post, not bills though i can live without them! x

  18. Mark avatar
    Mark

    A Public Sector worker is human. A Private Sector worker is human. We’re all humans! Why should private sector workers and public sector workers be treated differently?

    I’ve worked for Royal Mail for many years. You’ll have to excuse me but I don’t support ongoing strike action. A job is a job and the work I did before I joined Royal Mail was just as difficult and just as important but nobody in that company would have dreamed of striking. I understand that some of my colleagues feel hard done by but I also know that these people would feel exactly the same no matter what job they were in. They fear change and are scared that they are not prepared for it. And we’re not talking about old fogeys here either.

    I know I won’t be popular for saying this but some people want certain things in life but aren’t prepared to work any harder for them. If you think the strikes are bad well I have to listen to this attitude every day. The truth is that striking is an option, so they do. Sadly, It really is as simple as that.

    My advice to non-striking workers out there who don’t appreciate the inconvenience of the latest Royal Mail strikes is merely to get your head around it. There are always going to be strikes. You will find it much less frustrating if you start thinking now about ways you can get around future strike action.

    This message board is an excellent place to vent your frustration. Once you’ve done that just return to your normal life feeling calmer. Trust me, it really does help to think of it that way.

  19. JamesR avatar

    I’m a student and I’m completely appalled by these unofficial strikes.

    I appreciate that they want change and do they not think that their crippling 48-Hour strikes were enough to the changes that they wanted? Change doesn’t come over night, might like post items in the Royal Mail.

    Now, these continued strikes show a blatant disregard for their customers who are the people really suffering. Royal Mail can and should fire the people on Unofficial strike and begin training new staff.

    Or maybe I should just ask the Royal Mail for the money they’ve cost me in wasted education, since I can’t fully pursue my degree without the textbooks they should’ve delivered.

    I’m shocked and appalled at exactly how much they’ve gotten away with.

  20. GEORGE avatar
    GEORGE

    Jane dont be impatient for sure R M will get your pressies there for Xmas.and they wont be left at your doorstept in full view of the public.like other couriers do.