Uk Postal Strike

[share4uk]

With the strike spreading across the country, thought it would be good to hear peoples views on the matter.

I live in one of the main affected areas, with two main sorting offices in my town.

It has come at a bad time for me, while I wait for important packages in the mail that I paid extra for to have sent by special delivery. Also I need my bills through too.

The matter is so bad, they are beginning to seal up post boxes.

I can understand that there may be dispute about pay and stuff, but busineses are suffering. Royal Mail need to get into some agreement with its employees and fast.

I read another reason was this:

"The action is the result of a culmination of many grievances. One such incident was when a rat was found in a toilet and postal workers were refused permission to use another toilet, which led to the suspension of a union official."

Here are the affected areas:



Whats your opinion? How about in America, have there ever been strikes like this?

[blackhatknight]

I honestly believe that people need to make stands and i support valid striking however with this in mind you could argue the post service is a strategic industry (one that is key for economic, political and military reasons) and i too have suffered through it (though email has now saved the day - again). Do you remember the fire fighters on strike where they where able to offer a proxy service via the army should maybe the government look at restoring some sort of "second class"* service to tie the country over?

*i used the term second hand to denote the trained workers will offer the best service it is not to undermine the outstanding efforts of the army and others during the fire fighter strike

[Neo 721]

Just another excuse to mess things up again. Last i heard from the post office was complaints about managers spying on staff.

[Biggles]

In my view there has been a concerted effort by the PO management to engender this action. I believe they are pursuing a policy of confrontation because they intend to push a number of radical policies through over the next year or two. This can only be achieved after a painful showdown with the PO Unions who are strong at the moment. If the last 25 years have shown managers anything it is that if you get the fights over and done with at the start of the change process then it is a lot easier to be radical later.

The PO Unions need calm down and step back and approach every issue seperately and cautiously and simply refuse to acknowledge the new conditions unless suitable agreement is reached - working as they would before the proposed changes.

Each and every case of bullying and intimidation regarding the new systems should be taken seperately through the Employment courts ensuring as many PO managers and resources are as tied up as possible and that criminal charges are brought where applicable. In short, the PO Unions should be spying back, taking notes and tape recording the actual acts of bullying. Of course that is just my opinion.

[blackhatknight]

Originally posted by Biggles@1 November 2003 - 23:14
Each and every case of bullying and intimidation regarding the new systems should be taken seperately through the Employment courts ensuring as many PO managers and resources are as tied up as possible and that criminal charges are brought where applicable. In short, the PO Unions should be spying back, taking notes and tape recording the actual acts of bullying. Of course that is just my opinion.

I appreciate your point but have you ever been to an industrial tribunrail i can not say they are acquainted with justice

[MagicNakor]

Canada Post's been on strike before. And they seem to often be on the brink of striking. They strike for fair pay, and better working conditions.

For example, in Moose Jaw, postal workers earned $6.25 an hour, had no benefits, holiday or vacation pay. They had to supply their own vehicles for work, and also had to cover the cost of gas and repairs. In Regina, they earned $18 an hour, had medical and dental benefits, overtime and vacations.

I'm not sure what it's at currently, that was before they went on strike.

It's hell trying to cover your expenses with conditions like those in Moose Jaw. Most of your wage is eaten up in gas and car repairs. God forbid you ever get sick or injured or get a cavity.

I don't know what the conditions are over the UK, but if it's anything like Canada Post, perhaps it's warranted.

[wormless]

wicked as my workplace relies on royalmail 2bring foto orders in and out!

days of work me hopes

[blade1356uk]

While I sympathise with the posty's who have a hard job,working in all kind's of weather,but where I live we have not a postie of our own for 3 yrs when one starts up they pack up because the cannot hack it,we get our 1st class post a 3pm some day's,which is pathetic,as far as the raising of finances to pay better wages,i would gladly pay 30p per 1st class letter because 30p is not a great deal of money to have the mail delivered.I have a cousin who has been a postie for nearly 30 yrs & he is peed off with the spying allegations & being treat like a second class citizen.good luck to the postie's but they should sort out the mess soon as small business & xmas coming up, there going to be bitter people out there.

[blade1356uk]

On the new's monday 3rd November,unofficial strike finished,finishing talk's with acas.It will take approx 3 weeks to sort out the backlog of undelivered post.The government gave the go ahead for other company's to deliver the post.ie Express Dairies.the PO stop the strike the day after the government gives the go ahead for other company's to deliver the post ,what a coincidence the PO go back to work the following day.

[junkyardking]

While i've never known Australia post to go on strike there's a few strange things going on when it comes to workers,
They sacked a guy who was fat, they sacked a women because she had more than one(the qouta) personal object on her desk and they sacked a guy because he took a piss at a petrol station during his deliverys and filled in for a guy that had do somthing else.
Now i have to say all of that is pathetic, i mean having a qouta on personal items what the hell is that suppose to do.
Anyway in Australia we have the industrial relations commision which you can appeal to if you lose your job unfairly, i think the woman and the fat guy(Who also lost weight) got there jobs back and the other guy is still going though hearings.

Besides that the IRC is pretty good it also appplies conditions and rises to award rates, generally each year the unions go to them together and present a case for pay rises on the lowest award rates, this automatically be it slow filters though to all other awards, this go's to all workers on the award rate system be they in a union or not.
Of course the goverment presents a lower figure and the result tends to be in between the two.
Last year the average rise was about $17 a week.