Would a female have time to hand around on a picket line? (lighthearted / sexist)

[SprocketAndTubbs]

O.K, this thread is going to sound very sexist - Disclaimer: I am not usually a sexist MNer!

Have just been watching the news about the postal workers being on strike and the reporter was reporting from outside a sorting office in Glasgow. Behind the reporter were all the posties on strike.

I noticed that the whole picket line consisted of male strikers. AIBU to assume that any female posties probably wouldn't have time to hang about outside the sorting office, they may have been picking their children up to save on child care costs or rushing about elsewhere doing other things?

I couldn't imagine myself or any of my female pals having time to hang around without a list of jobs that needs to be done and being on strike would be a great opportunity to catch up on things. (Not taking away for one second just how traumatic and financially difficult it must be for the posties and their families just now, while they fight for improved working conditions).

I am off work poorly today, think I need to get back to work before I over analyse anything else!!

[SprocketAndTubbs]

HANG around, rather than hand around, obviously

[BiteOfFun]

Depends when they are filming. People tend to come and go in shifts on picket lines IME, and the women are there in proportion to their employment. Women are pretty good at fighting for their working conditions when they have to, because they are so easily shafted.

[ReneRusso]

I tend to agree with you Sprocket, but my postie is too busy cleaning windows in his spare time to join a picket line.

[Iklboo]

You know, I've never seen a female postie round ours.....

[THEFRINGE]

I am a female postie - and I will be stood on the picket line, supporting my collegues and showing support for our union who may well be dragging Royal Mail into the gutter but nevertheless, all for one and and all.

A picket line is not a nice place to stand, although this isn't the 70's it's still a rough place to be when strikebreakers enter or leave.

[ReneRusso]

Why are you striking, THEFRINGE?

[THEFRINGE]

I'm personally striking because 61,000 thousand colleagues voted 'yes' and I will not be labelled a 'scab'.

The reason 61,000 want to strike is mainly because of the bullying and harassment that has started to take place over the last year or so.

In my office, for example, have axed all the night sorting jobs and now expect the postman to sort the mail before they deliver (hence later delivery) t. They have also axed some delivery routes and added these roads onto other deliveries (thus making them bigger). They also expect postman/women to deliver the mail of colleagues that on holiday/off sick.

This cannot be fitted into an 8hr duty but they will not pay overtime, and if a postman brings back mail they will threaten them with the sack and basically bully and harrass them until it's done.

So basically you are working for no pay at the end of your shift.

That is one small sample, there are many more

[Meglet]

at royal mail managers.

Thats shit thefringe

[TheDevilEatsBabies]

but of course, nothing that the CWU or the posties says is getting through to the general public who still believes that the RM bosses are right and that the posties are just moaning.

it annoys the hell out of me.

oh, and at our DO they're doing picket lines in shifts, too, so they'll be coming and going at all tiems of the day.

[THEFRINGE]

yy Devil, I will doing the picket line during my normal work hours, as will everyone else.

[BiteOfFun]

I'm blacklisted at RM- I got casual Christmas work once, and led a walk-out of all the casual staff because RM docked us our pay for our breaks (on a twelve hour shift, in the modern equivalent of a Victorian mill), two days before the end of the Christmas post...the fulltimers said they weren't going to walk out, but on the other hand, they wouldn't be crossing any picket lines either. We got it sorted pretty quickly, but, er, they won't be giving me a job ever again- twas my proudest hour

Seriously, management were absolutely VILE- they spoke to you like shit and you had to put your hand up to go to the toilet.

[THEFRINGE]

It is shit Meglet, esp. as some people cannot stay out delivering past a certain time as they have children to pick up from school etc.

If your shift finishes at 2.30pm, you plan your childcare arrangements around that, but then you have a manager threatening you with the sack if you don't stay out and complete the delivery and you are aware that you do not want to become a target as a troublemaker

• its getting out of control now, which is why the union had such support from the ballot. I don't think they even dreamed of such a positive vote 'YES' vote as they received

[TheDevilEatsBabies]

(and the reason they're not finishing the round in the time allotted is because there's more mail now and fewer workers)

[Monsterspam]

Full of support here for the lovely posties. Didn't know about half that stuff though FRINGE, that's really shitty. Hope some good comes out of it.

[ReneRusso]

thanks for the info THEFRINGE
I hope some good comes of the strike, but sadly don't see much hope at the moment.

[SprocketAndTubbs]

Yes THEFRINGE, good luck, as other posters say, we don't get to hear much about the postie working conditions on the news, just about how this could be the end of the Post Office, so thank you for giving us that insight.

[monkeysmama]

Good luck THEFRINGE contrary to a lot of the media reports lots of people support you & are proud of what you're doing.

[crockydoodle]

yay another postwoman - waves to fringe.
I never got round to joining the union yet so can't picket but I won't be crossing the line tomorrow.

[ObsidianBlackbirdMcNight]

To my surprise we had a postie deliver today. I assume he was a strikebreaker or agency? I have something important to collect from the DO but didn't want to cross a picket line. We support you in my house

[ObsidianBlackbirdMcNight]

Oh and during my last strike there were plenty of women on the lines - but then I work in SS so a very female profession. I have never managed to strike though as I was ill or pregnant each time.

[Squishabelle]

Kat - the delivery postmen/women have not been on strike today - that is why you got a delivery. It is their turn to strike tomorrow.

[ObsidianBlackbirdMcNight]

Oh I see...thanks!

[TheDevilEatsBabies]

just as an update on this:

i noted that at the picket line at our delivery office this morning there were 3 ladies.
and about 9 or 10 men.

so quite a good representation of the work force.