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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To think Royal Mail workers should not be striking

796 replies

Hitthehighseastoday · 27/11/2022 00:55

They’ve already been offered a 9% pay raise and declined. Royal Mail is already making a loss. It’s a national service for the public which is now being severely disrupted by strikes, it’s appalling.

OP posts:
Thread gallery
10
Conkersareback · 28/11/2022 15:59

7upandup · 28/11/2022 15:58

@Conkersareback no stamps or bonuses this year no

Wankers

Notjustanymum · 28/11/2022 16:00

@EilonwyWithRedGoldHair , please can you explain where I attempted to deny there was a problem? I don’t think I did…

MarieIVanArkleStinks · 28/11/2022 16:02

Conkersareback · 28/11/2022 15:52

He is trying to divide and concur!

Sadly I've seen it all before.

I'm a member of a union and also of a strike solidarity group, comprising members of numerous unions who are all either in the process of strike action or balloting their members. There are numerous employers threatening to dock whole days' pay for action short of a strike (meaning employees work entirely to contract, without doing extra or voluntary activities).

What this means is that those employers are dependent entirely on the goodwill of their staff, and their willingness to work stupid hours like 50--60 hour weeks (contract is 37 hours), just to keep running. For withdrawing that goodwill, and for working only to our contracted hours ie for what exactly we are paid to do and no more, they're threatening to dock an entire day's pay for every day of working to contract.

I suspect this will be legal, as there are numerous similar institutions up and down the country adopting the same bullying tactics and I don't doubt they'll have taken careful legal advice. But it defies belief that it is.

MarieIVanArkleStinks · 28/11/2022 16:03

NB. they say you get more conservative as you get older. Well, the older I get, the more pro-union I become, and the more I despise the Tories for their wholesale decimation of workers' rights.

7upandup · 28/11/2022 17:44

@Hitthehighseastoday those pictures of ceo goading the employees on the workplace app

To think Royal Mail workers should not be striking
To think Royal Mail workers should not be striking
Yants · 29/11/2022 08:03

I fully support posties being entitled to an inline with inflation pay rise but they simply need to accept that the business does need to change and modernise and they need to stop listening to the ideological rhetoric from the self serving union who are NOT acting in the best interests of their members at all.

The CWU wants RM to remain a bloated and inefficient entity with outdated and unnecessary practices such as early starts and 6 day letters deliveries, simply because the union doesn't want to see a reduction in the workforce and therefore a reduction in its income from membership subs.

Plenty of posties would welcome the opportunity for being offered redundancy as a result of a more streamlined RM, which could mainly be achieved by reducing the 6 day letters USO... something the union is vehemently opposing.

The union has a history of not acting in the best interests of it's members... for instance it has had a long standing opposition to overtime being paid at an enhanced rate and would rather RM simply take on yet more new staff, simply because the union wants to get more membership subs from more members rather than wanting to see its existing members get paid a decent rate for doing overtime.

In order for the business to remain viable and compete in the parcels market it is essential that it moves to later start times and its also essential that the letters side of the business is made more cost effective, which can be achieved by reducing letter deliveries to fewer than the current 6 days a week.

The simple fact is if the self serving union were to somehow achieve all their demands and successfully oppose all RM's proposed changes then in very a short space of time RM would effectively go bust or get taken over and broken up... either way it would be a much worse outcome for the employees.

Stillbrokenby2022 · 29/11/2022 08:46

A union wanting there to be enough staff to do the job! Imagine that!

Conkersareback · 29/11/2022 09:18

Yants · 29/11/2022 08:03

I fully support posties being entitled to an inline with inflation pay rise but they simply need to accept that the business does need to change and modernise and they need to stop listening to the ideological rhetoric from the self serving union who are NOT acting in the best interests of their members at all.

The CWU wants RM to remain a bloated and inefficient entity with outdated and unnecessary practices such as early starts and 6 day letters deliveries, simply because the union doesn't want to see a reduction in the workforce and therefore a reduction in its income from membership subs.

Plenty of posties would welcome the opportunity for being offered redundancy as a result of a more streamlined RM, which could mainly be achieved by reducing the 6 day letters USO... something the union is vehemently opposing.

The union has a history of not acting in the best interests of it's members... for instance it has had a long standing opposition to overtime being paid at an enhanced rate and would rather RM simply take on yet more new staff, simply because the union wants to get more membership subs from more members rather than wanting to see its existing members get paid a decent rate for doing overtime.

In order for the business to remain viable and compete in the parcels market it is essential that it moves to later start times and its also essential that the letters side of the business is made more cost effective, which can be achieved by reducing letter deliveries to fewer than the current 6 days a week.

The simple fact is if the self serving union were to somehow achieve all their demands and successfully oppose all RM's proposed changes then in very a short space of time RM would effectively go bust or get taken over and broken up... either way it would be a much worse outcome for the employees.

Simon, the union will bring you down!

Reduce your bonus, you're not worth it!

Yants · 29/11/2022 09:31

Stillbroken and Conkers - Unfortunately you're both attempting to engage in the debate from positions of low information or misinformation.

There is plenty of scope for RM to be a much more streamlined, efficient and profitable company and offer a much better parcels service simply by reducing the 6 day letters USO
I also expect any redundancies that would arise from this would be VERY heavily oversubscribed, yet the union will scream blue murder about preserving the pointless and costly 6 day service simply because it doesn't want to lose income from reduced membership subs (after all someone has to pay Dave Wards £100k+ salary)

wildpeaches · 29/11/2022 09:37

@Yants hahaha you've done a really bad job of hiding your true identity Simon. Or maybe it's Keith? I'm sure the posties and the family members, myself included, posting on this thread are very very aware of all the misinformation being spouted off about these strikes and the shameful behaviour of the CEO's. We are living it!

DdraigGoch · 29/11/2022 09:43

Stillbrokenby2022 · 29/11/2022 08:46

A union wanting there to be enough staff to do the job! Imagine that!

When drivers at Avanti had had enough and stopped volunteering for overtime the company publicly accused them of "unofficial industrial action". ASLEF pointed out that they'd been asking for Sundays to become part of the contracted week (as opposed to overtime) for 20 years, and that if companies wanted to run a reliable service they should employ enough staff.

It was quite ironic that Grant Shapps was demanding that staff be banned from working overtime, yet when they stopped working it of their own volition (causing the service to fall apart) he was spitting feathers.

KettrickenSmiled · 29/11/2022 09:50

They’ve already been offered a 9% pay raise and declined.
Because they have been underpaid for years & inflation will be at 13% at the end of 2022.

Royal Mail is already making a loss.
Maybe it could reduce what it pays out to directors & shareholders, & stop penalising its staff for its own management incompetence.

It’s a national service for the public
No it isn't. It hasn't been nationally owned since 2011, & the government relinquished its entire remaining stake in 2015.

which is now being severely disrupted by strikes, it’s appalling.
OK. You go & deliver the letters & parcels then @Hitthehighseastoday
No? Don't fancy the hard graft, low pay, & shit conditions?
How very surprising.

Conkersareback · 29/11/2022 09:59

Yants · 29/11/2022 09:31

Stillbroken and Conkers - Unfortunately you're both attempting to engage in the debate from positions of low information or misinformation.

There is plenty of scope for RM to be a much more streamlined, efficient and profitable company and offer a much better parcels service simply by reducing the 6 day letters USO
I also expect any redundancies that would arise from this would be VERY heavily oversubscribed, yet the union will scream blue murder about preserving the pointless and costly 6 day service simply because it doesn't want to lose income from reduced membership subs (after all someone has to pay Dave Wards £100k+ salary)

@Yants no we're not! Don't be so totally ridiculous!

Conkersareback · 29/11/2022 10:01

Yants · 29/11/2022 09:31

Stillbroken and Conkers - Unfortunately you're both attempting to engage in the debate from positions of low information or misinformation.

There is plenty of scope for RM to be a much more streamlined, efficient and profitable company and offer a much better parcels service simply by reducing the 6 day letters USO
I also expect any redundancies that would arise from this would be VERY heavily oversubscribed, yet the union will scream blue murder about preserving the pointless and costly 6 day service simply because it doesn't want to lose income from reduced membership subs (after all someone has to pay Dave Wards £100k+ salary)

@Yants was the USO a promise made by RM?

That they now want to renege on?

If RM want to be more profitable, it may be worth them negotiating with the union and getting staff back to work?

Just an idea!

Because a lot of staff are losing a lot of money, but they still feel strongly enough to continue industrial action.

Conkersareback · 29/11/2022 10:10

Yants · 29/11/2022 09:31

Stillbroken and Conkers - Unfortunately you're both attempting to engage in the debate from positions of low information or misinformation.

There is plenty of scope for RM to be a much more streamlined, efficient and profitable company and offer a much better parcels service simply by reducing the 6 day letters USO
I also expect any redundancies that would arise from this would be VERY heavily oversubscribed, yet the union will scream blue murder about preserving the pointless and costly 6 day service simply because it doesn't want to lose income from reduced membership subs (after all someone has to pay Dave Wards £100k+ salary)

I don't work for RM, but I'd donate to Dave Wards salary any day of the week, either directly or through the Labour Party.

How much does Simon earn, how is that paid, what was his bonus last year?

He will be screaming blue murder when that is cut.

Yants · 29/11/2022 10:14

So much innacuracy and misinformation on here from people who dont know or understand the business.

Its a shame there can't be a few more people like myself who do have first hand experience of working for RM and who are capable of seeing the bigger picture into how the business currently operates and how much more efficient and profitable it could be if changes to working practices were implemented without the union objecting to them for entirely self serving reasons.

I'll say again, although posties are already the most well paid workers in this industry they DO deserve an inline with inflation pay rise... but just about everything else that the union is demanding/objecting to is NOT in the long term interest of their membership and will just result in the business becoming more and more archaic, inefficient and unprofitable and ultimately putting everyone's jobs at risk.

wildpeaches · 29/11/2022 10:25

@Yants please enlighten us imbeciles what the miss information and inaccuracy is then?

Conkersareback · 29/11/2022 10:26

Yants · 29/11/2022 10:14

So much innacuracy and misinformation on here from people who dont know or understand the business.

Its a shame there can't be a few more people like myself who do have first hand experience of working for RM and who are capable of seeing the bigger picture into how the business currently operates and how much more efficient and profitable it could be if changes to working practices were implemented without the union objecting to them for entirely self serving reasons.

I'll say again, although posties are already the most well paid workers in this industry they DO deserve an inline with inflation pay rise... but just about everything else that the union is demanding/objecting to is NOT in the long term interest of their membership and will just result in the business becoming more and more archaic, inefficient and unprofitable and ultimately putting everyone's jobs at risk.

What's Simons income and bonus, how is that paid?

7upandup · 29/11/2022 10:27

And again..

To think Royal Mail workers should not be striking
Conkersareback · 29/11/2022 10:36

@Yants how many shares do you hold of RM?

FancyFran · 29/11/2022 10:40

I am sure Simon Thompson is feeling blessed on a base salary of £750k plus bonus!
No one needs that amount of money unless they are living a life of utter privelage.
Royal mail is making money whilst paying some of the lowest wages to adults. It is shameful and any decent CEO would not be accepting their bonus. I have posted up thread. DH RM worker, I am a London executive. I fully support my husband on this occasion as I know that his colleagues use there enhancements to get by. Many on UC too.
Just shameful.

Conkersareback · 29/11/2022 10:40

7upandup · 29/11/2022 10:27

And again..

He's also on MN!

Conkersareback · 29/11/2022 10:41

FancyFran · 29/11/2022 10:40

I am sure Simon Thompson is feeling blessed on a base salary of £750k plus bonus!
No one needs that amount of money unless they are living a life of utter privelage.
Royal mail is making money whilst paying some of the lowest wages to adults. It is shameful and any decent CEO would not be accepting their bonus. I have posted up thread. DH RM worker, I am a London executive. I fully support my husband on this occasion as I know that his colleagues use there enhancements to get by. Many on UC too.
Just shameful.

I also fully support your DH and the others

WatchoRulo · 29/11/2022 10:45

InternetRandom · 27/11/2022 01:04

Making a loss? Perhaps the chief exec shouldn't have taken a bonus of £142K this year then.

Nope, I support the postal workers. I'm not one myself but good luck to them.

^This - how come the CEOs always manage to get fat bonuses and double digit rises year after year, the cunts?

FancyFran · 29/11/2022 11:02

@WatchoRulo plenty of 'Tuesday boys' in business.

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