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Original poster

Is anyone else getting blardy sick of the postal strikes?

34 replies

DANCESwithHughJackman · 12/10/2007 14:45

Before I get jumped on I know they have the right to strike and my brother used to be a postman so I know about the pay/conditions but I have things ordered for the small business I run from home and they aren't arriving and next week I'm expecting a really important letter and am not sure if/when I will receive it. I'm really getting sick of it

OP posts:
Original poster
DANCESwithHughJackman · 12/10/2007 14:58

OH and they are supposed to be going on all next week too...

OP posts:
IgglePiggleWoo · 12/10/2007 15:00

Oh Yes - My poor dd only had 5 birthday cards last weekend - three pressies are somewhere out there and loads of cards !

Hard to explain why to a 7 yr old - but she has now decided postmen are nasty !

IgglePiggleWoo · 12/10/2007 15:02

Only caught the tail end of an interview with a postie on TV yesterday - think I might have misunderstood but he seemed to be saying that they are striking because they are no lonbger allowed to knock off early ???? Apparently they used to race around delivering/collecting etc so they could go home early - well no bloody wonder I keep getting other people's mail then !! Wish I could rush my work and knock of early !

EricL · 12/10/2007 15:02

The posties in my local ofice went back to work on Monday there, saw their shifts had been changed to an hour later (were notified by letter cos they were on strike! He he!) and they all walked out again.

I am getting mighty sick of it too. They are being really militant about it and there is a massive pile of mail building up now apparently.

Original poster
DANCESwithHughJackman · 12/10/2007 15:08

Igglepiggle Oh I'm glad I'm not alone. I'm getting so p*ssed off. It's not just inconvenient but people's livelihood and peace of mind is on the line...

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southeastastra · 12/10/2007 15:09

read this thread before you all jump to conculsions about the strike and get your knickers in a twist

Screaminglips · 12/10/2007 15:12

there are taking the pi$$ about all next week too as we are finanically suffering as our business chqs are in the post!!!!!.....

southeastastra · 12/10/2007 15:14

one day next week, they're talking it may be resolved

Original poster
DANCESwithHughJackman · 12/10/2007 15:14

Ok southeastra - NO. I'm not reading that farkin massive thread. I'm not complaining about the reasons for striking just complaining about the effects. I believe I am allowed to complain...

OP posts:
southeastastra · 12/10/2007 15:29

yes but people knew the strike was coming, you should have planned for it

Original poster
DANCESwithHughJackman · 12/10/2007 15:29

Couldn't plan for the important letter next week, it's coming from someone else. Not my call but me left on a knife edge waiting to receive it.

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ADragonIs4LifeNotJustHalloween · 12/10/2007 15:31

I'm not sick of it. Doesn't bother me at all.

Callisto · 12/10/2007 15:41

Southeastastra - how is one supposed to plan for the postal strike when one's business runs on 30 days for invoicing? I am due cheques which arn't arriving so I can't pay my bills. But I have to be understanding about the idiot unions who want to keep antiquated working practices which mean that Royal Mail can't run at a profit.

eleusis · 12/10/2007 16:36

I don't support them either. But, I conduct most of my life online so I can't say it has really affected me much either. It just means ebay takes a bit longer to arrive and that doesn'treally matter.

I would, hoever, be a tad pissed off if my kid didn't get her birthday cards. I mean is that really helping them.

I think when your strike impact peopleless fortunate than you are yo ulook like a twat and lose public support. Small business depend on their post to survive. So I think the postmen and women are cuttin goff their noses to spite their faces.

StripeyKnickersSpottySocks · 12/10/2007 16:41

I don't support them either. Think they should stop moaning and go back to work or decide its not enough mney and get another job.

southeastastra · 12/10/2007 16:50

well i hope none of your families have to endure being on strike and have to put up with the misinformation and untrue comments that i have had to endure this past month.

it hurts

southeastastra · 12/10/2007 16:52

at least they have the balls to stand up and fight for what they believe in

Minum · 12/10/2007 20:55

I'm on the fence on this one

Firstly I would hate to be in a job where my hours could be changed by my employer - what about all our responsibilities outside work - childcare, committees etc - my timetable is written in stone weeks ahead, and it cant be changed by as much as an hour without disrupting long term commitments.

But my response wouldnt be to strike, but to find another job - the only way employers will ever improve pay and conditions is if they cant fill their vacancies, so have to improve the package - we need to hold firm till we get the terms we want, and be prepared to move to find the right deal for ourselves

And lastly, this strike will escalate the move away from snail mail- I have just discovered a cheque didnt arrive on time for someone doing a job for me - so I sent him a text, he gave me his bank details, and I paid him direct - we will never need to post each other stuff again, so a regular piece of business for the PO has just ended

TheDuchessOfCorpseBride · 12/10/2007 21:19

I hate all strikes. They are mostly the result of Trade Union leaders being shite at their jobs, much preferring to be all shouty on the TV and not being smart enough to outmanoeuvre management or MPs. They, ofcourse, are paid handsomely and receive incredibly good perks.

And I speak as someone who once managed union committees. Couldn't negotiate their way out of their own front doors.

LittleBella · 13/10/2007 00:20

No I like the postal strike.

I'm still getting Kleeneze catalogues but ther eis so much junk mail I'm not getting now.

I like it. ANyone who really wants to communcate with me, picks up the phone or e-mails me.

And no I wouldn't like my employer to be able to say to me "it's busy now, I know you're expecting to collect your kids from school, but you'll have to stay till five."

Get another job? Where's the solidarity in that? Where's the community feeling? Where's the sense that we're all part of society and some solutions are communal and social, not just selfishly individual? God I despair.

yeahinaminute · 13/10/2007 00:43

No - it can ruin my business - I'm still waiting for cheques to come through - I have taken on a business overdraft to accommodate my need to pay bills and my lack of funds to cover them - all in the postal system apparantly - also a convenient excuse by my customers buy themselves an extra couple of weeks before sending the money through - I am away for 6 days in the middle of the month - not normally a problem - I can bank the cheques when i return and usually have enough in reserve not to worry ... not now - I am seriously thinking of sending DH and DD away and staying here to look after my cash flow - i have staff to pay on the 30th - which if my money doesn't come through will have to be bankrolled out of my own pocket and an expensive overdraft ... So no ... totally fucking out of order

yeahinaminute · 13/10/2007 00:51

To which may I add - their need to work the Spanish system ( knock off early,don't turn up get your mate to do it etc etc ) is affecting my staff who DO turn up at unsocial hours and clear up the shit left for them in various offices, after usually grafting all day at other jobs or looking after their kids and need this money to9 make ends meet .... I'm not going to see them wait for their money because it hasn't come through so I will pay an exorbitant overdraft fee and take money out of DH's and my savings in order to pay them on time ..... The Postal workers say they are making a stand for the common working man ..... Well come and speak to my staff and tell them you're fucking well doing it for them ........Tossers

Minum · 13/10/2007 16:42

Littlebella - dont despair - I'm certainly not arguing everyone for himself. My point was that sticking to your guns as an individual, and only working t&cs that you are happy with is a more effective way of getting good working conditions from an employer, which is to everyones benefit. Management will resist the pressure of a strike, but when faced with a recruitment crisis/drain of good staff, have to take action and improve conditions.

And as this thread shows, there are many people actually suffering as a result of the strike, which is a bad thing. Many others are finding alternatives to the postal service, meaning fewer jobs in the ps going forward, also a bad thing.

Beelliesebub · 13/10/2007 17:10

My dad was a Postie before he retired and to be honest the only reason the job was worth doing was because of the overtime...
From what I can gather at the moment the reason they are striking is because companies like tnt, etc. charge highly inflated prices to deliver items and then send them through royal mail anyway! Apart from the fact that as full time staff retire or leave they are all being replaced by part timers on minimum wage who technically have very little in the way of working rights and certainly no overtime rates, which to be honest, I think, is a bit rude! At the end of the day, I know it's inconvenient but royal mail have seen this coming for the last few years and have done nothing in my opinion to avert the situation. In fact, I think they've just aggravated it. So... in my view, it's not the postie's who are at fault but royal mail.

MellowMa · 13/10/2007 17:13

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