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What is happening with the Royal Mail?

Why are they going on strike? Are they on strike now or just thursday? Will it affect everyone or is it just some areas?

Asked By: geri - 10/19/2009
Best Answer - Chosen by Asker
The strikes will be on Thursday and Friday.
Sorting staff and truck drivers will be out on Thursday, but delivery staff will work. On Friday, sorters and truckers will be working, but not delivery staff.
It is national, but it is possible that there may be some non-strikers or management running a skeleton service in some key areas.

The reasons, contrary to popular belief, are more than about pay.
Pay comes into it yes, but there's a whole lot more behind the strike. Staff are unhappy about modernisation. There will be changes to working conditions and practices, as well as mass lay-offs and sorting office closures.
A good example - in the past and currently, a postman must finish his round come what may. If its a heavy day, he stays behind to finish his own time (the exception being for exceptionally high loads, usually because someone has gone sick, and someone is covering him). In return for staying late on heavy days, he goes home if he finishes early on the light days. New plans imply that going home early on light days won't be allowed, yet we will still be expected to work extra hours for free on heavy days.
Also, Royal Mail wants to alter the shift times of its employees, and have more staff be made part-time or "flexible". The idea being that if there's not as much mail as usual, they can send some staff home instead. Removing the notion of job security.
These are just a few examples. Essentially, less staff will be expected to do more work on less pay in less time, with no job security. If all the plans went ahead unchallenged, the postal service would be run down even further than it is now, with later deliveries, earlier final collections and a slower service.



Personally I think the Government should step in and bring the Royal Mail back to its "glory days" as it was when I first signed up. Then it was a Government department, its staff were generally respected by the public and their employers and the service was second to none. Employee morale was high, and postmen had a sense of duty and pride.

For the record, I'm a Royal Mail postman, and I voted against strike action (I prefer other means of getting the point across - striking just turns the public against us). That said, if and when the strikes start, I will join them because I agree with the principles behind it.
Answered By: ToodlePip - 10/20/2009
Additional Answers ()
They are on strike over pay, work and conditions. The RM changed a lot of full time people to part-time I think I read and this has caused inefficiency to the service or so I read. They are not on strike yet but the union voted for a 2 day strike on thursday and friday of this week. It is a big strike up and down the country but not all over, but in enough places I think to disrupt letters getting sent to many areas of the UK. I think the RM is a service that should remain and not be privatised, because I bet the cost of posting a standard letter would go up a lot.
Answered By: Willow - 10/19/2009
The reason :- because the unions are making unrealistic demands on the PO - working practices and pay. the unions are 'forcing the members' into strike action (disregard there so-called ballot) - and when they all lose their jobs - they will all be full of regret when the PO employ other people who 'will' do the job.

The strike:- on Thursday/Friday (+ more to come) unions hoping for a 'nation wide strike ' for maximum effect - not caring about the 'disruption' to the public or business in the UK. Its no wonder the government wants to sell it off - its been (unions) a thorn in its side for years now.!!

No stike action in the past has ever been 'succesfull' all parties having to compromise. Only when these PO workers are on the 'dole' will they wish they had made a settlement - by then it will be to late - and then they will be wanting sympathy.!!
Answered By: David H - 10/19/2009
They are on strike because they are greedy. Give their jobs to people who will appreciate them. People who are not greedy. They are lucky to have jobs.
Answered By: Smasher - 10/19/2009
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