The Mirror (which I read today because someone brought it in to work) would have us believe today that support for the postal strike is rock solid. This seems at odds with my own experience.
I know people still receiving parcels. I myself have received my post for the last two days and plenty of other people tell me that they are also receiving their post.
The truth is that there are many in Royal Mail who know that the strikes will inevitably lead to greater job losses. It was pointed out on TV last night by Andrew Neil that back under the 1970-74 Edward Heath government, there were many strikes and the government caved in on al of them except for one. The only unsuccessful strike was the postal strike. Back in the 70s there was no e-mail and no competition. The world now does not come to an end when postal workers go on strike and the longer they strike, the more this becomes obvious to everyone.
6 comments:
For fuck's sake, it's brought with an 'r'
and I'm fully behind the strikers,
For goodness sake, it's a blog, not The Times literary supplement !
You missed the more obvious spelling mistake (no e on the end of because), perhaps I should swear because you missed that ?
I'm afraid I disagree about the strikes. Then again, I have been told too many stories by postmen about breaks, poor working practices and inefficiencies.
The strike in the Heath days was far from solid, and the posties were betrayed by Tom Jackson. I doubt many would agree that all the other strikes at that time were successful either . .
It is apparent from bits and pieces of interviews I have heard that management attitudes are much as they were in the Total Quality management days when I was a postman.
Under TQM we were expected to get quicker and more accurate continually at best, constantly at worst. TQM almost destroyed the US mails . . .
And some posties are being put on delivery only duties from the mix of sorting and delivery which makes for a balanced job.
I can only too well understand how peed off they are.
I think they should accept part privatisation, but it is necessary to take a realistic approach to modernisation. Slavery is not modern.
Oh, and a strike of the van drivers and delivery staff (or whatever similar they have actually done) will delay lots of mail I fear.
We had none yesterday, and some today. I await a parcel I expected on wednesday.
The b City express (or whatever they are called) phoned to tell me they were delivering NOW while I was at the Drs, at a time I had asked for no delivery.
Royal Mail is better even when they strike in my book.
The strike in the 1970s was an all out strike and there were no deliveries for weeks.
Some letters from the UK seem to be taking a bit longer to reach me so there is disruption for sure.
Yes, they're in an invidious position here.
Post a Comment