Postal Letter - Does anyone actually agree with the postal strike?

Does anyone actually agree with the postal strike?

Hopefully it's all sorted now but I just wanted to check whether anyone agreed with the postal workers going on strike? I only know what I've heard on the news and I may be wrong but it seems that they want more pay, a better pension scheme and flexible work conditions so they still get paid if they go home early. Well it seems ridiculous that they should get paid for not doing anything... not many other jobs offer this! I don't know how much they get paid but it's not like they're doing brain surgery. I just think strikes are very immature. It's not like nurses and doctors can go on strike because if they did, people would die. They deserve more pay and better conditions more than anyone... it just seems stupid that postal workers should have more power than people as important as doctors and nurses. I have no sympathey for them... it's not like they're particularly skilled or have had to pay thousands in university fees to do what they do. What do you think? Storm... By 'not particularly skilled' I meant compared to doctors and nurses they aren't. I'm not saying they don't work hard because I'm sure they do. This may sound a bit harsh but almost anyone could do their job... a doctor could become a postal worker but a postal worker couldn't become a doctor unless they study hard for years and pay a small fortune to do so. I just think these people, especially nurses, have more of a 'right' to go on strike but they don't because they need to think of the public... something postal workers should be doing. Please tell me how the government is $hitting on them... if you could give me examples of how badly they are treated etc then I may change my mind. Thanks for some interesting answers. I don't think that the fact that others wouldn't want to do their job is reason enough for them to be able to go on strike while nurses can't though. I don't want to be a nurse or a postal worker but you choose your job because that's your personal preference and your preference shouldn't hold a bearing on how much you get paid... it should be dependant on the training and work you do. If everyone thought that people should have more rights because no one wants to do their job then we'd have cleaners being paid the same amount as doctors. There has to be some incentive for people who train hard to get where they are. ru/newto... Ok please then tell me why they have gone on strike. I'd love to sympathise with them but so far their resoning seems childish to me. I would genuinly like to know how they are being mistreated to make them go on strike like this?

Public Comments

I'm not sure what country you're in but here in the USA postal employees are not permitted to go on strike.
i dont agree with it because many people depend on the postal service for letters. the workers are just being selfish when they do things like that. the next time they have a strike, we ought to bring in some polish people to replace them permanently.
A postie said on the news that he was paid to work an 8 hour shift and that sometimes he finished his round in 3 hours - he could either go home for the rest of his shift or go back to the post office and do other work, if he did other work he could then claim overtime even though he was still within his 8 hour shift. No, I don't agree with the strike, I'm sure posties are on a much better whack than I am. With all the private mail servers (not to mention free e-mail) the Royal Mail is really up against it therefore I think all the workers should be pulling together rather than striking and basically digging their own graves. Storm: Your Billy Bragg socialist world just doesn't exist any more - only have to look at the Labour party to see that. Move on why don't you.... Billy's a wealthy old geezer these days.
Not particularly skilled? What kind of attitude is that for decent hardworking people, making on average £17, 000 per annum. Were the miners skilled particularly? Does the government have a right to $hit on em? Striking is a calm way of demonstrating unhappiness in the job, its perfectly acceptable and is part of this country's working classes right. I support them, and as a local government worker, I know from experience how hard it is to strike and lose the pay from not working those strike days. Lots of families will suffer this month with reduced wages coming in. Have some solidarity, eh? I think Billy Bragg should have a word with you! *edit* Jenny I am a nurse and trained for three years and a postie couldn't do my job, but would I want theirs? No. I couldn't do it, not physically but I wouldn't want it, as it isn't interesting enough. I support them as its horrendous to begin privatising everything, or threatening that it will happen if you don't tow the line.
I've never found that members of the general public agree with any public sector strike!
To negotiate a job and finish agreement is every union mans dream.You do the work set out and go home when you finish it.This means that if they already have negotiated times or daily quotas,then they just do it more rapidly to be able to go home early.This has the same disadvantage as the tachograph,all your job and work related times are recorded,so you can have no argument against evidence you provide yourself when it is used against you to make you do more.
I agree with you. The postal workers know how much they are depended on to do their job, and they are blatantly taking advantage of this. They know that millions of people will be affected by what they are doing and they are using this to extort benefits from Royal Mail. Of course Royal Mail would have to yield eventually, with the pressure of millions of customers urging them to. The postmen and women should be ashamed of themselves.
you must be from outside the US.I worked as a letter-carrier for 35yrs and no we did not go/spend thousands of dollars for college;but rather did a job that THOUSANDS of DOCTORS/NURSES would not EVEN consider to go into.Next time you see one of US walking up to your door to put a love letter/check ect.in your mailbox and it's POURING CATS AND DOGS or SNOWING/SLEETING/OR SO HOT AND HUMID--PLEASE THINK ABOUT WHAT YOU ARE SAYING NOW!!! P.S. WHY NOT GIVE IT A TRY ??
Nope they've got a nerve going on strike. It's not like they trained for 5 years to be where they are (ie Doctors,Nurses etc) and are trapped in their career choice. If you don't like your job get a new one. No one cares that your on strike, carry on!
Not a postman but agree with Clio and don't we live in a democracy and have the right to strike. As for the miners yes remember the villages being sealed and the batons wielded
Yes I did. Why don`t you apply for a job - oops forgot you`ll not work in the cold, pouring rain, freezing conditions, snow, sleet. Get a life!
I don't have much sympathy for this postal strike because, once again, they started it as Christmas approaches. Most of the post business is done around this season, so they use this as leverage to get what they want, and stuff the general public who want to send parcels and cards to their relatives and friends!! Perhaps if they had some real competition they would think twice about this course of action...most jobs are not guaranteed for life anymore, and if say Mr 'Virgin' Branson decided to create his own postal service, they could find themselves out of a job! Serve 'em right too, selfish gits!
yes they are right to strike the job is best done by someone who is reliable, works entirely unsupervised and understands the responsibility of delivering peoples cheques, credit cards, passports, and even our christmas presents. start at 4am, end at midday, six days a week. like clockwork. we can't expect these people to suddenly start working odd shifts from one day to the next, doing different work one day from the next. it is not in their character.
Although I have issues with postal workers who steal mail as far as the strike goes I think they are right to use their monopoly position to negotiate more money. Corporations drive down wages when there is surplus in the labour market so why not the other way round. As for privatisation. It wont work. Private companies only want the high population areas. They wont deliver a single letter to someone out in the sticks.
You may have a point about postmen going home early and other people in other jobs aren´t afforded that right, but bear in mind, many on here during the week are at work and to them that´s acceptable. The fact is it is not a job that you need to be university trained but university students make the worst postal staff.
Yes I agree ! If you are aware of the reasons behind the Strike...you would sympathise with them I'm sure !
I know I am a minority in my answer to this question, but this wont be the first time! The majority of folk think this is all about money, it is not all about money, (although they would have had a good case if that was the only issue) It's about pensions, it is about cutting the workforce down by about 40000 people and still expecting the same work to be done. It's also about holding on to a job they have done for many years and suddenly being thrown on the scrap heap, no consultation about this or the changes required in the shift working and all sorts of new regulations demanded, yes demanded not discussed. Now what brought all this about? It wasn't postman Pat, he went to work early in the morning, got his bags loaded up with mail and did his job. Content in the knowledge that he would have a safe job for life, he paid into a pension the post office also paid into his pension scheme, Post man Pat didn't earn a lot, he didn't want any of this government top up grant, he was independent. Then wham, no longer needed, not his fault so who's fault is it?? I thought it was the job of management in any business to maintain a profitable business? If it needs trimming from time to time, OK do it, not to suddenly say "Oh sorry but 40000 of you must leave, no pension etc and the rest of you that are left here will have to do whatever"!!! How many of these 'mangers' will have to go???? Not a lot I think. Yes I am a supporter but do not work for the post office and never have done, I just wish that folk would get their facts right before making judgment. I would be very pi*sed off if this happened to me, wouldnt you??? .
I agree with the strike and as for being paid for doing nothing what about the Social Security benefit claimers many of them could work but wont work and get paid for siting on their rear ends........
i support the strikes. these men and women are striking for better conditions. so they can have a pension scheme. so they can go to work at the time they are used to. if royal mail wasn't so greedy the strikes wouldn't be happening
I do and don't agree!! Everyone has a right to strike. They must have a good reason to do it as they are loosing their wages. However the post that is building up in the post offices is going to take up to 3 weeks to be delivered. I think that Royal Mail should face up to the fact that they can't let the striking continue or let them do overtime when they are not striking so that we get our mail sooner rather than never. There will be so many important letters not delivered in time - hospital appointments for example. What gives them the right to mess with our lives?
This goes far deeper than pay, 40.000 job cuts are planned, this is the result of years of abuse by the government and the slow destruction of what is all public sector companies take the NHS go in hospital what are the chances of coming our alive now?? it's all to do with money and the fact that human life is costing less and less. This country is destroying itself from the inside out and government are a bunch of fat greedy self righteous Bast*rds do as i say not as I do , take for example the smoking ban, this dose not apply within the houses of Parliament. I agree this strike is wrong for the simple reason the Royal mail are in serious Financial trouble and all the work force can do is cry about wages if the union agreed to NO pay rise but still strike on the loss of jobs and post offices, and the fact the goverment have taken 6 billion from the pensions fund I would have supported this but as they are mainly crying about money, so I don't support it one bit..
Apparently they are complaining of bullying on a managerial level (towards the workers) and unions are notorious for encouraging people to strike to force the managers to stop what they do - give more money and to listen to others blah blah blah.
Ok SO I AM a retired postie due to cancer but thats not the issue.Dare i say its a fight against Post Offices closing down and thats one thing Next time you have a drive around,forget the large red box,look for the small square red ones that serve a small area.You will be amazed just how many there are,and if we lose the postal service,i can assure you big profit companys wont keep these.How many red vans do you see on collections every afternoon,well this is the overtime they talk about,when you have been home and gone back YOU will of course noticed dustmen now run,this is because if they do they gain time.Whats not being said is how a postie cant rely on the ammount of mail for that delivery each day,as i did some rounds with 3 bags today and 6 tomorrow.There is also a conception that a postie walks in the office,picksup a bag and leaves Not the case,the frame in front of you has 700 houses or whatever the case,and you stand and bang em in The more mail,the longer you are,and yes on a light day with a rush you could make time,but my wage packet was made up of 4 0 clock start 12 0 clock finish and then go back to do a collection from 3 0 clock til 6.tHE COLLECTION TIME WAS THE OVERTIME AND WELL EARNT Before becoming a postie i am a fully skilled mechanic and did this for over twenty years,5 year apprentiship served,but i loved the post and it was far more demanding than ever mending a putput Like i said 700 homes per delivery,and i memorised the frames of above 40. When all the boxes have gone and private enterprise cant replace them,and the post office has gone in favour of a supermarket,lets all congratulate ourselves because in amongst all this they asked for a pay rise as well Job satisfaction,mechanic or postman,no contest,the little red box wins
Well said Stormy
17 grand a year for walking around carrying a bag! You've got to be joking! Sack the lot of them. I'm sure there's plenty of polish guys who would do the job for the miniumum wage.