Postal strike for Christmas - you fools!

It seems a full blown postal strike is on the cards to which I say "good onya" postmen/women! We, like many millions of others won't need to send out Christmas cards this year, which will not only save us a lot of money but will lose many millions of pounds for Royal Mail, which in turn could result in you postal workers losing the very jobs and working conditions that you appear to be fighting for. Already we notice the difference in service, meaning that once upon a time our post arrived well before 9 am daily. Now we are lucky if we get post by 3.30 pm somedays, it's almost a case of spot the postie! So I say go ahead fools, strike, cause mayhem for us but will you have a job to return to? The economic climate in this country is such that you will be dismissed and replaced by others who I suggest would take your job at the drop of a hat, and for huge percentage DECREASE in remuneration whilst accepting conditions thrown at them regardless of what they might be!

Let me also say that it will be no good thinking that you are protected by the Unions, because change has to happen in this country thanks to our ex Chancellor, now Prime Minister Brown. He sold the silver (or the gold) for a fraction of it's worth, bails out everybody except those who actually need it, so my best advice postal workers would be to forget the idea of a strike and get back to work whilst you are fortunate enough to have a job, because unemployment is still on the increase! What do you think POE'rs, should they strike or get back to work? 

In the US the postal service runs Monday through Saturday with every Sunday off. They are now talking about reducing postal deliveries to five days a week, Monday through Friday. But I haven't heard about any planned strikes during the Holiday season.

Sometimes workers really do cut their noses off to spite their faces when they are quick to strike. There is a time and place but I am not sure the current recession is it.

In the future,who will need the Royal Mail (snail mail) when there is email. Much faster and cheaper. As Steph said,there is an alternative to the Royal Mail and more often than not, it is quicker. So if they want to strike themselves out of a job,let them do it. Fools.

I very rarely send letters now that I have found email. I can send photos without them getting folded in half and crumpled up. And I am instantly informed if they were not delivered. I am waiting for a way to send parcels via email. Lol

Well Ron, it seems 76.24% of the postal workers casting their ballot disagree with you. The Union is clearly upset at the cuts in their final salary pension scheme; this year's pay freeze, and " modernisation" which seem to be their main sticking point.   So looks like threats of industrial action reminiscent of the 1970s and early 1980s is the way forward for them.

Our normal delivery time is around 2 PM onwards, but living about 2 miles from the sorting office may be the cause of this late timing. And only this week, a card was left in my letter box at No. 14 saying there was a recorded letter not delivered for a lady I'd never heard of.  Going to the sorting office the next morning at 7 when they opened,  it then showed a package with 22 as the address.

Quite possibly, this postal worker struggling to tell the difference between 14 and 22 has also put a lot of thought when casting their ballot.  And many will no doubt rally to their Union cause as thousands did at Longbridge in the 70s when they showed their views to British Leyland, though by 2005 after a few changes of ownership along the way, the former staffing levels of thousands had ultimately reached zero.

I think you have summed it up very well Paul.

Trouble is they think the Union is big enough to support them to win this battle, but hey remember Freddie Laker.....big as he was he went bust!!

The 76.24% in favour of action now will change rapidly I suspect, as the lack of money hits home (especially with Christmas coming). As you suggest, the staffing levels will change but I stick with my original description FOOLS!

Perhaps we should take a break here for a sing-song? How about The Strawbs from 1973----

Now I'm a union man
Amazed at what I am
I say what I think
That the company stinks
Yes I'm a union man.

When we meet in the local hall
I'll be voting with them all
With a hell of a shout
It's out brothers out
And the rise of the factory's fall.