Post strikes continue to bite

Friday 30th October 2009, 9:54AM GMT.

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Royal Mail bosses and union leaders are to hold more talks this morning amid uncertainty about further postal strikes.

Both sides in the bitter dispute held talks last night even though a three days of strikes was already underway.

Post workers are threatening more walkouts in the run-up to Christmas.

The Communication Workers’ Union is accusing Royal Mail of not being serious about reaching a settlement in a row over jobs, pay and modernisation.

Royal Mail bosses blame the CWU for “walking away” from talks, adding the union’s actions are “playing havoc” with customer confidence.

Around 44,000 staff across the UK, including mail centre workers, delivery network logistic drivers and garage staff held a 24-hour strike yesterday.


  1. 1
    Martin Davies

    Ah well, at this rate there will be many post office staff claiming benefit by next year.

    Report abuse

  2. 2
    G. Lockett

    The postal workers are cheesed off because what was once a “cushy” job has now evolved so that they are having to do a bit of graft!

    They have expressed their anger because some of the sorting offices now have machinery that can do their jobs quicker and more accurately than they ever could. They need to realise that in a competetive marketplace, EVERY business needs to improve their service and make efficiency savings where possible. The postal workers even signed an agreement on this matter.

    Clearly they are nothing more than dishonourable liars to go back on the agreement that they signed and then have the audacity to claim, “it’s not about the money, we just want to continue giving good service”!

    Well let me tell you, the postal service has been getting worse and worse for years and years, costing the public more and more.

    I genuinely believe that they have seen an opportunity to hold the country to ransom, however, they expected to get more public apathy than the couple of morons that have suggested that they are being hard done to, on this site.

    If Royal Mail stand by their convictions, these idle idiots will fold faster than Superman on washing day.

    Surely they realise that in such a technologically advanced world with email, faxes and e-commerce, fewer people are needing to use the postal system. Packages can be sent by courier faster and cheaper than royal mail. The business needs to be evolved and the system/workers need to be streamlined.

    If people stop using the services then none of them will have jobs. Then any prospective employers will laugh heartily at their application forms whem they read the previous employment section.

    Merry Christmas.

    Report abuse

  3. 3
    Von-Funkenstein

    G Lockett… Hmmm how misguided/uninformed you are!
    Firstly that ‘state of the art’ machinery you refer to is hopeless 2nd hand rubbish that Deutche Post COULD NOT get to work properly, it’s made by a company called Mannesman.
    2ndly The reason you do not get your mail with your readybrek anymore is because ROYAL MAIL cancelled 2nd deliveries so they can keep staff back in the office sorting mail because they have pretty much done away with night sorting up and down the country.
    Fewer people ARE using ‘snail mail’ for more traditional methods these days but new markets are emerging such as the massive upsurge in ‘direct marketing’.
    3rdly there is the issue of the ‘final mile’ where competitors cream off the transport of bulk mailings such as bills etc and then RM has to pick up the ‘final mile’ of delivery to your door at a pathetic rate.
    4th there is a culture prevalent in RM management, it is insidious and NASTY, i myself have been the victim of it, and in the end chose to leave the company. Bullying is rife, managers spend more time on pathetic personal vendettas than they do actually ‘managing’.
    CWU memebers are making a stand for every working class persons’ rights, there have been plenty of posts on here complaining ‘well if i have to be treated like crap at work then so can they’… WRONG!!!! What those comments are actually saying is…’i'm a useless selfish lilly livered idiot who doesn’t even have the guts to stick up for my own job and i’m jealous of those that do’!
    If you think the postal service is bad now… lol be careful what you wish for! you may just get it!

    Report abuse

  4. 4
    Martacus Red

    I would lock all parties in a room & tell them you are not coming out until you come to an agreement.

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  5. 5
    Martin Davies

    There may have been a massive upsurge in direct marketing. But the post staff aren’t delivering it. So why give or keep contracts with royal mail when they won’t do the work?
    The final mile? Can’t do much of that at the moment, how long before other services provide that final mile?
    Not sure how the CWU are making a stand for my rights. They sure are making a stand to cost the company I work for some money, possibly costing me my job if we have to reduce staff.
    Can’t see the CWU caring about making other people redundant just so long as they can score points against RM management.

    Report abuse



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