Do you understand strike action?

[Bigmallly]

We were talking of the bin-strike in Leeds the other day (admittedly after a couple of glasses of Vino Collapso) and we worked out that even if their demands were met and they went back the following morning they'd have to work for 4 years for the pay increase to cover the losses they've had through lack of pay whilst on strike.

And while they were doing that, tenders would be drawn up & requested by private contractors.

[SlugLobber]

Working in scientific research, I am often expected to work out of hours. I get a fixed salary and that's that. It's part and parcel of life and it's often a bonus if you finish on time rather than a given. So doing work in my own time is not unusual. Even less so for my boss, who spends many evenings and weekends writing papers.

It's many years since I even heard of a Biotech company paying overtime. I appreciate that this is a change hard to swallow for posties, but most of us have worked like this for many years.

It's not limited to office workers, either. My ex is a NT Warden and his job was VERY poorly paid, yet he was on call 24hrs a day and rarely came home 'on time'. He attends many evening meetings, too and I remember being roped in to help clear fallen trees from roads on many an occasion. No overtime there, either.

I'm afraid as a result I don't have a huge amount of sympathy, however I'm more than willing to accept I am only getting part of the full story, so I'm only going off media coverage and we all know who carp THAT can be!

I don't suppose we have any posties on here to give us the more accurate account of what is going on?

[Brengirl]

I know less than anyone about Unions unless on the receiving end of a strike.
We have been self employed all our working lives. If we had not been competitive and given good reliable service we would have gone under years ago.
To deprive a workforce of the right to work ie Strike Action is purely mob rule. If you want to work go to work. If you don't then quit and suffer the consequences.

[Snadger]

I am in a union and proud of it. I think Royal Mail posties do a tremendous job and good luck to them.
If I left the union (which I have no intention of doing) my dearly departed father (an Arthur Scargill type) would turn in his grave.

I think there is still a place for unions as safeguarders of workers rights! Simples!

[Bigmallly]

In 2002 The organisation I work for was restructed & my pay was frozen for 4 years. So it was 5 years before I got a pay rise. If a strike had been recommended there would have been uproar.....Working for NHS.

[kernowyon]

In 2002 The organisation I work for was restructed & my pay was frozen for 4 years. So it was 5 years before I got a pay rise. If a strike had been recommended there would have been uproar.....Working for NHS.

I was about to say the same thing, I work for the NHS too, and we still have an Agenda for change issue with our unsocial hours payments! and it is illegal for us to strike. we just had to bend over and take it, a real case of highway or my way.

[Seamus]

strike action, gggrrrrr, here at d moment all talk is of is strikes, our country cannot afford to keep paying the wages people are accustomed to, my strike will be to vote against the goverment in the next election, for dropping us in d s!!t in the first place, have to stop now, am in danger of a head explosion !!

[Two_Sheds]

The postal strike isn't about pay.

It's about the new rule that if you aren't actually busy on your shift, you will be forced to drive to another place to work, even 30 miles away. Also, the new sorting machines don't work and have in some cases doubled the work the postie has to do, so he has to now complete his round in effectively less time. Rather than sort out the faulty machines, the RM just say "work for free".

.'My postman was told yesterday afternoon that he was to come in this morning 1.5 hours early to do another route before he did his regular one.He agreed but his supervisor then told him he would not be getting paid to do the extra route.IF anyone refused to do extra work they would get a disciplinary.'

Sort of like a rule McDonalds (I think it was) used to have, that if you had no customers, you didn't get paid, even though you were at work, in uniform and not having a break.

The Post has already been crippled. Loads of local post offices closed, so you now have to queue out the door to post your parcels (who's seriously going to pay a courier £5 to deliver a small item, such as those sold on eBay or presents posted to friends?).
The elderly and the poorest don't have computer access, or Blackberries, so will continue to need the PO.

[Two_Sheds]

there's a bit of discussion here with real staff, if anyone's interested.

[HeyWayne]

I still don't get it.

[Florence Fennel]

The way I see it is that if workers feel they are being treated unfairly and cannot "work to rule" to affect changes, they withdraw their labour as a protest. It is obviously the very last resort and brings their situation to the attention of the service users. Whether it is an effective course of action remains to be seen. What I find it hard to understand is how the postmen can be expected to work unpaid in what should be their free time - ridiculous.

[HeyWayne]

What I find it hard to understand is how the postmen can be expected to work unpaid in what should be their free time - ridiculous.

I don't know anyone that doesn't.

[Two_Sheds]

I don't know anyone that doesn't.

It doesn't make it right though.

[HeyWayne]

It doesn't make it right though.

That as may be, but that's the world we now live in, and the world that RM has to operate in.

[Two_Sheds]

Perhaps it's the world we live in because nobody will stand up for themselves anymore? Except the unions.

I'm not being argumentative with you Wayne, but I can see both sides.