Daily Mail: Can Harry foil post strike?

[britwrit]

Can Harry foil post strike? Wizard idea by Royal Mail to save JK Rowling book launch

By TOM MCGHIE
Last updated at 21:51pm on 30th June 2007


Harry Potter has overcome many a challenge in the books and films charting his adventures.
Now it is hoped the schoolboy wizard can work his magic on an industrial dispute.

Royal Mail chiefs are using Harry in negotiations with postal union leaders to appeal to them not to disrupt deliveries of J.K. Rowling's latest novel.

Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows, the seventh and last in the series, is due to be published on July 20 and Royal Mail has promised next-day delivery to thousands of retailers across the country.

But with postal workers threatening a series of walkouts in a dispute over pay, bosses have asked the Communication Workers Union to ensure that millions of children are not disappointed.

In a letter seen by The Mail on Sunday, Royal Mail human resources director Kevin Green has pleaded with CWU deputy general secretary Dave Ward to abandon any plans for industrial action in the week of the book launch.

Mr Green's letter says: "J.K. Rowling's book, Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows, is due to be released on Friday, July 20, for delivery on July 21, and we will be providing a next-day delivery service for many major book retailers.

"I am sure the CWU will not want to be the cause for the final book not getting to its readers. I would urge you to ensure that there is no strike action in the week of the launch."

Royal Mail has not heard back from the union. But when asked if the CWU would give an assurance that it would not strike on a certain day, a union spokesman replied: "No."

Royal Mail is also concerned about the launch of millions of Harry Potter stamps on July 17.

On Friday the union's 180,000 workers were called out, bringing chaos to the postal service.

A Royal Mail spokesman said: "We are very sorry at the disruption to our customers' mail. The dispute is about the absolutely urgent need to modernise."

A spokeswoman for Harry Potter publisher Bloomsbury said: "We are holding our breath. It could be very hairy."

[DGP1]

Let one of our rivals to deliver them I don't give a f**k I don't read them.

[POSTMAN]

Very clever Royal Mail,thats a good way to get the public on your side
Is that industrial f***ing blackmail. :lfo :cfo

[POSTMAN]

In a letter seen by The Mail on Sunday,

That's what you call a serious missort

[dongash]

our boss has said for years we don't make anything delivering the harry potter books! why the big thing about delivering them now? i have already seen the evidence of the competitors delivering the big amazon packets on my walk.......... thrown on the floor split open in the foyer of some flats i deliver to!!! amazon don't seem bothered so why should we? let the same shite carrier deliver them! there was no frank on the only the name burslem. do we honestly believe that amazon have stopped an £8 million a year contract because we might be going on strike? no, it is all about the cheapest(sod quality) option. regards dongash opg macclesfield ( 100% scab free zone)

[Renegade80]

As Postman said earlier, this is some serious counter-attacking by Royal Mail and doesn't augur well for the weeks ahead.

Naturally causing disruption to such a major release would cause some serious upset amongst the retailers not to mention the general public, but isn't it high time an offer of compromise should be tabled as opposed to the "modernisation tape" looping over and over

[pinstripe]

Who really cares. According to Sky news 68% of the public did not sympathize with us. If they can't be bothered to find out the truth, let them go to a shop, like in the old days and actually buy it over this thing called a counter. Of course it'll all be our fault if little Billy doesn't get his fat little mitts on the book that his parents are to lazy to get themselves. Another thing, why should we get the blame for this, the release date for the book was known months ago. Personally, I say 'stuff Amazon' and their £8m contract, I notice that we're still delivering them!

[Rowdy]

I agree with you dongash. Company bosses all over are only interested in one thing, money. Quality comes far done the list. I've seen parcels lying on doorsteps for days, on busy streets and out in the rain. And a lot of the time we get the blame because people associate deliveries with Royal Mail. What's becoming more common is people returning parcels as unwanted and they have a competitors frank on them. Once a guy came into a post office on my delivery and dumped about five parcels down on the counter, said they were gone aways and walked out. They had all been delivered by competitors so when I came in to do the collection I put them in my van, drove round to the guys house and told him if he wanted them returned he would either have to pay postage or phone up the companies to have the couriers pick them up. Guy didn't know what to say.

I'm also fed up of been stopped by the delivery drivers asking directions. Sometimes I get stopped several times a day by courier drivers asking for directions. I used to help them as they are only doing a job like us but now I tell them I don't know the area well and can't help them. How often have any of you had to stop a DHL van and ask where a certain house is? Never I bet. So let them deliver the Harry Potter books and see how they get on. And when they ask you where an address is...!

[dean41]

The nerve of Royal Mail telling the CWU when not to strike.I personally think the APC,s should be out on the thursday of that week followed by the drivers on friday, then DO,s on the saturday.That would cause maximum chaos to Royal Fail

[TrueBlueTerrier]

Actually I think it could be a good PR move. CWU says "We are always open to negotiation and therefore, we have agreed, because we don't wish to disappoint Harry Potter Fans, not to strike on this particular week. We now ask Royal Mail to reciprocate that gesture by coming back to the table and start negotiation instead of endlessly reiterating their position".

[Bloke7]

Yet another indictment of our silly society. Getting a book on the first day is all well and good and fun I agree, but what for? So you can read it before everyone else? How can you tell if you have? Is there a big neon sign that says "Congratulations you have finished the last Harry Potter book!!! You win pride and recognition from your peers and wil be forever recognised and revered by your fellow readers!!!"

Unlikely. It's all about society as it is now, consume, destroy and compete. No depth, just a shallow acceptance of streams of crap and "soundbites".

Sky News - 68%? Isn't Leighton on the BSkyB board?? :)

Nonetheless using Harry Potter is as good as using any competitor to beat us over the head with. Funny they weren't doing it in the early days when they started "handing off the business" to other companies :P (i mean in other words, it wasn't such a big deal, just accepted that the competition would come and take our business)

[norbet colon]

Actually I think it could be a good PR move. CWU says "We are always open to negotiation and therefore, we have agreed, because we don't wish to disappoint Harry Potter Fans, not to strike on this particular week. We now ask Royal Mail to reciprocate that gesture by coming back to the table and start negotiation instead of endlessly reiterating their position".

Like or not , Green's playing "the nice cop" & giving the union "the gypsies warning " because RM will do a fit up in the Tory papers, don't get me wrong ; I don't trust Green , a gamble can go either way.

[vigilante]

well that just proves it.
RM will try any filthy political trick to gain support from an easily pursuaded public.
lower than a snakes belly springs to mind.
Instead of nasty tactics get back to the table. F**k harry potter.

[IWW Fellow Worker]

Yet another indictment of our silly society. Getting a book on the first day is all well and good and fun I agree, but what for? So you can read it before everyone else? How can you tell if you have? Is there a big neon sign that says "Congratulations you have finished the last Harry Potter book!!! You win pride and recognition from your peers and wil be forever recognised and revered by your fellow readers!!!"

Unlikely. It's all about society as it is now, consume, destroy and compete. No depth, just a shallow acceptance of streams of crap and "soundbites".

Sky News - 68%? Isn't Leighton on the BSkyB board?? :)

Nonetheless using Harry Potter is as good as using any competitor to beat us over the head with. Funny they weren't doing it in the early days when they started "handing off the business" to other companies :P (i mean in other words, it wasn't such a big deal, just accepted that the competition would come and take our business)

Very well said mate.

[evilc]

Just announce dates to strike at midday an 20th july for 24hrs and 0300 hrs on 23rd july for 24 hrs and on the 19th cancel fridays 24 hr strike. :cfo :lfo