Royal Mail v DHL

[moanmoanmoan]

L Tommo,

I think it is best that we adopt the approach to the non union members issue.

As I said before I do think that the public does not appreciate what they have in RM.

I firmly believe that most of the problems do lie with the government. RM is not a private company and has to deliver mail for other companies at poor prices.I do not want RM to go PLC as I believe it would be to the detriment of all but - if it was private it would tell the competitors to FO. The government has put RM in no-mans land - Not a pure public service monopoly and not private. Who thought this one up?


Is there a "support the posties" petition on the downing street site?

I do think that the media have portrayed this dispute in a very negative way.

Surley a journalist somewhere has to find a public interest story in the fact that RM is forced to deliver mail @ 13p for DHL when everyone else pays double - just so the people sending junk mail can do it cheaper!!

I believe - in my opinion - that your union needs to do a PR job on the general public.

How many people know how much it would cost for a DHL next day delivery.

I do believe that they would be more supportive if they did.

Whatever your politics look what happened recently.

Tories come up with an idea that is popular in the polls and surprise surprise - things change!!

[moanmoanmoan]

I guess it does depend on what the public like myself want, either:

1) A Business-based Service or
2) A Public-Service

Now with the option 1, you have to make Royal Mail a PLC, evidently even though the HM Government took partial control in 2000, it's still not making much in terms of quality, fairness of employees etc, I think everyone can say, the management sucks ass, LOL. With the option 2, there won't be shareholders and treating its employees bad in terms of trying to gain proft because the goal for option 2 isn't to make profit, it's to make a public service run as smoothly as possible. If Royal mail did become a division of the Government, where there won't be a PLC, the responsiblity lies with the Government entirely and I don't think the Gov would screw Royal Mail as much as they're doing right now. Just because some other mailing companies are either limited or plcs doesn't mean Royal Mail could survive as one.

Therefore, IMO, this current management structure does not work.

What about making it like the police force? In theory at least, they are independent and directly employed by the taxpayer, not by the government, and not by a business entity.
The police force gets megabucks increase every year and nobody bats an eyelid because they are seen as 'essential services'. Surely door to door delivery which is capable of reaching *and guarantees to reach* every single address in the British Isles is also an essential public service which cannot possibly be replaced by private companies.

Not convinced that the police are independant in any way.

Agree totally however with regard to door to door delivery being impossible to replace via private companies.

[Trends Guild]

I guess it does depend on what the public like myself want, either:

1) A Business-based Service or
2) A Public-Service

Now with the option 1, you have to make Royal Mail a PLC, evidently even though the HM Government took partial control in 2000, it's still not making much in terms of quality, fairness of employees etc, I think everyone can say, the management sucks ass, LOL. With the option 2, there won't be shareholders and treating its employees bad in terms of trying to gain proft because the goal for option 2 isn't to make profit, it's to make a public service run as smoothly as possible. If Royal mail did become a division of the Government, where there won't be a PLC, the responsiblity lies with the Government entirely and I don't think the Gov would screw Royal Mail as much as they're doing right now. Just because some other mailing companies are either limited or plcs doesn't mean Royal Mail could survive as one.

Therefore, IMO, this current management structure does not work.

What about making it like the police force? In theory at least, they are independent and directly employed by the taxpayer, not by the government, and not by a business entity.
The police force gets megabucks increase every year and nobody bats an eyelid because they are seen as 'essential services'. Surely door to door delivery which is capable of reaching *and guarantees to reach* every single address in the British Isles is also an essential public service which cannot possibly be replaced by private companies.

Not convinced that the police are independant in any way.

Agree totally however with regard to door to door delivery being impossible to replace via private companies.

In what way are they not independent? They are now regulated by statute, yes, (though that was not always the case). They are issued guidelines, but the Chief of Police makes the final decision, and procedural matters are decided with police consultation.

[moanmoanmoan]

And the final decision about who is chief of Police rests with?

[maleorder]

You may have missed the point. These two services are aimed at different markets. It isn't a case that the RM customer will use the DHL service when RM disappears - they will use email or not send the item at all.
If you don't believe me ask yourself why anyone would use DHL currently?

[escortmk1]

On the question of DHL - We are a small internet-order company, sending perhaps 50 packages a day ranging in weight from 500gm to 2KG. We have always used RM via our small local post office. Most sent Recorded Signed for First Class or SDND usually about 4-5 mail sacks daily.

Since the strike and following delays etc we have now negotiated with DHL a block rate for all the packages that works out sligghtly more than a 1Kg Ist Class RSF.

We will switch over in the next few weeks. We didn't want to, as we support our local post office which is threatened with closure, but the customer comes first and our business second, and it will cost us fractionally more in time. We've spoken with the staff at the post office, and they understand, but it will be a big chunk out of their business, over half of their Specials were sent by us, and probably about 50% of their small packets.

We have seen sales drop by 30% as a direct result of the strike, and it will take weeks to get that back, if we can get customer confidence back again.

We will continue to use RM for smaller packets, but these are only 10% of business.

I just wonder how many others are in our situation and will be prompted to change, affecting the rural ost offices as well as RM?

EscortMk1

[maleorder]

Thanks for that, we will wait to see the results of the ballot but you are right, the customer comes first (and our employees) and I will contact DHL if we see any more disruption.

[IWW Fellow Worker]

Thanks for that, we will wait to see the results of the ballot but you are right, the customer comes first (and our employees) and I will contact DHL if we see any more disruption.

Don't forget to contact Allan Leighton, Adam Crozier and their bosses in HM Government and let them know if you do. They're the ones intent on destroying the service after all.

[escortmk1]

I have contacted my local MP (labour) and all he does is spout the usual crap about how they are concerned etc, but doesn't help us, our customers, or the local Post office.

Written to Crozier but not heard anything, probably delayed in backlog

Escortmk1

[davidessex]

in reply to escortmk1.. i have every sympathy with your reasons for using dhl... however , have you stopped to think what price you would pay if royal mail didn,t exist, or went private. are any of our privatised utilities ect any more reliable or cheaper than they were under public ownership ?

[escortmk1]

Fair point, but the service we're using doesn't use Royal mail for the final mile or anywhere in the process as far as I'm aware.. DHl in this instance are competing against other couriers, such as city link/ups etc. I would quite happily pay more for the RM service as a business, but it has to be reliable. This cost just gets passed on to the consumer/customer anyway.

It's the reliabilty that's the concern. I have always been full of respect for the postal service and have found it to be great, we have only ever completely lost two packages in over 4 years. That's phenomenal. Some may go missing for a few months , but they always turn up eventually, either at the correct address or sent back to us.

We have just gone through the worst 3 weeks as a business , with loads of time just placating customers, resending stuff, refunding orders, missing orders and it's still going on.

As to privatised companies, with the exception of BT which was appalling before, not noticed much differnce.

EscortMk1

[davidessex]

the fact that a postman is here discussing this with you proves our dedication to our job. i find it embarrassing that i have to find excuses for practices put in place by rm which cause distress to our ( my ) customers. i hope your business gets back to normal via rm ( us ) asap. cheers

[escortmk1]

Thanks DavidEssex, just hope you're not digging your own grave.

Hope you get it sorted.

Cheers

[IWW Fellow Worker]

Thanks DavidEssex, just hope you're not digging your own grave.

Hope you get it sorted.

Cheers

Allan and Adam are doing a good job at that mate. And if they win, it will be an early grave for us just as they've buried any notion of service to the customer.

[Customer]

in reply to escortmk1.. i have every sympathy with your reasons for using dhl... however , have you stopped to think what price you would pay if royal mail didn,t exist, or went private. are any of our privatised utilities ect any more reliable or cheaper than they were under public ownership ?

Yes - telecoms but this is an exception.

Withoubt doubt every other privatisation has been a f*****g disaster to both the customer and employee.