Thanks....

[neilf]

...for opening my eyes to many of the issues faced by you guys "on the ground" which the media either wash over or don't report, or worse as in one article I read, dismiss out of hand.

When I came here it was purely for the purpose of looking for some information on a missing parcel; I checked my opinion of the industrial action at the door because it would serve no purpose airing my views.

Whilst I won't deny the industrial action will be pretty inconvenient to say the least, I can only imagine how some of you must feel at work and at home, and nobody should have to work in an oppressive environment with their rights being abused or ignored.

My greatest fear as a customer is that this will completely change the face of Royal Mail as I know it, which will be a shame, because to me it's one of those institutions which I don't think anyone would want to see disappear. I hope this action does not ultimately prove to be your undoing, but I can only imagine your frustration and lack of any viable alternative to put your point across.

I would rather have a bit of short-term disruption than see the Royal Mail service eroded to a point where it isn't recognisable - or worse.

I genuinely hope you all get at least something of what you're looking for and keep fighting to put your side of the story across.

All the best!

[shimmyrule]

thank you for your kind words and understanding, and please alert others to the site.

You will see a very different royal mail if Labour and this current management team have their way.
Its a public service we must defend.

[Cut Off King]

Thanky you for having the foresight to listen to the Royal Mail workers plight.

All we want is to Collect - Prossess - Deliver the mail early & correctly for our 26 million customers

Unfortunatly we are being managed into decline

[TrueBlueTerrier]

Thanks very much for taking the time to read and understand the views and opinions of the grass root posties, its a pity Adam Crozier has never done this.

I would like to add that without our action Royal Mail in a few years will be entirely unrecognisable. I predict with some confidence the following:

1. Posties will not be dedicated to one particular delivery so will not know their customers. They won't know that Mrs Miggins is normally at the kitchen window when we deliver so her not being their wont concern anyone. Also the postie wont know where its safe to leave items with neighbour saving a trip into town.

2. The workforce will be 75% casualised and on minimum rates of pay. No sickness and no holiday entitlement. This will mean no dedication to the job and a higher turn over of staff and less training.

3. There will be 3 types of delivery posties:

Type 1 - Letter only postie who delivers everything that does not need customer interaction. (Legal minimum pay rate) maxim contract 15 - 20 hours a week.
Type 2 - Sorting Postie who sorts 3 or 4 walks within the DO and then takes out 1 for himself. (Slightly higher rate of pay probably 50p greater than type 2)
Type 3 - Customer interaction postie who delivers from a van all the Parcels and letters that need signatures of tracking. He will also be responsible for bag dropping and collecting. (Highest rate of pay probably not on set hours but as required minimum 20 hours per week - maximum (well take a guess 48 and upwards)

Type 1 will be a franchise postie (a sorting of owner walker) and he will have to arrange cover when absent.

4. Deliveries will be from 12.00 as standard with most, but not all, complete by 4.00pm. Although it will not be unusual to have delivers still happening at 8pm on a regular basis.

Literally this is the Dutch model or at least a variation of it.

The futures not bright its TNT orange.

[opgpat]

Cheers Neil, welcome onboard!

Just got to say in reply to last post, if you start paying casuals minimum wage for this job they will take anything they fancy from the bundle to supplement their terrible wages. The job needs a dedicated, committed workforce not casuals or students doing it. If the public loose faith in the security of the mail they will use the service even less! More decline! Mind you if Crozier can take 4million a year from a break-even buisness imagine how much hell get once he ruins us! I'm certain he has shares in TNT :cfo

[neilf]

Just picking up the point about casual employees, when I was 18 I worked for the Benefits Agency as a 'casual'. Aside from the fact that we (as casuals) did not have many of the rights our 'regular' counterparts did, several of the 'casuals' were not exactly enthusiastic or passionate about the job. I am a bit reluctant to say exactly what went on (even thought it was many years ago!) but one thing I can say, it will be a sad day if what you've predicted about a majority casualised workforce comes to pass.

[Stormproof]

Thanks Neil for taking the time to read the real story

[coxie]

its a shame the rest of the public dont know the full story, im glad you have taken time to learn it.

[opgpat]

I am a bit reluctant to say exactly what went on

It's a shame a lot of people these days really don't care - about anything much. The crucial thing about this job is once you get to know the people on your round they do become like friends, you enjoy the quick hello or whatever and you really appreciate the occasional genuine 'thankyou'. Once you have that connection built up you naturally do your best and realise it's real people you are serving. With casuals there will be no connection and no commitment. And the job really is a hard slog most days of the week so I wouldn't doubt casuals would be dumping mail in streams or taking it home in their car to burn. We had 10 guys start with us 2months ago and even at around 7 pounds 90 per hour or whatever it is we get, 8 of them have left already because the job is so crap. I can't see many people doing it with commitment for 5.85 per hour.