GENERAL STRIKE

[Took My Heart]

I read about this today - the first recorded strike started today in roughly 1157BCE. Egyptian construction workers downed tools over wage rations not paid.

Records of the strike in Egypt under Ramses III, c1157BCE

A contemporary document recounting the first ever recorded labour strike, which occured in Deir el Medina, Ancient Egypt during the reign of Ramses III when workers did not receive their rations.

libcom.org

 

[raefil]

I delivered there today at 0515am.

The strike runs from today 0400am through to tomorrow Friday 0400am, night staff (myself) have to complete our shifts though hence being there beyond the 4am start. Night Shift strike starts tonight.

daughters training at UCLAN arena, tonight, might nip to Eastway for half an hour too, whilst shes training

 

[Took My Heart]

I delivered there today at 0515am.

The strike runs from today 0400am through to tomorrow Friday 0400am, night staff (myself) have to complete our shifts though hence being there beyond the 4am start. Night Shift strike starts tonight.

Solidarity to you - posties are being treated like shite by RM management. Thumbs up to you and your colleagues

 

[Liberation]

Mick Lynch hands them their arses yet again

Love that bloke....... He knows exactly what he's talking about and makes the useless tits look ridiculous... He even got the clown of a chairman to admit that he'd invited the wrong people to that "thorough grilling" ( yeah right ) haha .. Hope Micks around for a long time making these types of clowns look silly...

Wonder if they've found anything incriminating in his wheelie bins yet?

 

[raefil]

Love that bloke....... He knows exactly what he's talking about and makes the useless tits look ridiculous... He even got the clown of a chairman to admit that he'd invited the wrong people to that "thorough grilling" ( yeah right ) haha .. Hope Micks around for a long time making these types of clowns look silly...

Wonder if they've found anything incriminating in his wheelie bins yet?

They are doing it by basically removing him from the media spotlight.

 

[Liberation]

That twat didn't even know what a RTS was.

Fuck him, he is trying to kill RM off.

He wants to diminish our basic earnings, remove allowances, force later start times which mean later delivery times for YOU, force in what is basically "work is lighter today, go home, we'll call you", destroy Work : Family life balance, Pensions!!, Erase Sick Pay to practically nothing, Erase Sunday Supplements, etc.

I am on Strike again today. Losing money but with my eyes on the longer game and the bigger picture.

You Lads and Lasses keep it up Jack..... Most reasonable people are with you pal...

 

[Jack Daniels]

You Lads and Lasses keep it up Jack..... Most reasonable people are with you pal...

Cheers Lib.

 

[raefil]

You Lads and Lasses keep it up Jack..... Most reasonable people are with you pal...

I'll take it even further, Libs, anyone who isnt on their side dont give a shit about the future of this country.

 

[janiejones]

That twat didn't even know what a RTS was.

Fuck him, he is trying to kill RM off.

He wants to diminish our basic earnings, remove allowances, force later start times which mean later delivery times for YOU, force in what is basically "work is lighter today, go home, we'll call you", destroy Work : Family life balance, Pensions!!, Erase Sick Pay to practically nothing, Erase Sunday Supplements, etc.

I am on Strike again today. Losing money but with my eyes on the longer game and the bigger picture.

You have my total support and respect. Went to join the pickets at my local delivery office, unfortunately, not everyone at Carnforth adhere to the strike.
Was in Keswick on September 30th, strike day, saw a bloke emptying the main post office in town. When I confronted him, he played the 'can't afford to strike' card.
Like I said @Jack Daniels you have my upmost support and respect. 👍👍👍

 

[Winkytinky]

Blaming strikes 🙄

 

[outreacher]

Blaming strikes 🙄

I can't see Royal Mail being a profitable agency ever again, might do all right on the parcel side, if they can compete with the competition, the letter side of the business is almost defunct. Not sure if the Post Offices are still part of the service, they seem to be doing all right, getting a lot of business from High St Bank closures.

That is one privatisation, that won't be paying shareholders massive dividends.

 

[Ando60]

I can't see Royal Mail being a profitable agency ever again, might do all right on the parcel side, if they can compete with the competition, the letter side of the business is almost defunct. Not sure if the Post Offices are still part of the service, they seem to be doing all right, getting a lot of business from High St Bank closures.

That is one privatisation, that won't be paying shareholders massive dividends.

Full year losses to hit £350m , that is a big chunk of money…..

 

[outreacher]

Full year losses to hit £350m , that is a big chunk of money…..

Good thing is, the Vultures circled (Hedge Funds) and Vince Cable did a terrible job, was criticised for selling it undervalue, and allowing preferred bidders on shares to make a killing in the initial sell-off. Well, the investors won't be making any fortunes now.

Thing is, what happens now, it is a fuck-up really, trying to catch up to the firms like DPS and the likes, that employ gig workers, can Royal Mail compete? I haven't a clue really, not a finance man myself, know nowt about stocks and shares, I just see that parcel deliver is very competitive, and 'Snail Mail' isn't the thing any more, expensive as well. I used to love writing letters, was top of the class at primary school for handwriting. Today I prefer, emails and digital banking, and bills without the filing systems taking up space.

 

[Took My Heart]

I used to work in the mail industry and saw significant changes over time. The downstream access arrangements were a nail in the coffin whilst the changing digitisation of communications reduced business mail.

I doubt there isn't a single postie who hasn't seen their work change over the last couple of decades and I don't think posties are opposed to changes in technology or how they work to respond to the future.

Blaming strike action for redundancies though is the lowest of the low. It intends to split the workers and deliberately apportion the reason for the cuts to workers rather than the management. It's classic victim blaming.

So yeah, the postal service has changed but I wonder how many employees have left in the last 20 years? They'll mysteriously be forgotten about.

There is a bigger question - is the universal service offer still of value and is is right that a letter costs the same irrespective of where you live or where it's going to? In both cases i am saying yes and I am also saying RM doesn't need to make a profit or be sustainable. If its a service we value it should be supported.

 

[outreacher]

I used to work in the mail industry and saw significant changes over time. The downstream access arrangements were a nail in the coffin whilst the changing digitisation of communications reduced business mail.

I doubt there isn't a single postie who hasn't seen their work change over the last couple of decades and I don't think posties are opposed to changes in technology or how they work to respond to the future.

Blaming strike action for redundancies though is the lowest of the low. It intends to split the workers and deliberately apportion the reason for the cuts to workers rather than the management. It's classic victim blaming.

So yeah, the postal service has changed but I wonder how many employees have left in the last 20 years? They'll mysteriously be forgotten about.

There is a bigger question - is the universal service offer still of value and is is right that a letter costs the same irrespective of where you live or where it's going to? In both cases i am saying yes and I am also saying RM doesn't need to make a profit or be sustainable. If its a service we value it should be supported.

It should be supported if it is a public company, but not supported if it is owned by US investors, who want public money to maintain their profits.

 

[Liberation]

Blaming strikes 🙄

I believe another word for that announcement is BLACKMAIL

 

[Took My Heart]

I remember when the downstream access providers were allowed to 'compete' with Royal Mail. A lot of the went under quickly but those with the backing of foreign postal services did well (think TNT / Whistl was owned by the Dutch mail service). They basically creamed off all the easily sortable and high volume business mail and could cherry pick what they would deliver and where.

Royal Mail on the other hand had to deliver the 'final mile' because no provider had the national reach and capacity to deliver everywhere. Royal Mail still made a profit but it was much smaller. The problem for the consumers and Royal Mail was business mail (thousands of letters a day in PR1 at the time) was cheaper to sort and deliver and subsidised your handwritten card to an auntie in Cornwall or the Shetland Islands. The 'real cost' of sending personal communication was subsidised by profits on business mail.

Of course, with those gone, stamped mail costs have risen exceptionally over the years to reflect the 'true cost'. People grumble about the price of a stamp, not realising it's expensive to the consumer because the 'subsidy' has passed to business and the cost to consumer.

Fast forward a few years and Royal Mail transformed from a letter delivery service with the odd parcel to a parcel delivery service with the odd letter. They still have the universal service obligation but costs and infrastructure needed to deliver parcels is different.

The outcome is that postie walks are longer, take more time to deliver and consume more fuel resources. I get as pissed off as the next waiting for something to arrive but Royal Mail is still a great national service. My main posties are sound, friendly and represent their service well.

Sure there are efficiencies, but comparisons to other delivery workers should be a warning, not an opportunity. The alternative is a gig economy with all your stuff in the boot of a car with drivers stressed, harassed and skint.

Online shopping for better or worse is still a growth industry so we will always need our posties. Supporting those striking is valuing the work they do, recognising that delivery infrastructure is valued and those who work in it deserve to be paid fairly and treated well.

The sell off of Royal Mail has replaced a national treasure with a vindictive, aggressive management organisation that is beneath contempt.

Don't work in the industry anymore and apologies for the rant but let's dispell that myth that Royal Mail's problems are down to their staff.

 

[Jack Daniels]

Teachers next.

As with my lot, they have rejected the 5% offer with 86% prepared to Strike.

Good on them.

Teachers one step closer to going on strike in Great Britain

Two unions will ballot their members to vote on industrial action over pay in Great Britain.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[Jack Daniels]

What really boils my piss though is this. Freeloading piggy backers.

As a Union Member since I joined in 1989, I pay my Subs weekly, I have lost money during previous - although rare - strike actions and I have never, nor will I ever do so, cross any picket line.

However, people who are not in the Union, cross pickets lines, etc reap all of the benefits that we win by doing absolutely nothing to contribute to our successes.

Personally, they should be excluded from all such hard won Union benefits and be forced to negotiate their own Terms and Agreements. Good luck with that!

No doubt my line above is an illegal practice but surely this rule needs updating?

 

[raefil]

What really boils my piss though is this. Freeloading piggy backers.

As a Union Member since I joined in 1989, I pay my Subs weekly, I have lost money during previous - although rare - strike actions and I have never, nor will I ever do so, cross any picket line.

However, people who are not in the Union, cross pickets lines, etc reap all of the benefits that we win by doing absolutely nothing to contribute to our successes.

Personally, they should be excluded from all such hard won Union benefits and be forced to negotiate their own Terms and Agreements. Good luck with that!

No doubt my line above is an illegal practice but surely this rule needs updating?

They should always been known as and treated as scabs.