Royal Mail Strike Voted For

[Fambo Number Mive]

Solidarity with the postal workers, its a difficult and stressful job:

More than 97% of members of the Communication Workers Union backed a strike. Turnout was 76%.

The CWU says an agreement reached with management last year to raise pay and reform pensions is not being honoured.

It means Royal Mail is now facing its first national postal strike in a decade...

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-50059531

[Twed]

I don't know the details, but by fuck is it good to see unions taking action. And existing at all.

[madhair60]

I'll just use email then

[Twed]

THIEF

[idunnosomename]

cant wait when they stop parading around in their shorts pushing those stupid prams about and throwing red elastic bands everywhere

[pancreas]

I'll just use email then

SCAB

[Twed]

EMAIL IS FOR LIARS

[Captain Z]

I don't remember voting for this.

[jobotic]

Fantastic turn out. I expect to see the next round of anti-trade union legislation making it a 99% turn out requirement.

Solidarity.

[Jasha]

Solidarity with the postal workers, its a difficult and stressful job:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-50059531

It's not just pay and pensions. Black wants to run down letter deliveries and move Parcelforce (the bit that makes money) to a self employed courier model.

[Twed]

It'll be gig economy in ten year's time, mark my words

[Twed]

mark my words

Ugh, shut up, you don't say "mark my words".

[poo]

All my stuff is delivered by a zero hours Hermes kev in an unmarked white van.

[Fambo Number Mive]

Good article from Tribune:

https://tribunemag.co.uk/2019/10/stand-by-your-postie

...When Rico Back was appointed CEO – with a massive and controversial £6 million 'golden hello' – it was a signal that Royal Mail intended to move away from this agreed framework. Back had previously been in charge of Royal Mail's European parcel business GLS, where he had overseen a radically different organisational culture, more similar to gig economy companies like Deliveroo or Uber, or internet giant Amazon, than to a five-century-old public institution like Royal Mail.

When Royal Mail was privatised beginning in 2012, the union had feared this was the path it would eventually go down. At first, the CWU managed to hold off the worst effects of privatisation with a landmark deal that banned zero hour contracts, prevented the institutionalisation of a two-tier workforce and introduced controls on the use of temporary labour. But, gradually, the private management has moved to erode these guarantees.

More recently, it began a process of separating out, then dividing up and, beginning this October with Parcelforce, selling off parts of Royal Mail. This, combined with its determination not to engage seriously with the union about the future direction, meant postal workers were, in the CWU's Terry Pollinger's words, "in the fight of our lives"...

CWU press release: https://twitter.com/CWUnews/status/1184118595212713985

[Glebe]

SCAB

"Look mate, I can barely afford Jess' cat food as it is!"

*goes off to book two weeks in Florida.*

(Seriously though, this is not a knock on the strike. It's just that Pat is one of the lucky few whose had a cushy number up there in Greendale for some years now.)

[jobotic]

Good article from Tribune:

https://tribunemag.co.uk/2019/10/stand-by-your-postie

CWU press release: https://twitter.com/CWUnews/status/1184118595212713985

First comment on there from an FBPE arsehole saying they shouldn't strike. Ah centrists...

[Fambo Number Mive]

EDIT - as this was obviously unclear:

How can people who are not postal workers show support for the strike?

[NJ Uncut]

Worked xmas shifts there for the past 3 years and last year it was so bad they couldn't even budget for giving gloves to the temporary staff

Since they've been privatised they've lost a ton and it's been getting more and more miserable a place to work

Good luck to the strikers. It's run badly now, profit over staff happiness (and the shit leadership in the past year or two has burned away so much cash AND goodwill)

How can people support the strike?

Don't be ignorant mate. I've worked there. The health and safety training has dropped year on year, the bonuses cut, the shares plummetted, the corrupt heads losing money and extending hours without pay... if you haven't worked there I politely suggest you listen to people who have. Stay neutral if you don't want to support - these are, by and large, decent (you can't get in with a criminal record) working class people in a job getting undercut by shitehawks like the massively unethical Amazon and their Prime.

It's a Tory brainwave it going private anyway. Corbyn said he'd renationalise - that is the way forward

[Fambo Number Mive]

I'm asking how can people show solidarity by supporting striking postal workers, i.e. how can we show support for the strike. Not sure why that makes me ignorant.

Did you not see my post of the Tribune article or my opening post expressing solidarity?

[NJ Uncut]

I'm asking how can people show solidarity by supporting striking postal workers, i.e. how can we show support for the strike. Not sure why that makes me ignorant.

Did you not see my post of the Tribune article or my opening post expressing solidarity?

Oh. Sorry, no, I took it as "how can people think this is a good idea". Not editing the above as I think it's valuable but as someone who was helped during some rough times by them I have a good if sensitive perspective.

Sorry I called you ignorant, you're not. x

Strikes are powerful, and they have a decent union still.

How to support? Speak up, don't use competitors, don't complain... :)

[Fambo Number Mive]

No worries, I should have written it clearer to be honest.

[Replies From View]

I'm asking how can people show solidarity by supporting striking postal workers, i.e. how can we show support for the strike. Not sure why that makes me ignorant.

Did you not see my post of the Tribune article or my opening post expressing solidarity?

You could find out where all your local Royal Mail workers live and knock on all their windows at night bellowing "WELL DONE MATE".

Alternatively you could find out where all your non-local Royal Mail workers live and do it to them.

[NJ Uncut]

No worries, I should have written it clearer to be honest.

I should read before I post!! We're evens. Glad you back this strike :)

[BlodwynPig]

All my stuff is undelivered by a zero hours Hermes kev in an unmarked white van.

Ftfy

[Fambo Number Mive]

Can people turn up to picket lines to offer support? I.e. stand on the picket line with the striking postal workers in solidiarty? Or does that come under secondary picketing?

[Blinder Data]

That is a fantastic turnout. Their social media and member engagement seems to be very strong. Not like my union which can barely use emails and has failed twice to get past the 50% threshold because they are shit

[peanutbutter]

I'm asking how can people show solidarity by supporting striking postal workers, i.e. how can we show support for the strike. Not sure why that makes me ignorant.

I think just being vocal that you support it and are okay with whatever delays it may cause, and standing your ground against whatever cunt decides to pick a fight with you over it.

[pancreas]

I am balls deep in trying to replicate this as far as possible. Academics are so fucking useless. We'll be lucky if we make it.

[thenoise]

You could find out where all your local Royal Mail workers live and knock on all their windows at night bellowing "WELL DONE MATE".

Alternatively you could find out where all your non-local Royal Mail workers live and do it to them.

If they aren't local just post them a letter.

[Default to the negative]

Postmen are redundant and they know it. I only want to see a postman if it's in a sleazy retrograde 'Confessions Of...' film, with slide-whistle trouser-drops and cor blimey business with a bit of alright.