Fluffy kittens

you have been living in france for too long Jim . you are used to the strikes .

cchris2lou":162aknsc said:

you have been living in france for too long Jim

Click to expand...

Tell me about it!

kaiser":3l9m8w66 said:

BarneyRubble":3l9m8w66 said:

I thought I'd chuck my hat into the ring: I work in the private sector and on a largely commission based pay structure. I have NO benefits, work fairly long hours and am expected to deliver at least £110k in profit to the company each year in order to keep my job. When I want a payrise I am told - work harder, for longer. If I don't like it, do you know what I can do...that's right, nothing other than find another job.

Click to expand...

Where do I sign , honestly was this in the blurb when you applied for the position? What is it you do?

Click to expand...

Recruitment - an industry where you are constantly able to compare your pay and conditions to others, (and often think i should go and work for the Council!)

Jim, my comments are not anti-union, they are directed specifically toward the current Royal mail strike that will achieve NOTHING positive; Unless disrupting the businesses and lives of millions of people, damaging the reputation and long term viability of Royal mail and passing more business to private carriers is positive!

If my views seem Victorian, maybe it's because in the last 10 years I have witnessed thousands of British people, normally lead by a biassed media complaining about their jobs, taxes, hospitals, roads, schools etc etc, when in reality in the UK we have an excellent standard of living. The postal strike is just another symptom of an ongoing trend toward a society where a large group of people think they are owed something by the world.

My main point is really that people should be grateful for what they have instead of constantly complaining about what they don't have. it's not rhetoric, it's just my point of view. I don't have any particular political leanings, (I think all politicians are as bad as each other) I would just like people to get on with what they are paid to do, whatever that may be!

I have no doubt that there are dedicated people working in the public sector in our schools, libraries and hospitals and I am sure your Mum is very dedicated to her job. My point about Apathy refers not so much to individuals on the front line, but more the general resistance to change that hangs in the corridors of large public sector organisations up and down the country.

I'm quite enjoying this rant now. Where's my soapbox?

BarneyRubble":3tfy1jws said:

Jim, my comments are not anti-union, they are directed specifically toward the current Royal mail strike that will achieve NOTHING positive; Unless disrupting the businesses and lives of millions of people, damaging the reputation and long term viability of Royal mail and passing more business to private carriers is positive!

Click to expand...

I agree with many of your reservations about the strike, and as a consumer I can see your point of view. As a worker, I'm happy to see a group of workers standing up for themselves.

But mostly, what I really disagree with is the suggestion that we should see the minimum the free market will stand as a benchmark of what we should expect from our employers. Someone will always do the job for less. Why shouldn't we all aspire to job security and a say in the workplace, rather than begrudging those who have it and work to defend it?

My main point is really that people should be grateful for what they have instead of constantly complaining about what they don't have.

Click to expand...

But this particular case (the postal strike) seems to be about a group of people defending what they do have - or at least trying to.

I have no doubt that there are dedicated people working in the public sector in our schools, libraries and hospitals and I am sure your Mum is very dedicated to her job. My point about Apathy refers not so much to individuals on the front line, but more the general resistance to change that hangs in the corridors of large public sector organisations up and down the country.

Click to expand...

In fact what my mum complains about most is that every time a new bigwig arrives at head office they order an arbitrary reorganisation that costs time and resources, only to move on up the carreer ladder and have the same process happen again and again, each new arrival wanting to make his mark.

Incidentally, my mum - a Tory voter in the eighties - would like to go on strike, but she can't afford to. Strikes are counted as breaks in service and affect her pension rights.

one-eyed_jim":2dbqeg6t said:

Incidentally, my mum - a Tory voter in the eighties - would like to go on strike, but she can't afford to. Strikes are counted as breaks in service and affect her pension rights.

Click to expand...

Didn't the Library workers go on strike sometime last year, or was that just Bristol? I seem to remember seeing them each morning outside the 2 libraries near my house? Either way I understand the frustrations associated with constant reorganisation/cost cutting, but that doesn't really seem to be the case with Royal mail; they are bringing in changes which were agreed 2 years ago after the last strikes. The changes are designed to insure the future of the organisation in a competitive market place, not just to get someone a promotion.
The thing about libraries is that they are a public service and operate without direct competition (obviously I realise that there is competition from cheap books and online resources, but I hope you see my point) whereas Royal Mail is essentially a public funded business that needs to compete in an open market. The changes they need to make are an essential part of survival.

I love libraries and think that they deserve increased funding becuase they provide an outstanding service. This can't really be said for the Royal Mail. I am still waiting for an XT Rear mech nearly 3 weeks after it was posted from less than 60 miles away! :shock:

While I have been a union official in the past and support the right to strike, I suspect that many public sector workers are a little out of touch with the reality of the private sector: less stability and a need to improve productivity every year. If that doesn't happen the business will sink.

Much of the contracting in the Public sector is deeply flawed and uses totally naive purchasing criteria.

However, Public sector workers also have (in general) seen wage rises in the past 7 years far higher than the private sector, AND have levels of pension coverage that would cost us around 20% of salary extra...and private sector pensioners have to shoulder the burden of investment risk.

But the postal unrest is ultimately the management's fault: years of shoddy management has got them the workforce they deserve.

My girlfriend works for the local council in a children and family centre and the amount of red tape to go through to get anything, however basic, done or changed is astonishing, to the point that a cynical person may think its being done on purpose. The money wasted is incredulous, all the staff there arent paid particularly well but they are also dedicated to helping the families that come in as best they can. They also wouldn't dream of going on strike as this would directly impact on the quality of other peoples lives. I agree with striking only if it the absolute last resort, ruining peoples livelihoods because they might lose their jobs is just bloody mindedness and is entirely selfish. Hundreds of thousands of people have lost their jobs in the last year and just as the country seems to be stumbling towards recovery some militant posties deem it their right to do their best to mess it all up again. Nice one, the other 59.9 million people in this country really appreciate that, thanks!

If their are/were any posties on this site then i think they are hiding now

a strange man came to my door


he pushed something through the letter-box ( no not that...)


he drove a red van....



I found some letters on the doormat

I got post this morning too!