are royal mail striking

[Biker Biggles]

Originally Posted by Miss Alpinestarhero

Do I detect a hint of sarcasm here? Im sure there are better ways for royal mail staff to get their point across rather than striking and holding the rest of the country hostage (so to speak). The issue is between royal mail & its staff - not the rest of us. The world would descend into chaos if everyone adopted the same principle and striked.

If my team decided to throw a wobbly and refused to treat patients in order to get our point across then that would jepordise patient care and possibly lead to some deaths. I doubt anyone would be so understanding then.

I was alluding to what seemed your contemptuous attitude to some of the lowest paid workers in Britain whom you called "greedy".And I thought your opinion that if they dont like it they should (metaphorically)get on their bikes and clear off reminicent of many public sector "managers" I have known over the years.
Fact is that people at the lower end of the pay ladder have no power other than to withdraw their labour when in dispute,and this is actually a fundamental right in a free society.

[yorkie_chris]

People who cannot do simple arithmetic causing other businesses disruption and loss are worthy of nothing more than contempt.

If they had towels on their heads, we'd call them terrorists.

Originally Posted by ophic

Think it might be a bit more complicated than that. Royal Mail is a public limited company, and therefore the upper echelons of its management are in fact, the government. Which we all vote for. So the only way to get certain rules changed to allow RM to compete on a level playing field, is to bring it to the attention of the govt. The best way to do that is to get votes dependent on it. Hence the strike. I'm not in agreement with it, but if RM can't survive due to the special rules it works under, something needs to change at the top.

You know public limited company doesn't mean its government-owned, right?

Originally Posted by Biker Biggles

I was alluding to what seemed your contemptuous attitude to some of the lowest paid workers in Britain whom you called "greedy".And I thought your opinion that if they dont like it they should (metaphorically)get on their bikes and clear off reminicent of many public sector "managers" I have known over the years.
Fact is that people at the lower end of the pay ladder have no power other than to withdraw their labour when in dispute,and this is actually a fundamental right in a free society.

I'm just intrigued here, but what power do people higher up the pay ladder have other than withdrawing their labour?

[Biker Biggles]

Careful.Theres posties on this site who might take offence at some of the comments.
Heres a question.If its so wrong to take industrial action,and that seems to be most peoples opinion on here,what should the RM workers do?Real world answers though,not "leave and get another job".

Originally Posted by Biker Biggles

Careful.Theres posties on this site who might take offence at some of the comments.
Heres a question.If its so wrong to take industrial action,and that seems to be most peoples opinion on here,what should the RM workers do?Real world answers though,not "leave and get another job".

I don't think I've said anything offensive to postmen?

Why is leaving and getting another job not a real world answer? If it isn't, does that mean I should have the ability to strike too?

[Biker Biggles]

Originally Posted by muffles

I'm just intrigued here, but what power do people higher up the pay ladder have other than withdrawing their labour?

Thats a big can of worms,and would be a bit of a derail,but Im thinking of stuff like old boys/girls networks,remuneration commitees,and the like.I hear today Goldman Sachs is about to lavish a few tens of millions on its execs.Even RM execs seem to be able to get hefty rises every year????

[Biker Biggles]

Posts overlapped there mate.I wasnt saying your post was offensive to posties.

Originally Posted by muffles

I'm just intrigued here, but what power do people higher up the pay ladder have other than withdrawing their labour?

what labour they don't do **** all.

Originally Posted by Biker Biggles

Thats a big can of worms,and would be a bit of a derail,but Im thinking of stuff like old boys/girls networks,remuneration commitees,and the like.I hear today Goldman Sachs is about to lavish a few tens of millions on its execs.Even RM execs seem to be able to get hefty rises every year????

Ok, see what you mean. You're right in that there are some people that don't have to worry about losing their jobs cos they wouldn't want for anything - but, there aren't that many, pay-wise you have to get pretty high for it to be the case that it doesn't matter. The old boys/girls network - I agree that's wrong though, as you should get a job on valid merits.

Based on that I would say I'm in the same boat as RM staff - I couldn't live without working - but I still don't agree with striking as I think the dissatisfaction should be taken out on the people who are the cause (i.e. not us). If they want more pay they do what I have to do?

Originally Posted by Biker Biggles

Posts overlapped there mate.I wasnt saying your post was offensive to posties.

Ah, gotcha