UK mail strike
By spiritwolf52
@spiritwolf52 (2300)
October 9, 2007 2:24am CST
This mail strike is really getting on peoples' nerves. We haven't had mail delivery since last Thursday. We were told not to mail anything until this Wednesday. Even then, it will take 3 weeks for things to get back to normal. Well, that won't happen as they plan on another strike next week. They are even talking about striking for an entire week. This is way out of hand. At this rate packages, letters, etc. will just get lost in the process. I really feel for the people that are on the famous NHS waiting lists that are waiting for their letters to come through telling them when to report to the hospital. This is a mess. I think the government should step in and do something. Get the managers out delivering the mail, let them get their hands dirty for once. What are your views on this? Do you support the postal strike that is crippling this country?
3 people like this
5 responses
@fizzytom (752)
• Maribor, Slovenia
9 Oct 07
My friend is a postman and he is losing more money by striking than he could gain from a possible pay rise if that demands (its not their only issue) is met.
The problem is that we only had very small increases in postage rates during recent years and the post just cannot be delivered for that amount.
To be honest I think most people haven't even noticed they've been on strike. People seem to be able to get round these things. If you want to hear whether your hospital appt has come through you can contact your doctors surgery and they should be able to tell you as your doctor can check on computer and their notifications come by courier not by Royal Mail.
@spiritwolf52 (2300)
•
9 Oct 07
It is fine for businesses that can take their postal business elsewhere. The public cannot, we are stuck with the royal mail. Hospital notifications DO come by the royal mail. I received one the day befoe the strike. If they want my opinion, raise the cost of the stamps, but get the mail delivered. This government doesn't seem to care. People that have ebay businesses are really going to feel this along with the general public.
I do not go along with closing over 2500 post offices. That will really hit places like the Highlands. We rely on the corner stores that also provide postal services.
Sorry, I have no pity for them striking, we just want our mail.
@fizzytom (752)
• Maribor, Slovenia
9 Oct 07
YOU may receive a hospital appointment by post but your GP will get notification in a letter that is delivered by internal courier within your local NHS area.
Now that there is a centralised system that can be accessed by GPs from the surgery, you can also ask your GPs surgery to look on the system and see whenther you have been given a date.
Therefore, it is unlikely that a postal strike of the length we are currently undergoing would have much of an impact on this.
I E-bay myself but have taken the opportunity to have a little break - I knew about the strike a couple of weeks ago so I was able to plan for it.
I do agree with you to some extent about the local post offices but I think that it can no longer be expected for Post Offices to operate purely as a post office and they need to be integrated into other shops or community premises wherever possible to safeguard the service.
@nancyrowina (3850)
•
3 Nov 07
It was a pain in the bum when it happened and it's hard to feel sorry for them too because all they were asked to do was complete the shifts they were paid for. It dragged on for ages and held up everything it's annoying having no mail for days on end.
@spiritwolf52 (2300)
•
8 Nov 07
Not only that, I ordered something from ebay and it seemed to have gotten lost in the shuffle. What a nightmare!
@cutepenguin (6431)
• Canada
9 Oct 07
Wow, this must be really inconvenient and difficult for everyone. I respect the right of an union to strike, but can see how this would make it difficult for everyone to run their day to day lives.
@gabs8513 (48686)
• United Kingdom
9 Oct 07
So do I as it is awful and god knows how many things will be lost again this time last time it happened my Disability Giro got lost and I had to stay without money for a week it was not funny
Something needs to be done I know when they had the first Strike the Hospital actually phoned me to tell me when I had to be there so that was lucky
But this is getting beyond the Joke well and truly
@recycledgoth (9894)
•
9 Oct 07
To be honest, regardless of the rights and wrongs of the strikes, it is time a compromise was reached. I buy and sell on eBay, the strikes are having a serious effect on eBayers. This morning the news mentioned that most businesses are not bothered about the strikes as they can use electronic mail for their business. That's great for them, but what about the people who rely on the post for their bills, appointments, letters and parcels etc.
