Is now really a good time to strike?

[RichardCranium]

the royal mail apparently have a backlog of 9 million letters from the last strike, so if the union are posting out ballot papers they won't get the results for while?

It doesn't work like that.

a) The 'backlog' is sacks piled up at the back of the warehouse / sorting office. They will sit there until someone is paid overtime to deal with them. So there is not a few days' delay to all post, there is a huge delay to some post.

b) You can be sure the ballots will go out and will be collected.

c) That backlog of 9 to 20 million items will mostly end up shredded or dumped in canals.

[Ltd ability]

the royal mail apparently have a backlog of 9 million letters from the last strike, so if the union are posting out ballot papers they won't get the results for while?

[Peoplesoft bloke]

Going on strike to save jobs doesn't seem to work. Unions in this country seem to have bipolar disorder - they moan if there's a Tory government, but they strike and flip it all up anytime there's a Labour one

[d000hg]

As an individual, striking is a pointless exercise.

I'm not sure MyCo would take kindly to me striking.

[DaveB]

Can companies fire staff for striking?

You cannot be fired for taking part in an official, legal, strike. A legal strike can only be called by an authorised representative of the workers involved following a ballot of all those involved which returns a majority in favour of the strike action.

The company is under no obligation to pay you while you are on strike and is free to make any arrangements it see's fit to cover your responcibilities while you are on strike. On your return you may well find that your job no longer exists and you are being made redendant.

As an individual, striking is a pointless exercise.

[d000hg]

Can companies fire staff for striking?

[DaveB]

With unemployment now high and still rising, I'd be worried that my employer can very easily find 10 people desperate to replace me. And yet the Royal Mail are discussing strikes... sounds risky to me.

The differences being :

1. They have a union, you don't.

2. If they strike it could affect the entire country, if you strike who would notice?

[d000hg]

With unemployment now high and still rising, I'd be worried that my employer can very easily find 10 people desperate to replace me. And yet the Royal Mail are discussing strikes... sounds risky to me.