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‘The public is being cheated and so are the workers’
Dick Murray and Kiran Randhawa22 Oct 2009
Royal Mail workers today insisted the strike would stay “rock solid” as more walkouts are called.
Workers across London said it was vital to support the strike. Gordon Morford, 56, from Lee, said he had lost hundreds of pounds through strikes at the sorting office in Bromley in recent weeks.
But the postal worker, who has served Royal Mail for 35 years, said the action was worthwhile.
“We've all got mouths to feed in the build-up to Christmas and, as an individual centre, we have had 15 days of strikes in recent weeks. But you have to reassure your families because our working conditions are unacceptable.
“There are 1,400 at this mail centre and we hope, by the end of this period, you will be able to count the number who don't join this action on one hand.”
Steve Edhouse, a delivery driver at Nine Elms, told how his mother, father and brother had all worked for the Royal Mail with a combined service of 105 years. Standing at the picket line in Vauxhall, the 50-yearold, from Westminster, said: “It has never been worse. We have built up a proud reputation over the years but now the public are being cheated and so are the workers.”
As the picket line grew steadily, one worker arrived with a Royal Mail bib inscribed with “Kant Ahfard Ate” — meaning “cannot afford it” in Jamaican patois.
Mr Edhouse added: “Royal Mail mismanagement is to blame. We are being run into the ground. Adam Crozier, who should take most of the blame, is not even getting involved in negotiations.”
Reader views (5)
I'm afraid i'm with Jon, I've lost so many items through the post I don't trust it any more. They seem to have a particular knack of managing to steal cheques. To the point where I make sure all my clients pay me by bank transfer any more. I have also lost my passport through the royal mail.
These are not isolated incidents. I've also notice they are frequently too lazy to deliver parcels. They drop off the 'you were not here to receive your parcel' notices without ringing. Shameful shoddy service. And now they strike. They are committing commercial suicide.
- Lee Cropper, shoreditch, 23/10/2009 17:15
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jon from london,your comments are ,i assure you, way past the mark.are you in royal mail management by any chance.walk in a postmans shoes for a week i am sure your views would change.
- Gerard, newport, 23/10/2009 10:58
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Here we go, the first letter of the day suggesting that postal workers are dumb! I bet Jon would not give up his cozy cubicle for a walk in all weathers, delivering mail to a lot of ungrateful whiners.
- Steve, Calgary, Canada, 22/10/2009 18:18
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Jon from London, so all workers from Royal Mail are all exactly the same? Your modern day contract, that must include doing unpaid work, letting bosses rob your pension and getting bullied if you don't just get on with it? Thank god our war heroes didn't have your attitude!!
- Mark, London, 22/10/2009 17:37
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"they have built up a proud reputation"? For what? incompetence, inability to read an address? Spanish working practices? Laziness? Theft? Striking? I must admit the Ronnie Reagan approach to the air traffic controllers would be a perfect solution. Fire all of them and then let them reapply on a modern day contract. let's face it most of the work could be done by any idiot.
- Jon, london, 22/10/2009 12:41
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