A Tale of Christmas Post ( sic ) Options

[lordtup]

It's 18.00 hours Saturday the 22 /12 / 2012 . Lady Tup and I are about to settle down for the evening in front of the fire when the door bell sounds . Carol singers ? No it's our hapless postman delivering our post some 4 hours later than normal . I could see he was not his usual cheerful self , indeed levity was the last thing on his mind. In the few short minutes he was at my door the sorry story that is Royal Mail unfolded . In order to cut costs and therefore ensure a decent bonus ( roughly £ 750,000 ) for the Chairman staffing levels have been reduced to the point that the service struggles to cope during the year , let alone at Christmas when mail volumes increase three fold .At this point he had been working 13 hours with just one cup of tea around midday but being the responsible chap he is he was going to make sure that everyone got their mail.
This , best described as Dickensian , approach to employer / employee relations is surely a recipe for disaster . I appreciate that we live in less than affluent times but the strength of any nation is based on the enthusiasm of her work force to do a decent day's work for just reward not to be treated like some latter day slave .
I wished him a merry Christmas as he trudged back to his van but I can't hep thinking that I am witnessing the demise of another British institution in the name of modernity .

[Strafin]

Good on him, but 13 hour shifts on the build up to Christmas is quite normal for a lot of people.

[motormad]

Must be a long walk up the gravelled driveway for that poor Royal Mail bloke..

[On the edge]

Had you given the staff a night off?

[Exhausted]

What sort of gratuity did you thrust in his hand or did you just offer him a mince pie?

[HJD]

Good on him, but 13 hour shifts on the build up to Christmas is quite normal for a lot of people.

Yes, unfortunately this is the sort of burden a lot of the working class have to put up with.

[GMR]

Good on him, but 13 hour shifts on the build up to Christmas is quite normal for a lot of people.

I agree. Also in the times of austerity he is lucky to be doing overtime at the moment. A lot of people haven't got that luxury. Our postmen said he is pleased with the money and the extra work. I hope he - the postman - gave Lordtup a present for keeping him in work, a home and overtimes (I hope his good lady wife was also given one by the postman). He should think of all those people that are homeless and don't have the luxury of earning money, let alone overtime; Heavens above! Christmas has come early for some.

[Andy Capp]

The principle at work here is that the Chairman was taking the pi$$ out of the workforce, and therefore benefiting his bonus.

[lordtup]

What sort of gratuity did you thrust in his hand or did you just offer him a mince pie?

Yes I gave him his usual Christmas box .
It is a time of good cheer and generosity after all

[GMR]

What sort of gratuity did you thrust in his hand or did you just offer him a mince pie?

And what did you give your postman? Apart from introducing him to your good wife.

[x2lls]

Yes I gave him his usual Christmas box .
It is a time of good cheer and generosity after all

I have no idea what you consider to be a christmas box!

We had a Tesco delivery last Thursday at around 19:30, and she was the epitome of customer service. She got a fiver and a thank you.

[lordtup]

I have no idea what you consider to be a christmas box!

We had a Tesco delivery last Thursday at around 19:30, and she was the epitome of customer service. She got a fiver and a thank you.

Philanthropy is all well and good but the Tup's didn't make their money in order to dispense it in such a cavalier manner .
The good fellow received the customary 50 pence and my gratitude for a job well done .

[Exhausted]

And what did you give your postman? Apart from introducing him to your good wife.

He didn't need any introduction.

[On the edge]

This thread tries to recognise the efforts of those who try and deliver what we need so most of us can celebrate a happy Christmas break with family and friends, Of course, our modern and complex society means some have to carry on, health, police, fire, water and power workers to name just a few. We generally recognise them this time of year.

However, like it or not, we live in a capitalist free economy and some of us, simply to earn a living simply have to go along with that. So whilst applauding the nurses, the posties and so forth, please spare a thought for those keeping shops / restaurants / theatres going at this time. Often on minimum wages,. with no 'days off in lieu' and no choice about it.

The 'you'll do this if you want to keep this job' culture is very common here. In my book, somewhat more deserving of our sympathy than those who actually have some choice, enhanced pay and subsequent time off in lieu,

[lordtup]

It may be construed as reactionary or even downright Luddite but things were a lot simpler when the Sunday trading laws operated. Shops were closed on certain days and that was that .
Only the most blinkered capitalist would argue that takings over the year are increased by having that dreadful Americanism " 24 /7 " shopping standard.
The incumbents at Tup Hall at least are happy to stay home for a couple of days .

[Andy Capp]

It isn't 24/7. One reason reduced shopping hours wouldn't work so well these days, is because we all go to work, where as routinely only one of the house hold worked, thus the partner could go shopping during the working day.

[On the edge]

It may be construed as reactionary or even downright Luddite but things were a lot simpler when the Sunday trading laws operated. Shops were closed on certain days and that was that .
Only the most blinkered capitalist would argue that takings over the year are increased by having that dreadful Americanism " 24 /7 " shopping standard.
The incumbents at Tup Hall at least are happy to stay home for a couple of days .

Absolutely - the size of the cake so to speak still stays the same. Trouble is, once one does it, the rest have to follow or fold. Back then, many towns turned a blind eye to the corner shop opening for a few hours Sunday morning. The amount they took during that short period was often enough to keep them afloat.

[On the edge]

It isn't 24/7. One reason reduced shopping hours wouldn't work so well these days, is because we all go to work, where as routinely only one of the house hold worked, thus the partner could go shopping during the working day.

Spot on! Did we notice the difference when our household incomes doubled? Perhaps me and mine got it wrong!

[Strafin]

This thread tries to recognise the efforts of those who try and deliver what we need so most of us can celebrate a happy Christmas break with family and friends, Of course, our modern and complex society means some have to carry on, health, police, fire, water and power workers to name just a few. We generally recognise them this time of year.

However, like it or not, we live in a capitalist free economy and some of us, simply to earn a living simply have to go along with that. So whilst applauding the nurses, the posties and so forth, please spare a thought for those keeping shops / restaurants / theatres going at this time. Often on minimum wages,. with no 'days off in lieu' and no choice about it.

The 'you'll do this if you want to keep this job' culture is very common here. In my book, somewhat more deserving of our sympathy than those who actually have some choice, enhanced pay and subsequent time off in lieu,

Well said OTE, the people in the lowest paid jobs, and with the least benefits are the ones that always go unthanked at this time, and are generally the ones who work the hardest.