Like watching a car speeding headfirst at 90mph towards stationary traffic ahead, so we witness Post Officers voting to strike this Christmas.   An act testament to corporate suicide! 

Dave Ward, Deputy Leader of the CWU, (Communications Workers Union), the man elected to protect Post Office members will precide over the insane position of the post office workers committing a very public suicide.  As workers vote to strike, the sad truth is that their actions threaten the future of the post office, millions of jobs and their Union leadership don’t get the gravity of the action they prescribe.

As companies, small business, individuals fight o overthrow the effects of the toughest recession since the 1930’s, the actions of Post Office workers act as a kick in the teeth of the man & woman on the street.  Many businesses, small, medium and large are depending on Christmas sales boosting revenues enough to keep their business solvent.  Note I say solvent, not making profits, just staying afloat. 

Strike action this Christmas will be the tipping point for many busineeses and individuals to investigate alternative ways to get their deliveries out.  A large proportion may decide never to return their business to the Royal Mail.  Rival delivery operators will rightfully be rubbing their hands in glee.  A large scale move away from the Royal Mail will end the critical mass the Post Office depends on, hence ending the viability of the Royal Mail.  The very jobs a Trade Union seeks to protect will be undermined and lost to an act of madness.

Post Office workers need to search their soul.  Do they really think that in the midst of a devastating recession, at a time which brings some much needed relief and joy to the population, (aka Christmas), that they will win public support.  There is more chance of Sooty the Silent Bear winning the singing competition the ‘X Factor’ or Roland Rat dancing to victory in ’Strictly Come Dancing’.  Recent National Post Office strikes have shown that workers quickly return to work as their pay becomes the priority as their wallets empty and their families have less food on the table and recent history shows they win little concessions for their efforts.

Of course the Royal Mail needs to be modernised.  The whole organisation is in a dire mess, with a pensions deficit throttling its stability, (estimated to be £10 billion in deficit).  But strike action is not the answer.  We live in a digital age where email and instant communication is a priority.  But many businesses still depend on traditional post like Ebay and Amazon.  Both are now reviewing the best methods to get their goods out at Xmas. The Post Office could have a very healthy future but until the industrial militancy to any modernising moves is ended, the Post Office will sink like the Titanic.

Dave Ward, see the light, look after your workers, dont allow the biggest corporate suicide to take place.