Please take a minute to help save our jobs!

zajdoo

Hi all, I work with an post and in 2011 our postal market is open to competition for the first time. Keeping this in mind our union have set up a campaign to help protect your post and I would please ask you to click on the link below and please take action to help us lobby our T.Ds to help save our jobs. Our union has got word that the lowest rate of help in from the Laois / Offaly area at the minute, and all I ask is please help us change this.

If competition comes in, it means our jobs are at risk and in this current climate we need to try keep as many jobs as possible. For the customers, it means that there may be an increase in postal rates, and for customers in isolated areas, it means that there may be a reduction of service to them.
Also everybody knows their postman / postwoman and this will be done away with. It will mean different people calling to the houses etc.

I would please ask again would you please help save our jobs and it will just take a few minutes of your time. It could definitely help make a difference.
Thanks so much everybody

http://www.protectyourpost.ie/action/

artful_codger

zajdoo wrote: »

If competition comes in, it means our jobs are at risk

tough, nobody owes you a living. i'm sure your state pension will be of some comfort.

zajdoo wrote: »

For the customers, it means that there may be an increase in postal rates, and for customers in isolated areas, it means that there may be a reduction of service to them.

rubbish, competition will decrease costs for the customer. that's why it's called competition.

zajdoo wrote: »

Also everybody knows their postman / postwoman and this will be done away with. It will mean different people calling to the houses etc.

i don't know my postman, and if i did i'd smack him one in the mouth for putting so much junk mail into my postbox.


this kind of sh*t makes my blood boil, you want us to support your campaign to keep a monopoly on postal services so that your union can keep artificially high pay rates for lazy inefficient semi-state/public sector types like you? take a hike.

sydthebeat

unfair artful, well unfair in parts...

zajdoo, im afraid job security in a dying profession is an oxymoron. An post and snail mail cannot offer you job security, the world is changing way too fast for that.

Bicky

Lol.
I was thinking Along the same lines even if i wouldn't have phrased It quiet as Coarsely.

Cavehill Red

Met my postie today. I've had crap ones in the past, especially in the Xmas run up when they hire all sorts, but this lad is a real trooper.
Hiking around in minus whatever, snow pelting down on him, rings the door, smile on his face when I answer, politely asks me to sign for the parcel and wishes me good day.
Fair play to him. I've never had that from any courier firm or from DHL or the like.
I'll sign your petition, sir.

Bicky

Btw dodger. Don't threaten the postman. That's a dogs duty. I know my postman. Nice bloke.

ytareh

Petition signed ...salt of the earth the very vast majority of 'frontline' An Post workers (although some of the postmistresses can be a bit eh 'domineering'! ) Ignore the negative posters above especially the ridiculous statement about the (enormous!) pension .

"PS" I know there's always been a fair amount of begrudgery in the irish psyche .People have given out about eg "The rich farmers" for decades .But in the last couple of years it seems to have become a national sport (replacing discussion of property prices)to slate people in various 'sectors' ,professions,jobs etc ....But for God's sake now the humble 'postie'!!!???Anybody else noticed this ?Whatever government PR 'consultants' were given the task of sowing discord between public and private sector workers sure earned their 'retainers'.

MidlandsM

zajdoo wrote: »

If competition comes in, it means our jobs are at risk

Welcome to the real world. One of free trade, competition and hopefully no more monopolies.

I'll not be signing.....and shure An Post can't even manage thier business correctly to return profits each year.....time for change.

also zajdoo, how much does your CEO get paid? Is it in the same line as the ESB CEO?

zajdoo

For all the posters whom helped and I signed the petition, thank you. Artful Codger I came on here in good will looking for support, if you did not want to give that, you didn't have to reply. I didn't come here to be slated like that, and I would never be like that to anybody, if you don't want to support it just dont.

Thanks to all else.

MidlandsM

zajdoo wrote: »

For all the posters whom helped and I signed the petition, thank you. Artful Codger I came on here in good will looking for support, if you did not want to give that, you didn't have to reply. I didn't come here to be slated like that, and I would never be like that to anybody, if you don't want to support it just dont.

Thanks to all else.

no, but you came on here whinging about yer job. At least you have one to be trying to protect in vain.
If I were you, i'd get my Cv into Deutsche Post

adser53

My OH's mam works in a mail centre in Dublin and the stories Ive heard are shocking. The amount of money wasted on people who wouldnt work to keep themselves warm along with the likes of sick days, unions with their own agendas, lack of productivity, and general abuse of "cushy" jobs is scandalous. I welcome the competition to give jobs to those that want to work, lower postal rates and hopefully save money for the state. An post is no better than the county council

mcgarrett

Done, you have my support OP. F**k the begrudgers. They convinced me to support it more than you

Roaster

There's some amount of arsesholes on this thread. As OP said they are just looking for support. If you want to sign petition go ahead, if not, leave the thread.

I work in Dublin and get a lot of packages delivered throughout the year to the door. Most of the time I'm not there and the girls down town will always hold onto the packages for me. Our postman is top class too and will always leave what he deems important stuff (that can't fit through the letterbox) with one of our neighbours.

Petition signed. Best of Luck!!

MidlandsM

Roaster wrote: »

There's some amount of arsesholes on this thread. As OP said they are just looking for support. If you want to sign petition go ahead, if not, leave the thread.

I work in Dublin and get a lot of packages delivered throughout the year to the door. Most of the time I'm not there and the girls down town will always hold onto the packages for me. Our postman is top class too and will always leave what he deems important stuff (that can't fit through the letterbox) with one of our neighbours.

Petition signed. Best of Luck!!

Reported.
I'm not an arsehole for having an opinion. It no wonder this country's gone down the tubes.:mad:

Ivan

Ok people, I realise pretty much everything has to be turned into a political issue nowadays, but civility is still a requirement for posting on these forums, at least until the Boards.ie bailouts come (with strings attached )

With that in mind, the OP is entitled to seek support here just as the "begrudgers" are entitled to vent in a (semi-)constructive format.

Calling people arseholes does not fall into either category however and will get you warned/infracted/banned in that order.

Artful represents the anger a lot of normal people feel these days, but he didn't break any rules.

Roaster watch the language. Attack the post not the poster(s). Only warning. I will be skipping infractions and going straight to bans as this type of contentious subject can get out of hand very quickly otherwise.

PatB71

Our postie is a top class bloke always with a smile on his face and always enquires about the family when I do meet him so I`ll be signing the petition and hope you keep ur jobs..

Roaster

Ivan wrote: »

Ok people, I realise pretty much everything has to be turned into a political issue nowadays, but civility is still a requirement for posting on these forums, at least until the Boards.ie bailouts come (with strings attached )

With that in mind, the OP is entitled to seek support here just as the "begrudgers" are entitled to vent in a (semi-)constructive format.

Calling people arseholes does not fall into either category however and will get you warned/infracted/banned in that order.

Artful represents the anger a lot of normal people feel these days, but he didn't break any rules.

Roaster watch the language. Attack the post not the poster(s). Only warning. I will be skipping infractions and going straight to bans as this type of contentious subject can get out of hand very quickly otherwise.

Ivan I'll take the warning (fair enough) but surely this post isn't an opinion in any type of contructive way, but simply a type of troll if you will. If I'm the only one to see it that way again fair enough.

no, but you came on here whinging about yer job. At least you have one to be trying to protect in vain.
If I were you, i'd get my Cv into Deutsche Post

cursai

MidlandsM wrote: »

Reported.
I'm not an arsehole for having an opinion. It no wonder this country's gone down the tubes.:mad:

So has your decency!

zajdoo

Thanks for the support all, I appreciate it.
I didn't post this thread to cause hassle, I just posted it for support. I am thrilled to be getting some and appreciate it, and Im sorry if it caused hassle to some of you.

MidlandsM

cursai wrote: »

So has your decency!

Well, let me put it to you this way. An Post is a JOKE of a state company. They can't make a profit even though they have a monopoly, Their CEO is grossly overpaid, lost,pilfered or damaged post to them is the norm, they are expensive to use (I posted a xmas pressie to family in oz the other day, no a big parcel at all, cost €16.60:eek:), they have TV ad's on the telly, yet they are a monopoly?

...I could go on.........but shure you're right, I've no decency......lets keep them all in well paid jobs and protect the status quo cos the local posties a lovely fella and he pets me dog or gives the kids lollipops.:rolleyes::rolleyes:

Bring on the Germans I say!

Roaster

MidlandsM wrote: »

Well, let me put it to you this way. An Post is a JOKE of a state company. They can't make a profit even though they have a monopoly, Their CEO is grossly overpaid, lost,pilfered or damaged post to them is the norm, they are expensive to use (I posted a xmas pressie to family in oz the other day, no a big parcel at all, cost €16.60:eek:), they have TV ad's on the telly, yet they are a monopoly?

...I could go on.........but shure you're right, I've no decency......lets keep them all in well paid jobs and protect the status quo cos the local posties a lovely fella and he pets me dog or gives the kids lollipops.:rolleyes::rolleyes:

Bring on the Germans I say!

With your views on AnPost why bother coming into this thread, you knew what it was about. Just go off to a RANT thread and get it off your chest.

Do you think that the OP has any control on what the CEO gets paid? Do
you know if the OP has been responisble in anyway for damaged or lost goods.

I've no issue with your opinion on AnPost but there was no need with you to come onto this thread to vent it. The title of the thread is "Please take a minute to help save our jobs". If you didn't want to you could/should have just hit the back icon.

artful_codger

Roaster wrote: »

With your views on AnPost why bother coming into this thread, you knew what it was about. Just go off to a RANT thread and get it off your chest.

because Boards.ie is not a noticeboard, it's a discussion forum.

Roaster wrote: »

Do you think that the OP has any control on what the CEO gets paid?

no, but CEO pay is only one symptom of the unaccountability within our semi-state and public sector organisations. As taxpayers we own these organisations and therefore we have the right to criticise them when we see fit.

i would say that most peoples beef is not with the workers themselves, An Post workers do a good job and they get paid handsomely in overtime for it, it's with the self-serving mindset that competition is bad, and protectionism is good. These same champagne socialists would not like to have just one grocery chain, or one petrol supplier, would they?

this conversation is academic anyway, competition and good customer service are not mutually exclusive, even if Unions would have you believe otherwise.

mikemac

Signed

Our local postman has been serving the area since before I was born. Complete legend.
And no estates or numbers around so he knows every family and all their children.
Quite a task for a few hundred people

He gets a card and tin of Roses every Christmas, lots give something

Different in towns I suppose, you don't who is working your area

Roaster

artful_codger wrote: »

because Boards.ie is not a noticeboard, it's a discussion forum.

I must ignore adverts.ie and boards deals in future so

3DataModem

An Post:

-Plenty of good workers
-Lots of wasters
-Massive restrictive practices
-Union has practices and staffing in a stranglehold
-Printed communication has had it's day

Future:
-75% smaller

Then:
-Purchased by Fedex or DHL

murf313

Petition signed op.

Dont listen to the begrudgers, let them scurry back to the irish economy threads:rolleyes:

Inzilbeth

Petition signed with pleasure OP.. and dont worry if you think you have caused hassle.. people all have different opinions.. but it would be nice if they could express them in constructive, polite ways
Best of luck with it

mikemac

That site is very well designed

The best petition site I've seen, clearly a lot of work went into it

zajdoo

Thanks to everybody again.Feelingstressed, Inzilbeth, and Murf313 thanks for your kind words and support.

MidlandsM

An post workers need more than support, you'll need a miracle.

It's game over.

3DataModem

OP, don't think that I am not being constructive.

The reality is no matter what happens trying to maintain state protection of a business is doomed to failure. Competition is inevitable and the letter post business is declining.

You are asking for taxpayers to effectively subsidise the post and parcel business with higher prices and / or taxes.

While I totally understand this, I'm afraid long-term this is non a good career plan

Example 1:

Dell workers in Limerick were assembling computers... the only reason the factory was in Ireland was so that the output could be defined as 'made in EU'. With the costs and wages in Ireland anyone who thought that was a job-for-life was deluded. The EU were essentially creating artificial conditions that allowed this factory to exist.

Example 2:

When the aluminium beer barrel was invented, Guinness laid off hundreds upon hundreds of coopers redundant more or less overnight. This was a highly skilled job in the drinks industry that had existed unchanged for generations. But the reality was that the job was gone

Example 3:

The state was protecting the business of taxi-drivers for years, as they had a very vocal lobby group and associated vested interests. A taxi driver who purchased a 80k plate as their 'pension' of 1200 per month was making the HUGE assumption that the market would not be deregulated. In the end poor representation and a totally unsympathetic public turned it from a 50k to 60k effective salary job to an average industrial wage job.

mikemac

Got a reply from my local TD :pac:

Fine Gael strongly supports An Post as a state company that provides important economic and social services in all parts of the country and employs thousands of people. The company has improved the quality of its service in recent years and has reduced it costs. Ireland has the 8th lowest postage costs in the Eurozone which stands in stark contrast to high prices in other sectors. An Post has never needed any state funds. We certainly will not want to do anything that undermines the company, allows other operators to cherry-pick the profitable elements of the business or creates a situation whereby An Post needs a subsidy. In short, if it ain’t broke don’t fix it!

The Fine Gael spokesperson on Communications, Leo Varadkar TD has visited the Dublin Mail Centre and met with the management. He has also met with representatives of the Communications Workers Union who addressed the Oireachtas Committee on Communications recently and will meet them again when the bill is published.

The only one to reply, the others didn't. Maybe later

Edit, yes I know this is basically a press release and my TD didn't sit down and write a personalized answer to every email

MidlandsM

It's a press release........lol

mikemac

It certainly is and has more information then post 30

MidlandsM

feelingstressed wrote: »

It certainly is and has more information then post 30

the best you can offer? :rolleyes:

Crann na Beatha

This post has been deleted.

MidlandsM

I'am.....

Inzilbeth

You are very welcome OP...

Doogieboogie

Got a reply from Charles Flanagan:

Dear Madam,

Thank you for your email regarding the Communications Regulation (Postal Services) Bill 2010.

I was pleased to have a briefing from local union officials in Portlaoise recently and as well as an opportunity to meet national union officials in Dublin. I am very aware of the importance of An Post as an employer and service provider in Co. Laois.

Fine Gael strongly supports An Post and its workers. They provide a truly nation-wide, efficient and cost effective service, critically important on both economic and social grounds. This is done without the requirement of any government subsidy.

As such, any legislation proposing to change the basis on which the postal market operates should be the subject of detailed and considered debate. Unfortunately, Minister Eamon Ryan only brought this legislation to the Oireachtas in late November, with the Bill being required by European legislation to be passed and enacted by the end of the year. This unfortunately sees the legislation being rushed through both the Dáil and Seanad.

Although bearing this in mind, Fine Gael broadly welcomes the Bill. It provides a basis on which An Post can continue to provide a national service and face into the market with a level of certainty for the immediate future.

However, we have concerns about certain aspects of the Bill. Our concerns in this area are principally (but not exclusively) to do with the compensatory mechanism for An Post to meet the Universal Service Obligation. Continuation of the provision of a genuinely nation-wide postal service with daily delivery to the door is the corner-stone of Fine Gael’s policy on the postal service. We need to ensure that the legislative framework provides the basis for the viable continuation of this and that this will be adequately and appropriately funded. This will need careful consideration at Committee Stage.

Kind regards,
Charlie.

MidlandsM

so, in short, they're going to sell you out OP. But its the right thing to do - it's called progress.

TomTom

I have read this post from start to finish and mods have had to comment twice in its short length about keeping it civil. While the content may by a hot topic at the moment and people want there say, some people are being neither constructive nor helpful. If the thread continues in the current vain we will just close it.

Ivan

Roaster wrote: »

Ivan I'll take the warning (fair enough) but surely this post isn't an opinion in any type of contructive way, but simply a type of troll if you will. If I'm the only one to see it that way again fair enough.

The fact that neither you nor anyone else reported the post is why the point was not raised. If you feel someone is being abusive, trolling or otherwise breaking the rules of Boards then simply click on the report post feature and we'll take care of the rest.

And while I'm here, I'm somewhat confused by the crux of this issue:
surely any postman laid off by An Post as a result of outside competition, will then be in a position to collect obscene amounts of redundancy money and then go apply for a job with An Post's competitor?

brightspark

Can anyone tell me what jobs, if any, that have been saved by political intervention?

A couple of years ago I was made redundant despite political lobbying etc, and none of the promised replacement jobs, which were also promised to others in the town who had been previously made redundant from other companies, have ever materialised.

The only way that we can protect jobs is by 'Shopping Local' and 'Buying Irish'. Of course in order to do that the price must be right, so we must all be more productive and efficient.

If An Post is efficient enough then it should be difficult for any competitor to enter the market (companies only exist to make profits after all).

So OP you should be encouraging your colleagues to be more efficient so that we don't have to make a choice between saving money or buying Irish!

Also OP why were you considering using a foreign bank (Rabo) instead of supporting your colleagues and investing in an An Post savings account?
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=67786623&postcount=1


As I said earlier to save jobs Shop Local and Buy Irish.

MidlandsM

brightspark wrote: »

Also OP why were you considering using a foreign bank (Rabo) instead of supporting your colleagues and investing in an An Post savings account?
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=67786623&postcount=1


As I said earlier to save jobs Shop Local and Buy Irish.

WOW - thats fairly DAMMING OP!
Explain?

TomTom

People have decided to take this thread and launch a personal attack on the origional poster. Enough is enough, there were more reports from this thread alone this week than the rest of the other forums I mod combined.