Postal chaos looms

PatchGirl · 19-10-2009, 10:32 AM

As more postal chaos looms, the positions of the two sides appear more and more entrenched, according to the papers.

Both the Sunday Express and the Observer feel that the government should step in and save the day. And so they should, if only to ensure that this dispute is resolved before the Christmas rush.

We've come to rely on the postal system but is the service as important as it used to be? When did you last write a letter? A large proportion of the UK population now corresponds by email. A large number of businesses also communicate by email and software packages allow financial transactions to be conducted online.

However, small businesses don't necessarily have this technology in place and they have to rely on the postal system to keep their business going.

A second group of people who will feel the affects of a postal strikes are the elderly, most of whom don't use email. To them the highlight of their day could be receiving a letter from a loved one.

How would a postal strike affect you and what should the government do to avert it?

MichaelRose · 19-10-2009, 10:38 AM

The strike won't affect me much, I'm all digital so I don't rely on important documents via post for business very often. I will be expecting delays on eBay stuff and will start buying Christmas presents a bit earlier this year.

Someone on the radio mentioned that the Post Office could set up like John Lewis, a co-operative with all the employees owning the company, that could be a good way to help an ex-monopoly through change and into a competitive mode perhaps.

I hear Amazon have dropped the Post Office in favour of the Home Delivery Network... could be a bumper xmas for Bezos.

sleepingwiththelightson · 19-10-2009, 04:30 PM

No!! I hope not the HDN are one of the worst companies I have ever had dealings with - have ordered from companies which use them on 3 different occasions and never once received my order.

Also did you see HMRC reckon they are going to lose £100 million because of the stike Postal strike may cost Government £100m - Times Online