Incredibly my Amazon UK copy of Rogue Trader arrived today- a day after dispatch! Thats incredible as it was on the free postage and they seem to be using the Home Delivery network as Royal Mail keep going on strike in London.
SJE
UK Release
Luddite said:
Yeah they really 'screw us over' don't they...
Wanting job security and decent working conditions...the scumbags.
The posties do a bloody thankless job - would YOU get up at 4am 6 days a week, walk the streets in all weathers, brave areas the police won't go into, for £17,000 pa?
Then when the government systematically opens up their public service duty to private firms (who rake off the high value parcel market), takes their working practices, pensions and job security and shreds them...then when the posties are left with no alternative but to strike (i mean come on, who really wants to put their family in poverty?), they get hammered by the media and by the public for 'screwing us over' because our letters are delayed while they fight for their futures.
Tell you what, try getting a letter from Land's End to John O'Groats next day for 37p without the post office...
Royal Mail needs to advance, and that means cutting pay/jobs in order to afford the new equipment, etc.
The union wants to stop that to keep people in work, even though they can't keep up with demand as it is, and the advancements will only help so much, but they'll help.
In the interests of the country, RM needs to do this. It's sad that people lose their jobs, but that happens. I don't see holding the entire postal system hostage as a good thing. Unions have way too much power as it is.
But this isn't a topic for here, so I'll stop here.
Yes, they (postal workers) earn alot more than me with an easier job. They need to modernise (badly) and they operate a monopoly (not a good thing). I'm not very sympathetic.
I won't speculate about the motives of the average postal worker, but from what I've heard the strike isn't helping. More companies are moving away from the RM due to these strikes which means less money for the company which in turn means they're less able to keep people on.
As for Rogue Trader, I got my copy from the Orc's Nest and am slowly reading through it.
Stands amazed at the misguided and ill-informed opinions about the PO
Sending a package from London to Edinburgh will currently cost...what? £2? Not far off that...
I sent a package over to Australia for £12.
Under these 'reforms' and 'improvements', when the PO is finally destroyed because of the capitalist ConNewLabourservative 'privatisation' ideology, it'll cost £40...
Also do you really think any private profit-driven company will maintain the current level of service delivery? Not a chance. Live in an outlying village? No letter delivery for you! You'll have to pick it up from a central depot.
They don't have the PO in the US and so through the USPS (contracted out to Parcelforce) i just had to pay over £40 to get the CE delivered. That is where these 'improvements' are leading us.
And into the bargain, 1000's of postal workers will be made redundant...for a political ideology.
Simple fact is there are some services that should be beyond commercial capitalism...i'd welcome the return to a postal monopoly where 20p got my letter delivered to anywhere i wanted and a solid network of postal infrastructure supported local communities. I'll happily spend some of my taxes on that - its value is beyond ££££...
Unions have too much power?!?! Astonishing. Without Unions who will defend the workers? Who will defend YOU when the bosses cut your job with the stroke of a pen to 'modernise' (i.e. increase their profit margin)? Who will fight for their right to work and provide for their families? Perhaps pre-Union 'Victorian values' are better?
Just as a few years back the 'Luddites' fought for the textile workers to maintain their right to earn a living (in the face of the ugly nacent capitalism)...the struggle still goes on it would seem...
However, great to see RT is finally hitting the shelves here in the UK.
Can't wait to see the feedback on it!
The Luddites burnt and destroyed all they could, breaking machines to save jobs in cottage industries. I'll agree the comparison fits.
Got my copy from Amazon today
Luddite said:
Stands amazed at the misguided and ill-informed opinions about the PO
Sending a package from London to Edinburgh will currently cost...what? £2? Not far off that...
I sent a package over to Australia for £12.
Under these 'reforms' and 'improvements', when the PO is finally destroyed because of the capitalist ConNewLabourservative 'privatisation' ideology, it'll cost £40...
Also do you really think any private profit-driven company will maintain the current level of service delivery? Not a chance. Live in an outlying village? No letter delivery for you! You'll have to pick it up from a central depot.
They don't have the PO in the US and so through the USPS (contracted out to Parcelforce) i just had to pay over £40 to get the CE delivered. That is where these 'improvements' are leading us.
And into the bargain, 1000's of postal workers will be made redundant...for a political ideology.
Simple fact is there are some services that should be beyond commercial capitalism...i'd welcome the return to a postal monopoly where 20p got my letter delivered to anywhere i wanted and a solid network of postal infrastructure supported local communities. I'll happily spend some of my taxes on that - its value is beyond ££££...
Unions have too much power?!?! Astonishing. Without Unions who will defend the workers? Who will defend YOU when the bosses cut your job with the stroke of a pen to 'modernise' (i.e. increase their profit margin)? Who will fight for their right to work and provide for their families? Perhaps pre-Union 'Victorian values' are better?
Just as a few years back the 'Luddites' fought for the textile workers to maintain their right to earn a living (in the face of the ugly nacent capitalism)...the struggle still goes on it would seem...
However, great to see RT is finally hitting the shelves here in the UK.
Can't wait to see the feedback on it!
I'm not sure where I stand on the PO issue ... I do know though there has to be something wrong when I leave my home at 9 in the morning and the postie who lives next door has yet to leave his house (his bike still being outside).
I think Posties should get a fair wage, but I also want my post to be on my doormat before 9.30 NOT 14.30 (when it tends to arrive these days).
Can't post right now! Too busy reading...
