LONDON — I remember when a postal strike was a real event. We talked about it. It was front page news. People worried. Everyone had an opinion.
What do you think about the current postal strike?
Yes, there is a postal strike on.
Unfortunately the post office is no longer as central to our lives as it once was. My friend Stuart was telling me yesterday how he skypes with his parents in Canada so that they can see his babies. He’s in his forties, they’re in their 70s. Who needs a post office to carry precious photos overseas?
What’s it got to do with communications? I like the way that the Royal Mail has won the battle of words. The media and the public are comfortably referring to the proposed postal changes as a ‘modernisation’ programme. Which is all a bit 1984, isn’t it? Who could really be against modernisation? But what are the actual details of this modernisation? Shiny new pillar boxes? Letters that fly through the air like hummingbirds? No. Ahem, it’s a bit more basic than that.
Yes. I didn’t really get that either.
There’s more. It’s also about covering a pension hole. Replacing the defined benefit pension scheme… You get the idea. Not the first thing you think of with modernisation.
Words are important.
If you asked the man on the street what should happen to Royal Mail right now, you’d get an earful. If you asked what is likely to happen you’d get a sorry tale.
There seems to be an agreement to sleepwalk into oblivion. And that’s too bad.
A bit of business education at the Royal Mail for all employees and the reality would seem a lot more understandable. Certainly the newspapers aren’t putting much effort into it this time.
The only people who seem to think Royal Mail will thrive is the poor employees.
/df
