Member Info for Scampthedog

You are quite correct of course when you state that GLS has done very well under the leadership of Martin Seidenberg...he quite rightly deserves to be awarded.

My objection is not that he doesn't deserve a good bonus...but rather the timing of it all.

It is how it will be perceived by the rank and file...not the right or wrong of it.

And it will NOT be perceived very well I can assure you.

Again I have to politely disagree, AngerSharKZ...you cannot at this point differentiate between GLS and R.M...after all...they are still represented by the same share price.

Disgraceful state of affairs in my opinion. Tactless in the extreme to say the very least. Some may say just downright arrogant.

Not surprised every single postie at Peterborough depot yesterday turned their backs to Simon Thompson...I am told he was greatly embarrased and almost tripped over himself in his haste to get out.

All this is going to do is further convince (as if they need any convincing at all) 80,000 posties that the gorging pigs have really buried their snouts even deeper than thought possible into the already rammed full, piled high and spilling over trough.

Talk about horrendously bad and greatly insensitive timing!

This will really stoke the flames now. Surely this could have been handled far better?

By the way...can anyone tell me why these people are thought deserving of this additional remuneration? Certainly cannot be for the current share price.

There is another postal vote taking place right now regarding terms and conditions...result announced 17th August.

The first date for a strike has been announced as, most likely, 31st of August.

Therefore this window of opportunity is over the course of the next 4 weeks or so.

If it were set up as a seperate company...would it not still be owned by Royal mail Group? and if so, why then would there be a need for a seperate shares issue?

As for the proposed valuation of GLS if put up for sale...one can only assume that free from the burden of having to prop up the ailing uk side of the business (and all the inherent problems that seem to endlessly bedevil it) it would be seen as a fast growing, extremely profitable business with a glowing future.

One other thing: if GLS were sold for 'X' amount of pounds...would we as the shareholders not be entitled to some of that money? I am quite certain D.K would have somethng to say about it all.

the reality of the matter is this: in the long run the company will get exactly what it wants...with or without our consent.

End of.

Oh...and one more thing: if in the off chance that Kretinsky does buy this company...don't go proclaiming -- "bring it on!!"

Because I should think that he most certainly would do.

This strike, if it goes ahead, is now dead in the water.

Better the devil you know than the one you don't.

next priminister.

Complete madness.

No, AngerSharkz, not in the slightest.

Why? well...for lots of reasons.

1. Company losing 1 £million a day? as far as I am concerned, if it suited R.M right now, at this minute, they could just as easily state that they are breaking even.

2. Re-nationalize? not under a Tory government. Labour winning the next election? no chance!

3. Splitting up the company? almost guranteed I would say. A good thing? certainly is for the shareholders.

4. The possibility of GLS being sold off? outside chance. Good for the shareholders? do the shareholders not own this company? Yes -- very good for the shareholders!!

5. Is the company bluffing when it says it could split the company up, or/and sell GLS? not in my opinion.

6. Are the new strike laws loaded in the company's favour? most certainly!

7. Could Royal Mail limp along for an indefinite period using agency workers? most certainly.

8. Might the army be brought in to help transport the mail if a national state of emergency were declared? a distinct possibility judging by what the government has just done and is now saying.

9. Is the present government more sympathetic to big business or do they smile favourably upon the unions? errrrr....lol!!

10. Have they (the government) just announced they will not be held to ransom by the threat of a general strike? yes.

11. Has Kretinsky just bought more stock? yes.

12 Has Kretinsky ever sold any stock? no. Why?

13. Is Kretinsky a shrewd self-made billionaire? yes.

14. Is Royal Mail determined to redesign itself fit for purpose...including lobbying parliment for changes in the USO? yes.

15. Would Kretinsky ever consider making a bid for Royal Mail? in my opinion he would.

16. Will Royal Mail shares ever be worth £6.00 again? yes.

17. Are they comitted to continue delivering value for the shareholders through dividends and buybacks? yes.

And that is where I will leave it...apart to say that if it comes down to a war of attrition who will win? Royal Mail or posties with big mortgages and wives and kids to support?

Ever since WWII the posties have won every battle. But as one of the greatest generals in world history once said: "I lost every single battle...apart from the one that counted the most -- the last one!!"

Another easy battle for the posties to win? not in my opinion. In my opinion I will just be striking myself out of a job...regrettably.

And one last question. If the posties engage on a long drawn out course of strike action, smash the company, strike themselves out of thousands of jobs, then stand by as R.M sells off GLS (worth approx 4 £billion by today's metrics)...then who wins then?

Well perhaps no one. But definitely, definitely not thousands of financially and mentally broken posties...and all the broken relationships and horrendous life-destroying debt that comes with it.

And for what...an extra £30.00 a week (at the very best) and to champion Dave Ward's aspirations to become the

35,000 shares at £2.91?

Price may well drop all the way down to £2.00 in the next couple of weeks...but four and a half grand will soften the blow come September.

And no one is going to call her a p**k in a couple of years from now for buying at this price either.

Where my mate works (a big unit) they have already trained agency up on all the operating equipment I previously mentioned.

They also have hundreds of extra agency workers who have been inducted just in the last several weeks alone.

Royal Mail are in front of the line this time around. They have hoodwinked the CWU -- again!!

Good night all. Duty calls.

P.s The Ice Man lies waiting still.

A very comprehensive reply OliGarch...and all perfectly correct.

But you will concede that within all the mitigating circumstances you have stated there will be much latitude.

There are thousands out of work just in my one little town.

As for Angard workers? There are tens of thousands of those also. And all trained to do what posties can do; which includes operating forklifts, LLOPS and york-pushers...and being bay marshals and running the pre-advice.

Royal Mail could find full time employees and have thousands of them in place in a matter of several weeks.

Agency workers are paid a higher hourly rate but do not have the same allowances posties have...nor are they in full time employment.

The company has also stated many times over the last several years their intention to greatly reduce their daily reliance on agency staff...and they will dramatically do so over the next few years.

Soon, new Royal Mail employees will be employed on much different contracts than I am at present. And that DOES mean annualized hours at sometime in the very near future.

No one is going to resign as a postie to work as an Angard worker...unless it was more suited to their own requirements. Certainly not to earn more pay.

You obviously did not read my original post properly.

They won't use agency workers after sacking you...they will replace you with full-time employees on annualized hours.

Nope.

What I am saying is, after striking for several weeks and receiving a letter from Royal Mail telling you that if you don't return to work within one week or the company could end up being put in a state of great jeopardy as a viable ongoing business...then they might be forced into a position where, regrettably, they may well have to terminate your contract.

Or words to that extent.

The emerging laws concerning the allowing of skilled and trained temporary workers to cover strike action is the final clincher for Royal Mail...this proposed strike is now dead in the water.

Worst case scenario? Tens of thousands of posties dismissed and replaced with new full-time staff on annualized hours...and it will all be perfectly legal.

And there is nothing the CWU can do about it...apart from declaring themselves bankrupt after paying out enormous damages.

Over the last couple of days the Board and Thompson have dropped some real bombshells...and nobody saw any of it coming. Apart from Kretinsky of course. Now I wonder who advised him to buy his latest acquired stock at the price he paid? Lol.

I note some posters on here are stating that Thompson has failed in his approach in his dealings with the CWU...really? Not judging by the present situation he hasn't: he really does have the union stretched out over a barrel.

Lots of change coming...and we posties will just have to accept it.

The gravy train has finally stopped for good, here, tonight.

From this point onwards it is a completely different Royal Mail.

.........

?????????

Nope. Not the sound of oil gurgling all around.

Just someone in a well paid job draining another champagne bottle.

Cheers!

Have to agree with all your comments...I am 100% convinced also that in a year or two this stock will be worth considerably more than it is now.

The Hubs (North West, Daventry and YDC) and a new network that takes full advantage of the fast improving electrified railways is going to be of key importance.

Electrification of the railways in the UK now stands at about 50% (5000 miles of track)...and in a few short years it will be much, much more than that. The U.K has more rail track than any country in Europe. People would be very surprised if they knew just what and how much is transported by rail. There is more rolling stock carrying goods on the railways now even when at the previous peak in Victorian times.

As previously mentioned, the North West coast rail mainline from London all the way up to Glasgow is electric; it also branches off this line and runs into Bristol and Cardiff. From Glasgow it goes across to Edinburgh and then onto the East coast mainline where it makes its way back down through Newcastle (where there is an existing Royal Mail rail terminal) and back into London; it can also branch off this East coast mainline and across to Norwich, whilst further down it branches off and runs right into the far reaches of the South East. London is fully electrified both north and south of the river...albeit south of the Thames the tracks electrification mode is not overhead cables, but rather a 'Third Rail' that runs parallel to the track.

As Dynamofc quite correctly states, there is indeed no electrification (yet) both for Cornwall and Devon...but that will undoubtedly come. Nor is there, again Dynamofc was correct when he stated this previously, any electrification through the Midlands...but that will soon change with the planned new route through Leicester and Nottingham.

In short: new Hubs will soon be completed and fully automated -- new network incorporating both rail and road will be in place -- economy quickly improving -- parcel volumes to rise...and the rest? Why...it just goes on WHEELS!

But enough from me for now. Cheers everbody!

P.s This stock is best left alone for a while...for all the obvious (and not so obvious) reasons.

The new North West Hub is doing exactly the same...its like a gigantic, slowly revolving whirlpool irresistibly drawing everything towards it before greedily gulping it all down.

The problem is, they are not getting the volumes they expected to get (economic downturn, slowdown in consumerism, etc, etc)) and therefore they are dragging in all sorts of stuff from here there and everwhere.

And at what financial cost?

Some of the part time staff at the Hub who wanted full time employment (and where initially promished they could have it) were told a couple of weeks ago that they might have to go on delivery till the time came when there would be enough work to provide them with full time hours. It was only after the union pointed out that the place was jammed full of agency being trained up to do their jobs in the advent of a strike that the mangement were forced to relent and offer the part time staff full hours.

Rather funny in many respects...management shot themselves in the foot there. In their haste to train up hundreds of agency workers in anticipation of a crippling strike...they are now forced to give full time jobs even though the work is not yet there.

Brilliant!!

It won't get any better either. When that new Hub in Daventry gets under way it will be even worse...then they will both desperately be trying to consume each other.

The new Hubs? Yes, definitely something for the fast approaching future. But only when a new Network using much more rolling stock is installed. And even more importantly...when the volumes are starting to rise higher than at present.

And we need an improving economy for that.

Royal Mail shares a good bet for the future? At present prices most certainly (but still not a buy at this moment). But you might have to wait several years to make your money.