Linlithgow Business Association

The response to our survey of Linlithgow businesses suggests that the postal strike has had little direct impact on business to date. No business took the opportunity to say that disruption to deliveries had had any direct impact on their activities to date and one commented to the effect that deliveries are so unreliable anyway they were not likely to notice any difference.

In terms of which side is to blame for the industrial action, while the majority (52%) of respondents do not support the strike there is a feeling that neither party comes out of this well. Only 6% supported the strike action but 42% felt it was not as straightforward as “yes” or “no”. As one member pointed out “both sides say they have agreed to arbitration at ACAS so why is there a strike.” Running though respondent’s comments is the view that something must be done to modernise business practice within the service, that strike action should not have been taken and that postal workers have probably undermined their own future employment prospects within the service.

The LBA’s view is that while the postal workers have to protect their interests, the inevitable should be faced up to and appropriate action taken to turn the business around retaining as many jobs as are required to run the business efficiently and creating a sustainable, profitable, top class service.

Should there be no meeting of minds in the near future and the threatened escalation in industrial action turns into reality we will run another brief survey shortly to see if respondents’ opinions shift as the strike hits harder. Keep an eye on your inbox for an LBA email and take a minute to respond.