Everyone's bashing the Royal Mail and CWU. The Royal Mail are being criticised for poor management, arrogance and for failing to adapt quickly enough to the realities of the digital age. CWU are being criticised for much the same thing with Billy Hayes pilloried as a modern day Arthur Scargill (Wiki him if you're under 30),
There may be truth in both accusations. But I'm not going to explore the merits of the dispute.
What I really don't like is the sneering tone of affluent urban classes - "we don't really need the post these days, do we? I do everything on my Blackberry..." the sub text being "do we really have to subsidise the post for Ethel Miggins living in a rural Cumbria?" (Yes, you do).
It's the same unpleasant sneer that's you can see in the latest Dixons.co.uk campaign where they have a pop at John Lewis' middle England values. You always used to experience it when buying a hi-fi or computer - "You want what?...you ARE joking aren't you...?". And I sense other brands are adopting an approach of "you must be stupid/out of touch if you don't use our brand" for their advertising.
The mail service provides a lifeline for many communities and for older people. My mum would be lost without it. Direct mail still delivers high quality customers and donors for many brands. I was also reassured that my surgeon chose to communicate complex, life or death medical information to my consultant in a considered letter, rather than dashing off a quick email (with the inevitable typos). And I want my internet purchases to be delivered without an extra £7.50 charge for courier delivery.
It may well be that a strike is one of the last throes of a dying industry, but we would all be poorer without it. I do hope the sneer does not become the tonal template for Cameron's Britain. It's all too reminiscent of the unpleasant 80s when we knew the price of everything and the value of nothing. Ok ya?
