"What is the status of Royal Mail strikes?" Topic

Normally, I'm pretty much willing to order figures from the UK. Yes, it takes a bit longer for them to arrive in the US, but I can live with that.
The intermittent strikes are confusing me, though. I placed one order in August, which has not yet arrived. I've asked how things are going, and get told that, "We'll look into it." And I hear nothing. I placed another order in early September, this time with the Perry Brothers, and that came in three weeks. A couple days longer than usual, but very reasonable time frame.
I've been thinking about placing an order with The Foundry, but I am wondering if this is advisable. From what I can see on the Internet, the Royal Mail folks are having intermittent strikes, this lot one day, and a different lot the next. I could possibly schedule around the people who pick up packages from the manufacturer, only to run into problems with folks who sort packages or transport them down wherever they go before they leave Britain. Once they leave the UK, I get to have fun with USPS.
Does anybody have any advice? Just place the order and let the company figure it out? Try to figure out which day will avoid pick up problems, look for a date when the guys who pack planes are hard at work? Just wait until the whole strike thing works itself out?

Thanks very much for any advice or suggestions!

Grelber

I just ordered some buildings and a book from the UK. Both companies have been great for me in the past. I am waiting on an order I placed almost 2 weeks ago but was advised by them that it is convention season in the UK so a few extra days I may have to wait. I'm fine with that because they were up front with me, first.

The way I see it, if I do not order it now (get in their cue) I will never get it sooner if I wait. The Royal Mail can be a Royal Pain in the ….. but they always come thru in the end.

My suggestion, Grelber, is to go ahead and order what you want now. My last Perry order contains a hand written note apologizing for the delay yet it broke speed records getting here. (10 days to Denver).

Whichever you decide, good luck and good gaming!

Tom

The strikes should only cause a minor delay. They aren't as you describe Grelber: different sections of the postal system don't strike on different days, the whole system pretty much stops for 24 hours. When it restarts there will be an inevitable backlog which may or may not slow your parcel down.

Just order away and accept that there might be an extra day or so shipping time. From what I have read clearing US customs and entering the US postal system might well have greater potential for delays to your delivery than 24 hour strikes by British postal workers.

different sections of the postal system don't strike on different days,

This is precisely what is happening in November: different sections striking on different days. royalmail.com/latest-news

Like other miniatures businesses, Fighting 15s is working round this. Within the UK, this means using priority services such as Tracked 24 and Special Delivery. Most of my international orders use a tracked service: small orders, however, have to take their chances.

The only strike days that are a real problem are when collections/deliveries are suspended.

Fair enough – my reading of that was different

As the others have said, there are a few delays, but no more than a day or two. I've been posting and receiving stuff without any problems.

International shipping will be subject to all the usual customs fun and games, but the strikes don't affect that.

Better order now than to wait, unless you want to wait until some time next year.

The industrial actions are going to get more intense. The unions don't see the new government as particularly stable, among other things.

The CWU has now postponed strike action planned for the next two weeks.

I would say given the economic situation in the UK, I wouldn't be surprised if some/many miniatures companies go under. So make your order sooner than later – they need the orders, I would think, which might keep them from going under in the first place.

Just order and forget about it for a while, I say. :)