Seniority Advice Needed

GPostie · Post by **GPostie** » 09 Oct 2018, 20:30

I realise I should be posting this topic in the Parcelforce section of royalmailchat but it is usually quite unresponsive and was hoping I could get advice here. I have recently transferred from Royal Mail to Parcelforce (2 months ago) and have over 7 years service so that has carried with me over to Parcelforce. I have initially been put on a 20 hour a week contract. Since being at Parcelforce for this short time a vacancy has arisen for a full time contract ( 39 hours ) covering a particular route.

I applied for this route but was informed I wasn’t successful. I have since found out the employee who got the route has less service than me and it appears I have been overlooked. He has done this route for a while and knows it well but should that mean he gets picked for it before me?

Can anyone give advice on what I should do next?
Should I take this to the union?

number one · Post by **number one** » 09 Oct 2018, 20:57

Was the other person already on a 39 hour contract?

GPostie · Post by **GPostie** » 09 Oct 2018, 20:59

number one wrote:Was the other person already on a 39 hour contract?

Yes. But the applications were open to anyone on any level of contract.

Post by **eric the viking** » 09 Oct 2018, 21:01

I would say if you were on a full-time contract, yes you should have got it but as you are only on a 20hr contract and the job is 39, then no.
Did they say why you were passed over?

Post by **eric the viking** » 09 Oct 2018, 21:04

I see someone asked whilst I was typing. Yes, go to the Union that's what you pay your subs for.

GPostie · Post by **GPostie** » 09 Oct 2018, 21:05

eric the viking wrote:I would say if you were on a full-time contract, yes you should have got it but as you are only on a 20hr contract and the job is 39, then no.
Did they say why you were passed over?

Why should I not have got it if applications were invited from all levels of staff and there was a full time vacancy because someone had left??

number one · Post by **number one** » 09 Oct 2018, 21:09

GPostie wrote:
eric the viking wrote:I would say if you were on a full-time contract, yes you should have got it but as you are only on a 20hr contract and the job is 39, then no.
Did they say why you were passed over?
Why should I not have got it if applications were invited from all levels of staff and there was a full time vacancy because someone had left??

They always open it to everybody but in reality only people who are already on the 39 hr wouks get it. They will just say they are not prepared to put any more hours in (which they would have to if they made you up to full time)
I would imagine that the reason you weren’t successful was because you are 20 hours and they needed a 39 hour person

GPostie · Post by **GPostie** » 09 Oct 2018, 21:12

number one wrote:
GPostie wrote:
eric the viking wrote:I would say if you were on a full-time contract, yes you should have got it but as you are only on a 20hr contract and the job is 39, then no.
Did they say why you were passed over?
Why should I not have got it if applications were invited from all levels of staff and there was a full time vacancy because someone had left??
They always open it to everybody but in reality only people who are already on the 39 hr wouks get it. They will just say they are not prepared to put any more hours in (which they would have to if they made you up to full time)
I would imagine that the reason you weren’t successful was because you are 20 hours and they needed a 39 hour person

I was specifically told by the depot manager to apply for this role because I had 7 years service and had the chance to go full time. He also said I had a very high chance of getting it because it was based on seniority.

rehabron · Post by **rehabron** » 10 Oct 2018, 11:13

GPostie wrote:
number one wrote:
GPostie wrote:
eric the viking wrote:I would say if you were on a full-time contract, yes you should have got it but as you are only on a 20hr contract and the job is 39, then no.
Did they say why you were passed over?
Why should I not have got it if applications were invited from all levels of staff and there was a full time vacancy because someone had left??
They always open it to everybody but in reality only people who are already on the 39 hr wouks get it. They will just say they are not prepared to put any more hours in (which they would have to if they made you up to full time)
I would imagine that the reason you weren’t successful was because you are 20 hours and they needed a 39 hour person
I was specifically told by the depot manager to apply for this role because I had 7 years service and had the chance to go full time. He also said I had a very high chance of getting it because it was based on seniority.

Why did the depot manager not do the hiring?
Did the advertisement mention absence stage reviews or conduct issues that would deter the applicant from being accepted and I am assuming that this is not relevant in your case.
All job vacanacies are open to F/T and P/T staff.
You will have to take this matter to your union to why you have been overlooked and given an adequate explanation rather than being advised that you have been unsuccessful as you hold seniority over the successful applicant.

GPostie · Post by **GPostie** » 10 Oct 2018, 11:18

rehabron wrote:
GPostie wrote:
number one wrote:
GPostie wrote:
eric the viking wrote:I would say if you were on a full-time contract, yes you should have got it but as you are only on a 20hr contract and the job is 39, then no.
Did they say why you were passed over?
Why should I not have got it if applications were invited from all levels of staff and there was a full time vacancy because someone had left??
They always open it to everybody but in reality only people who are already on the 39 hr wouks get it. They will just say they are not prepared to put any more hours in (which they would have to if they made you up to full time)
I would imagine that the reason you weren’t successful was because you are 20 hours and they needed a 39 hour person
I was specifically told by the depot manager to apply for this role because I had 7 years service and had the chance to go full time. He also said I had a very high chance of getting it because it was based on seniority.
Why did the depot manager not do the hiring?
Did the advertisement mention absence stage reviews or conduct issues that would deter the applicant from being accepted and I am assuming that this is not relevant in your case.
All job vacanacies are open to F/T and P/T staff.
You will have to take this matter to your union to why you have been overlooked and given an adequate explanation rather than being advised that you have been unsuccessful as you hold seniority over the successful applicant.

I’m not sure why the hiring wasn’t done by the depot manager but he wasn’t involved in the selection process. I’ve worked at Royal Mail a long time now and have never had any conduct issues or periods of sick absence so this couldn’t go against me.
I will have to see what the union say to this matter.

number one · Post by **number one** » 10 Oct 2018, 11:29

It’s open to everyone because if no full timer applied the it would work it’s way down to part time staff.

crazyshrew · Post by **crazyshrew** » 10 Oct 2018, 13:18

It is unlawful to treat part time staff differently to full time.
In theory this would be an easy one to win if it went as far as a tribunal; getting to that point would be the hard part.

number one · Post by **number one** » 10 Oct 2018, 13:57

crazyshrew wrote:It is unlawful to treat part time staff differently to full time.
In theory this would be an easy one to win if it went as far as a tribunal; getting to that point would be the hard part.

They haven’t been treated differently. There’s full time roles and part time roles. If there’s no scope for an hour increase in the unit then it’s unfortunate but it wouldn’t fall under unfair treatment

clashcityrocker · Post by **clashcityrocker** » 10 Oct 2018, 15:41

So if the person on the 39 hour contract has taken the role you applied for what has happened to their job?
Isn't there still a full time vacancy?