Grievance at stage one warning

[drewmann]

Would just like to hear opinions,advice about a grievance with regards my Stage one warning.

I was issued a Stage one warning having returned to work after a operation for corrective surgery for a hernia.

Having been issued the warning i put in a grievance not about the outcome of my Warning, i know i have no appeal against this decision until it reaches the stage 3 or RTU, but the way in which that decision was made which i and my union rep saw as only issued on the basis of the trigger points.

On Saturday i had to go and pick up a registered letter at my local delivery office which was from my Shift manager at my Mail centre where i work, in this letter which was 5 lines in total he said that "It is not appropriate to raise a grievance regarding this matter" So basically i and anybody else in Royal Mail can not question or raise any concerns regarding the way in which line managers in Royal Mail make their decisions with regards to a Stage one Attendance warnings,which leads me to think why bother having a Stage one interview at all if Managers can just issue them regardless of anything and know that they will have no come back.

I don't want people to think this is just sour grapes at the issuing but i fill that not having a process where by i can have my voice heard leads us all down a very sad road,especially when more and more people i hear about are being what seems on a fast track to stage 3 and RTU ( which Royal Mail seems to me to drag out especially the appeal process)

I look forward to hearing what people think and any advice what may be useful Thank you all

[norbert]

Would just like to hear opinions,advice about a grievance with regards my Stage one warning.

I was issued a Stage one warning having returned to work after a operation for corrective surgery for a hernia.

Having been issued the warning i put in a grievance not about the outcome of my Warning, i know i have no appeal against this decision until it reaches the stage 3 or RTU, but the way in which that decision was made which i and my union rep saw as only issued on the basis of the trigger points.

On Saturday i had to go and pick up a registered letter at my local delivery office which was from my Shift manager at my Mail centre where i work, in this letter which was 5 lines in total he said that "It is not appropriate to raise a grievance regarding this matter" So basically i and anybody else in Royal Mail can not question or raise any concerns regarding the way in which line managers in Royal Mail make their decisions with regards to a Stage one Attendance warnings,which leads me to think why bother having a Stage one interview at all if Managers can just issue them regardless of anything and know that they will have no come back.

I don't want people to think this is just sour grapes at the issuing but i fill that not having a process where by i can have my voice heard leads us all down a very sad road,especially when more and more people i hear about are being what seems on a fast track to stage 3 and RTU ( which Royal Mail seems to me to drag out especially the appeal process)

I look forward to hearing what people think and any advice what may be useful Thank you all

The official line is that a warning is not a penalty therefore there is no justification for appeal . People don't agree and don't think it makes sense , some suspect RM of hair splitting .
A stage 2 can make things very difficult .
I'd push it because if it ever got to a RTU stage , it would be deemed as that you were relatively " happy " getting warnings and you'd felt there was no justification in taking grievances out and they've tried to wriggle out of things in Tribunals using that one .
That's the contradictory bit , I'd class RM's tactics as a bit sharp but they are known for working at the very limit of employment law and / or putting some perverse interpretations on matters .

[speedy]

You need to have a look at the " Sawyer Report" as well.

Im sure it says in there that anyone being off due to corrective surgery should NOT be issued with a warning.

Or words to that effect anyway.

[drewmann]

Thanks for the replies above much appreciated

[dvbuk55]

Although there is no appeal against a stage one - there is a redress of grievance - put in writing what you consider to be the injustice of being given a stage one under the circumstances and the fact that you consider that the warning was given as a matter of course rather than a matter of circumstance.

This will not change the outcome of the stage one but it will be held on file for the next stages should you need it and can be pointed out as a matter of record.