Angard casuals V Christmas casuals? EVERYONE PLEASE READ!!

[Verging]

Got my Christmas work through from Angard now.

You're lucky!
Some of us have been trained on CFC machines ready for Christmas at the sorting office where I work, but they still haven't told us what hours we will be given. There are a whole load of new casuals who I assume are taken on by Royal Mail and who seem to be given more hours than us Angard employees who have been around since last Christmas. What a rubbish outfit RM are!

My "training" on CFC 2 years ago was basically "Press this button to start, that button to stop, dont touch the red stop buttons, take out this, this, this, this and this and keep it going", Learnt a lot more in the 2 years since.

Bit unfair VERGING!! But I guess it does prove the point that the job (any job) in RM can be done by anyone with a smigin of common sense most of the machines are simple to work and alot of office phocopiers require more training!...however I digress.

Perhaps paying someone that has qualified for AWR and therefore higher rates of pay for a job that can be done by anyone straight out of the Jobcenre or Uni student on MIN WAGE is why we have been overlooked for work this year?

Why unfair if that is what it was ? Took all of 2 minutes (culling role only - everything else I picked up by doing)

[casualnowwithangard]

We also received a letter from Angard asking us not to apply to Royal Mail for Christmas work as there would be enough work for us over the Christmas period. Yesterday we found out the posts would be going to staff recruited by Royal Mail and there would be no work for Angard, so Royal Mail appear to have shafted Angard and by association us as we'll. I wonder if this is a country wide phenomena or just local to us?

Seems like the case at my mpu as xmas casuals will be paid from medway mail centre budget whereas we will/ would have been paid the mpu budget, therefore managers are not calling in any angard casuals and are using xmas casuals instead, luckily I am one of two angard casuals still working as have had regularly worked over the year but its the other angard workers i feel sorry for, surely they have a case against rm/angard

[markadam1962]

REVETTING OF ANGARD CASUALS

Just spoke to Angard regarding Christmas and the reason I have not been given ANY work is because I have not worked for Royal Mail for 28 days. Therefore I need to be revetted before I can work again. I asked how long this would take.......3 WEEKS

I have spoken to the manager at my MC and they have started work this week....I can't work because of this stupid rule that RM have in place.

I won't be working until at least 17th December at this rate???

WHY WASN'T I TOLD? (I have emails asking for information from Angard back to the start of October but no reply)

WHAT HAPPEND TO "NO NEED TO APPLY FOR CHRISTMAS"

IF ANGARD ARE IN PARTNERSHIP WITH ROYAL MAIL AND I'M STILL ON THE BOOKS WHY THE NEED FOR VETTING???

Please anyone that might be in the same position ring Angard as soon as possible 0845 460 7318, otherwise you will be in for a long wait and no work for Christmas (or very little).

This is beyond a joke this year and a kick in the teeth for anyone that has been working for RM as a casual for nearly 3 years!!

[Verging]

So they have brought in a rule which could go against AWR as you have gone 4 weeks without work and now need to wait 3 weeks. This gives you a 7 week gap between working, enough to lose AWR qualification apparently. Sounds like a possible AWR avoidance claim to me.

Book some holiday to delay the count back for the next 3 weeks - if you have holiday entitlement. I am aware of people who have had longer off but booked holidays and maintained AWR qualification. I am also aware of people in the same situation as yourself and lost AWR qualification. Good luck.

[POSTMAN]

REVETTING OF ANGARD CASUALS

Just spoke to Angard regarding Christmas and the reason I have not been given ANY work is because I have not worked for Royal Mail for 28 days. Therefore I need to be revetted before I can work again. I asked how long this would take.......3 WEEKS

I have spoken to the manager at my MC and they have started work this week....I can't work because of this stupid rule that RM have in place.

I won't be working until at least 17th December at this rate???

WHY WASN'T I TOLD? (I have emails asking for information from Angard back to the start of October but no reply)

WHAT HAPPEND TO "NO NEED TO APPLY FOR CHRISTMAS"

IF ANGARD ARE IN PARTNERSHIP WITH ROYAL MAIL AND I'M STILL ON THE BOOKS WHY THE NEED FOR VETTING???

Please anyone that might be in the same position ring Angard as soon as possible 0845 460 7318, otherwise you will be in for a long wait and no work for Christmas (or very little).

This is beyond a joke this year and a kick in the teeth for anyone that has been working for RM as a casual for nearly 3 years!!

Sounds dodgy,contact our CEO justsayit@royalmail.com
If you do,let us know what was said

[markadam1962]

Copy of the email just sent to "Just Say It"

Angard Christmas Casual snub‏

I am writing to bring your attention to what I believe is a very unfair practice that Angard appear to put in place this year and has affected both myself and at least two other Casuals that have been working for Royal Mail and subsequently Angard (from Oct 2011) for almost 3 years.

I was getting concerned that as Christmas was approaching I had not heard anything from Angard regarding work. I have done all my 3 years working at Canterbury MC and worked up until processing was transferred to Medway. I worked right up until the end of August. We had had word that work would be returning to Canterbury for Christmas and we would be in line for shifts.

Angard had already sent us letters asking us to avoid applying for Christmas roles as we were already on the books and would be put forward for work.

I had emailed Angard in October and again in early November asking for clarification on where we stood regarding work...without a reply, I finally rang them direct today.

I was shocked to hear that as I had not worked for over 28 days Royal Mail require me to re-vetted which I have been told could take up to 3 weeks.

Why is this happening?

As I am still on Angards books, have a pay number, leave outstanding and they hold my P45; what use is a re-vetting process anyway? Apart from denying me much needed work.

Are RM and Angard partners? Do Angard supply Casual staff to anybody other than Royal Mail? Again if this is the case re-vetting cannot be justified.

As an employee of Angard what duty is it of theirs to communicate critical dates and not leave it until I happen to contact them? Had they seen my letter and acted in October my vetting (if needed) could have been in place for me to begin work this week.

My earning potential for this years Christmas has dropped significantly because of the ineptitude of both RM and Angard.

I would be grateful in the meantime if you could cover off some of the issues I have raised and give me some explanation as to why I am currently not working.

I feel let down and extremely angry at both parties, especially after working almost 3 years for RM. I feel I need to take this further.

[johnk]

ya! I was hoping for too many shifts during christmas period, but no, they are not calling even for one shift for the last two weeks, because there are loads of rm casuals. I left my other job believing on this. But as per contract no guaranteed hours isn't it? oh my days.........

[rogersh]

At the distribution centre where i work RM & manpower workers have just started a 6 week temporary contract. So far this has had the effect of reducing the amount of shifts given to some of the regular angard casuals, the majority are on parity rights under AWR.
When RM can give priority to their xmas temps on minimum wage above their own in-house casual flexible resource pool, then i assume it is a cost cutting exercise.

[rogersh]

Copy of the email just sent to "Just Say It"

Angard Christmas Casual snub‏

I am writing to bring your attention to what I believe is a very unfair practice that Angard appear to put in place this year and has affected both myself and at least two other Casuals that have been working for Royal Mail and subsequently Angard (from Oct 2011) for almost 3 years.

I was getting concerned that as Christmas was approaching I had not heard anything from Angard regarding work. I have done all my 3 years working at Canterbury MC and worked up until processing was transferred to Medway. I worked right up until the end of August. We had had word that work would be returning to Canterbury for Christmas and we would be in line for shifts.

Angard had already sent us letters asking us to avoid applying for Christmas roles as we were already on the books and would be put forward for work.

I had emailed Angard in October and again in early November asking for clarification on where we stood regarding work...without a reply, I finally rang them direct today.

I was shocked to hear that as I had not worked for over 28 days Royal Mail require me to re-vetted which I have been told could take up to 3 weeks.

Why is this happening?

As I am still on Angards books, have a pay number, leave outstanding and they hold my P45; what use is a re-vetting process anyway? Apart from denying me much needed work.

Are RM and Angard partners? Do Angard supply Casual staff to anybody other than Royal Mail? Again if this is the case re-vetting cannot be justified.

As an employee of Angard what duty is it of theirs to communicate critical dates and not leave it until I happen to contact them? Had they seen my letter and acted in October my vetting (if needed) could have been in place for me to begin work this week.

My earning potential for this years Christmas has dropped significantly because of the ineptitude of both RM and Angard.

I would be grateful in the meantime if you could cover off some of the issues I have raised and give me some explanation as to why I am currently not working.

I feel let down and extremely angry at both parties, especially after working almost 3 years for RM. I feel I need to take this further.

I have a copy of the Angard contract which states 3. Termination of employment 3.1.1 without the need for notice if: (b) it is more than 28 days since the end of your last assignment. I assume this is the reason for your situation. If you have awr parity you apparently lose that after a 6 week break. I am sure i read the forum where it said might be an idea to book some annual leave to delay reaching 6 weeks. I expect several workers will be shafted by the AWR which was meant to improve things but could have the opoisite affect.

[markadam1962]

Termination of contract would require production of a P45 from an the company you were employed at and payment of any outstanding leave.

On speaking with the Angard rep yesterday.I was still registered on their books.

So who is at fault?

[rogersh]

Copy of the email just sent to "Just Say It"

Angard Christmas Casual snub‏

I am writing to bring your attention to what I believe is a very unfair practice that Angard appear to put in place this year and has affected both myself and at least two other Casuals that have been working for Royal Mail and subsequently Angard (from Oct 2011) for almost 3 years.

I was getting concerned that as Christmas was approaching I had not heard anything from Angard regarding work. I have done all my 3 years working at Canterbury MC and worked up until processing was transferred to Medway. I worked right up until the end of August. We had had word that work would be returning to Canterbury for Christmas and we would be in line for shifts.

Angard had already sent us letters asking us to avoid applying for Christmas roles as we were already on the books and would be put forward for work.

I had emailed Angard in October and again in early November asking for clarification on where we stood regarding work...without a reply, I finally rang them direct today.

I was shocked to hear that as I had not worked for over 28 days Royal Mail require me to re-vetted which I have been told could take up to 3 weeks.

Why is this happening?

As I am still on Angards books, have a pay number, leave outstanding and they hold my P45; what use is a re-vetting process anyway? Apart from denying me much needed work.

Are RM and Angard partners? Do Angard supply Casual staff to anybody other than Royal Mail? Again if this is the case re-vetting cannot be justified.

As an employee of Angard what duty is it of theirs to communicate critical dates and not leave it until I happen to contact them? Had they seen my letter and acted in October my vetting (if needed) could have been in place for me to begin work this week.

My earning potential for this years Christmas has dropped significantly because of the ineptitude of both RM and Angard.

I would be grateful in the meantime if you could cover off some of the issues I have raised and give me some explanation as to why I am currently not working.

I feel let down and extremely angry at both parties, especially after working almost 3 years for RM. I feel I need to take this further.

I have a copy of the Angard contract which states 3. Termination of employment 3.1.1 without the need for notice if: (b) it is more than 28 days since the end of your last assignment. I assume this is the reason for your situation. If you have awr parity you apparently lose that after a 6 week break. I am sure i read the forum where it said might be an idea to book some annual leave to delay reaching 6 weeks. I expect several workers will be shafted by the AWR which was meant to improve things but could have the opoisite affect.

Supplementary: Forum holiday pay ennabee wrote ; Book a days holiday ... stops me building up to six weeks without work.
I too believed you could not lose awr status but have posted revised information in holiday pay thread ; rogersh.

[rogersh]

Termination of contract would require production of a P45 from an the company you were employed at and payment of any outstanding leave.

On speaking with the Angard rep yesterday.I was still registered on their books.

So who is at fault?

Yes i agree with you about the P45 & paid leave. I was bemused by the 28 day clause when i read the contract.
On reflection of my previous post, how could you book holiday if you are assumed to be out of contract !!.

The nature of being an Angard casual resource is that the amount work with Rm is extremely variable & to have such a contract, as i am understanding it, is absurd.

[markadam1962]

Any ANGARD Employee I ask you:-

Have you a copy of your contract? When and how did you receive it? Did you sign it?

What dates did your contract say you were employed between.

Are you still working at this moment for Angard?

Is your PHOTO ID current?

Are you not working at the moment because of a letter received in July asking you NOT to apply for work as a casual?

IS 28 days without work a fair break? Considering we were "flexible resource" anyway!

Anyone else get the wiff of AWR avoidance?

At the end of the day I have had a great time at RM and was looking forward to a final Christmas at my old MC. But I guess after nearly 3 years, I now realise just how bad things have become in the world of work. Bottom line cost AWR bod...expensive.

Where loyalty, dedication, pride, enjoyment, enthusiasm, camaraderie, teamwork existed in the people I worked with.

Can be sucked out, spat out, ignored, laughed at, trolled, ridiculed, criticized, ignored.

And replaced with MIN wage fly by nights.

ALL IN THE NAME OF PROFIT!

[rogersh]

Any ANGARD Employee I ask you:-

Have you a copy of your contract? When and how did you receive it? Did you sign it?

What dates did your contract say you were employed between.

Are you still working at this moment for Angard?

Is your PHOTO ID current?

Are you not working at the moment because of a letter received in July asking you NOT to apply for work as a casual?

IS 28 days without work a fair break? Considering we were "flexible resource" anyway!

Anyone else get the wiff of AWR avoidance?



At the end of the day I have had a great time at RM and was looking forward to a final Christmas at my old MC. But I guess after nearly 3 years, I now realise just how bad things have become in the world of work. Bottom line cost AWR bod...expensive.

Where loyalty, dedication, pride, enjoyment, enthusiasm, camaraderie, teamwork existed in the people I worked with.

Can be sucked out, spat out, ignored, laughed at, trolled, ridiculed, criticized, ignored.

And replaced with MIN wage fly by nights.

ALL IN THE NAME OF PROFIT!

I was sent an offer of employment letter which stated "To finalise this process, please find attached Angard staffing contract which you will need to sign and return to us ASAP to the following address -
Freepost RRRL-LBYC-JBAL
Angard staffing - commercial Team
Charles House
61-69 Derngate
Northampton
NN1 1UE

We we then sign and return a copy for your records along with a new Angard ID badge...."

As the ID badge was already enclosed i decided to photocopy the contract, the duration on the badge was 50 weeks, and it was no surprise that i never received a countersigned copy of the contract. I have seen the contract on this forum which seems standard.

[Spooky43]

Taking this slightly off topic but still relevant as I am sure it will affect others.

Been working (continuously) for Angard for well over a year now, just lately in a shiny new mail center after my old site was shut.I have recently been booking my shifts through Angard a week in advance. Last Monday I booked shifts for tomorrow right through till Friday. Come Wednesday I get a phone call from Angard telling me my Tuesday to Thursday shifts have been cancelled, I kicked off down the phone and was told there was nothing Angard could do about it. Upon going into work I found I wasn't alone, about 90% of Angard staff I spoke to have had their hours cut or wiped out for this coming week. The frustrating part was then finding out that around 180 Royal Mail casuals are due to start this week. I don't know for sure but I can guess why we've had our hours removed/re-assigned/stolen

I'm fully expecting this to be a reoccurring issue over the next 2 months, probably longer. My question is, what can I do about it now and in the future?