Bristol heart attack postie asked -when are you coming back

[TrueBlueTerrier]

Thanks to Somerset for spotting this

Bristol heart attack postie asked 'when are you coming back to work?'

http://www.thisisbristol.co.uk/news/Bri ... ticle.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

A postman who suffered a life-threatening heart attack and is in hospital awaiting major surgery got a phone call from his bosses – to ask when he was coming back to work.

Shaun Mitchell fell ill at his Filton home and was rushed to Southmead Hospital on August 2 after a day out at the Bristol Harbour Festival.

Tests confirmed it was a massive heart attack, and doctors told him he would need a triple heart bypass operation.

The seriousness of his condition means he could have the surgery within the next two weeks, and he is now being cared for at Southmead Hospital while he waits for an operation date.

But on Tuesday Mr Mitchell, 51, received a call in his hospital bed from his Royal Mail bosses asking him when he would be returning to work.

Mr Mitchell, a delivery postman at the Montpelier depot, told them about his condition, but he was still pressed for a date.

Dave Wilshire, Bristol and District branch secretary of the Communication Workers Union, which represents postmen, said after the call from his bosses Mr Mitchell had rung him in a very distressed state.

Mr Wilshire said: "Shaun rang me and told me about his heart attack, and then told me his bosses had called him while he was lying in his hospital bed with tubes coming out of his arms and his heart being monitored.

"He told me his bosses knew he'd had a heart attack, and that he had kept them informed at every stage of the process.

"Shaun said they told him not to worry about that, but that he should speak to the occupational health advisor to make an appointment and arrange a date to return to work."

Mr Wilshire said he has repeatedly contacted Royal Mail bosses to explain the situation and ask them to treat it sensitively, but has had no reply

"This sort of intimidation demonstrates why postal workers feel they are being bullied and pressurised on a daily basis, and shows the contempt Royal Mail has for its workforce, " added Mr Wilshire.

Royal Mail spokeswoman Jaquie Stenson said: "We remain in regular contact with our people when they are away from work through illness or injury to ensure that we are giving them all the support and help that we can offer.

"We would never put an individual under any pressure to return to work when they are incapacitated."

[shadow]

We would never put any indvidual under pressure to return to work when they are incapacitated. Who the f**k are they trying to kid. They are probably trying to finish him off. :cfo Hope this guy makes a good recovery.

[mailsort6]

It's about time employees started taking RM to an employment tribunal under the Protection from Harassment Act and the Human RIghts Act this is utterly disgraceful. From the time this employee has followed the right procedures why is this manager harassing him whilst he is in hospital and to phone the hospital this is disgraceful? I wish this posties all the best and I hope he takes legal action because this is not on, it sometimes makes you wonder what sort of managers RM are employing,

[Pat Ostman]

..........Our people

[baldrick]

One of my colleagues (age 48) died from a heart attack 12 days ago.
I expect Managers are still trying to phone him to get him back to work.

[stokes11eg]

firstly--Best wishes to our workmate, and I hope he makes a full recovery.And well done to the Union for taking it to press--these are exactly the kind of points that should be put out to the Public, to show one of the reasons why we are striking.With any luck it will reach the National press.

[wranglered]

It's about time employees started taking RM to an employment tribunal under the Protection from Harassment Act and the Human RIghts Act this is utterly disgraceful. From the time this employee has followed the right procedures why is this manager harassing him whilst he is in hospital and to phone the hospital this is disgraceful? I wish this posties all the best and I hope he takes legal action because this is not on, it sometimes makes you wonder what sort of managers RM are employing,

....the big problem is that bullying and harassment on its own cannot be taken to an employment tribunal, unless it is related to discrimination or an individual chooses to resign and claim constructive dismissal....

...the only other alternative is a claim under the protection from harassment act....but no one will take you on as a no-win, no fee case as they are very expensive to run and fraught with difficulties...

...that is why we are in the mess we are in...that is why employers hold all the cards....

...well done to Dave Wilshire for getting it into the press....it won't have come from HQ..

[norbert]

It's about time employees started taking RM to an employment tribunal under the Protection from Harassment Act and the Human RIghts Act this is utterly disgraceful. From the time this employee has followed the right procedures why is this manager harassing him whilst he is in hospital and to phone the hospital this is disgraceful? I wish this posties all the best and I hope he takes legal action because this is not on, it sometimes makes you wonder what sort of managers RM are employing,

....the big problem is that bullying and harassment on its own cannot be taken to an employment tribunal, unless it is related to discrimination or an individual chooses to resign and claim constructive dismissal....

...the only other alternative is a claim under the protection from harassment act....but no one will take you on as a no-win, no fee case as they are very expensive to run and fraught with difficulties...

...that is why we are in the mess we are in...that is why employers hold all the cards....

...well done to Dave Wilshire for getting it into the press....it won't have come from HQ..

feel free to comment using discretion - RM never fail to surpass themselves with their regimented tick sheets and the pressure from on high . Just a " coincidence " that's there's a strong and well organized union there

there's a few RM propaganda plants on the net that try to wriggle out of things by saying we're hardly going to provoke a union stronghold into action but there's also the scalp mentality that comes from on high .

There's one that is a bit Colonel Blimp that openly admits that RM Senior Management are trying to deliberately orchestrate strikes or UIA . Oldest 50's spiv trick in the book , straight out of Peter Sellars " I'm allright Jack " .

There's a lot of stuff with RM that is contrived - the problem is that many managers don't really have any authority to deal with these matters properly due to their " master's voices " breathing down their necks - same as a lot of places ; only taken to extremes and handled badly with RM .