Southport postman sacked for not wearing his cycle helmet

[Bolly]

It's completly unfair, I do not wear a helmet and neithier do 90% of the posties that I work with, we have had 3 different DOMs in the last 5 years and all of those are aware that helmets are not worn by us, but do not say anything, so why should this guy lose his job just because he has the misfortune to work in an office run by little Hitlers. Take em to a tribunual and explain how all across the country managers turn a blind eye to this practice.

And before all the namby pamby do gooders come on and tell me its my for my own good to wear a helmet, I'll deciede whats good for me.

Damn Health and Safety and Human rights have sodded this country up totally.

Hmmmm see I was seething about this case and wrote to the courier....
Heres my email:
I read with interest the article on page 9 re Cycle Helmets are
life-savers, whilst I appreciate what the article is saying and in this
instance it did save a life, not once does it mention that wearing cycle
helmets has actually been enforced in some offices. There is also some
debate whether or not cycle helmets do actually save lives, there are
contradicting reports that people with helmets are not given as much room
on the road as those who don't wear them.

This is not a legal requirement, just something that some offices seem to
be clamping down on, even resulting in disciplinary action and even
dismissals as seen in local and even national press coverage.

Also, the article on page 18 regarding your health and stay safe in the
sun, how can you wear a hat that ideally shades your face, neck and ears
with a cycle helmet plonked on top of your head? Further more, the helmets
have polystyrene inside them which actually generate even more heat, making
you sweat and could potentially lead to heat exhaustion?

Finally, if an individual for their religious beliefs wears a turban, will
this rule still be enforced?

As the press mentioned it seems like bully boy tactics to cut staff numbers
and create savings, rather than staffs actual wellbeing, maybe even to
bring down their insurance premiums??

My late husband worked for Royal Mail and fell off his bike after suffering
from an epileptic fit, he was x-rayed and we found that he had a brain
tumour, if he had been wearing a cycle helmet, I doubt he would ever have
been x-rayed and we would never have known the cause.

I would appreciate your comments.

Thanks and best regards

Heres my response:thank you for your email and first of all let me apologise
for the slow response as I have been on annual leave.
Secondly, I am extremely sorry that you should lose your husband in those
circumstances. You have our deepest sympathies.
Every reputable safety organisation recommends wearing cycle helmets and
Royal Mail's policy in this area is absolutely clear and endorsed by the
CWU: a helmet is mandatory for every employee who uses a bike. In answer to
your question, it is my understanding that employees wearing turbans are
the only ones exempt from this ruling.
It is concerning if some of our offices are not enforcing this policy
around cycle helmets - I can only say that they should be.
Once again, thanks again for taking the trouble to write to Courier

Did it answer my questions? No! Is it compulsory....yes....errr but discrimination....if you have a turban...you're ok!? Does this mean RM doesn't care about the ethnic minorities?? Maybe everyone should change their religion??? Too late for the postie that was sacked though.....

[montana]

I too worked with the 3 poor postmen that were sacked recently in Southport.They have ALL lost their appeals, 2 of them lost due to the lies made up by the driver of the the new A5!!, For how long can this R.M manager keep getting away with the lies hes making up.
Its only 3 mths ago he was involved in a suspension of another long serving postman, while the manager himself was on a days leave!!.
This R.M Manager admitted to another postman that he was getting BULLIED by other managers in the Southport D.O , The DOM also new about this.Is this his way of showing his authority?
So if you should be unfortunate enough to see a Mr Incrediable look-a-like, driving an Audi A5, With a personlised plate ( paid for out of his bonuses !) RUN!!, But watch out Clitheroe D.O , Rumour has it hes on the way to your office!!

[NWpostie]

I worked with postie who was" Hung out to dry" I went to see him and find out what happend at his appeal.I read his notes and was utterley shocked to read that the RM manager 'who i can't name, because i may be the next one singled out for termination !!!! Had lied in his account of what happened that morning.He had said that he saw mr ???? on his bike without his helmet cycling up a one way street !!! Boll@:?ks !!! How a RM manager can give a false statement and fabricate the truth is a F'n discrace..His statement was as fake as a trannies fanny !!! But the indepedent appeals officer,who is a RM manager !! How can this be independent ?? Surley,all RM managers are told to save money and cut staffing levels at ANY cost ?? So mr ?? had no chance did he ? Besides, the manager now drives a brand new Audi A5...Bit of a leap up the car ladder from a ford focus !!!!!!

in that instance, there should be an Independent witness to confirm that fact, otherwise it is the Managers word against that of the Postie.

[norbert]

I worked with postie who was" Hung out to dry" I went to see him and find out what happend at his appeal.I read his notes and was utterley shocked to read that the RM manager 'who i can't name, because i may be the next one singled out for termination !!!! Had lied in his account of what happened that morning.He had said that he saw mr ???? on his bike without his helmet cycling up a one way street !!! Boll@:?ks !!! How a RM manager can give a false statement and fabricate the truth is a F'n discrace..His statement was as fake as a trannies fanny !!! But the indepedent appeals officer,who is a RM manager !! How can this be independent ?? Surley,all RM managers are told to save money and cut staffing levels at ANY cost ?? So mr ?? had no chance did he ? Besides, the manager now drives a brand new Audi A5...Bit of a leap up the car ladder from a ford focus !!!!!!

in that instance, there should be an Independent witness to confirm that fact, otherwise it is the Managers word against that of the Postie.

RM's attitude is that independent witnesses don't count , they regard thenselves as completely autonomous - that's 350 years of culture for you ; look how they got rid of Dave Condliffe senior at Burslem , RM apparently took a battering at the first tribunal , their " representative " allegedly had to drop his " colleagues ' in it to save his sorry arse . The tribunal got adjourned , RM apparently hired very expensive solicitors / barristers to stitch the postie up ; the reason was that Burslem was a scalp and too big for RM to lose .

There's was the appeal hearings for reps , the "independent" element preferred to believe RM according to CWU sources despite a rep being accused of inciting a strike on his day off and allegations of CD roms being falsified .Again it was just too big for RM to lose .

Look at the Bristol cases , one was settled on the saturday before the monday Tribunal - coincidence not , others were " mysteriously" reinstated just before tribunals too . RM insisted on staff being moved for being "troublemakers" , that they had accept warnings to keep Senior/Area Managers happy

It's all a sham , RM will parrot out that the CofC was agreed with the CWU but they don't abode by the spirit of it and the goalposts get moved .

Don't get me wrong , I can tell spying horror stories prior to privatization in another industry . We just called them sh***hawks - it was all to soften staff / the union up for privatization .

The other interesting bit is would RM try this on with the scousers ? , I know there's no love lost between Sandgrounders & scousers but it's a interesting question ?

It's also interesting that RM want rid of bikes and there just happens to be a lot of sackings over helmets