Postal workers face swine flu dilemma, claims union

[lover]

hello wakey wakey,i fricking hate it when people just invent stuff to rebutt...im trying not be be insulting but its just too hard...
ARE YOU AN IDIOT?please point out to me where ive said people should come in when ill.oh look i havnt...
so you just made that whole thing up .for what reason have you just made that up?

no doubt you didnt like that i questioned you on something instead of blindly agreeing with you.unfortunalty ,thats how i am,i think for myself.
you say"it seems to you that im saying".no dont lie.comment on what ive actually asked.ive not said anythings right or wrong.just posed a question.as you have writen letters on the subject ,i thought you might actually have a clue.but it seems not

if you were my health and safty rep id be afraid very afraid...

the question i posed was simple.please learn to read(i know my typings not the best,but it still isnt difficult)the whole thread


why do you think it should be immune from counting towards your sickness quota

[ade@cambs]

hello wakey wakey,i fricking hate it when people just invent stuff to rebutt...im trying not be be insulting but its just too hard...
ARE YOU AN IDIOT?please point out to me where ive said people should come in when ill.oh look i havnt...
so you just made that whole thing up .for what reason have you just made that up?

no doubt you didnt like that i questioned you on something instead of blindly agreeing with you.unfortunalty ,thats how i am,i think for myself.
you say"it seems to you that im saying".no dont lie.comment on what ive actually asked.ive not said anythings right or wrong.just posed a question.as you have writen letters on the subject ,i thought you might actually have a clue.but it seems not

if you were my health and safty rep id be afraid very afraid...

the question i posed was simple.please learn to read(i know my typings not the best,but it still isnt difficult)the whole thread


why do you think it should be immune from counting towards your sickness quota

Well so far i have talked to people in America, India and Australia about what they have in place for this pandemic and they are fully prepared i would be more afraid of RM as they have nothing in place. As i said earlier i have written to local management about this and had no reply so in my view they will be treating this as just another illness which can go on peoples sick record and lead possibly to a stage or dismissal. This of course does not just apply to people who have swine flu they should also take into account people who have to take time off work to look after dependents such as children off school , a spouse or relative who may need help and as a previous poster said if you have the flu then you cannot go to your local surgery you have to ring the NHS helpline and answer a series of questions before they give diagnosis. If they then diagnose you with the flu you get allocated a number which someone has to take to a local collection point to pick up your medication for you...do we get time off for doing this if it's for a relative?

The W.H.O have classed it as a pandemic and for this reason it should be discounted i'm not saying it will and i can see a great deal of I.T. cases arising from this. I agree that there is some panic about it at the moment but then we are not in the flu season in this country yet this will come from October onwards and the amount of people contracting this strain will increase. Maybe you didn't say people shouldn't go sick but you did imply that people will use this as an excuse to take time off and as we are advising people to keep their proof of receiving Tamiflu or the equivalent if people choose to fake catching swine flu just to get time off then this is something i would not recommend.

Please do me a favour and check what RM (if they are your employer) have in place if an outbreak happens as i would be interested to know.

[TrueBlueTerrier]

hello wakey wakey,i fricking hate it when people just invent stuff to rebutt...im trying not be be insulting but its just too hard...
ARE YOU AN IDIOT?please point out to me where ive said people should come in when ill.oh look i havnt...
so you just made that whole thing up .for what reason have you just made that up?

no doubt you didnt like that i questioned you on something instead of blindly agreeing with you.unfortunalty ,thats how i am,i think for myself.
you say"it seems to you that im saying".no dont lie.comment on what ive actually asked.ive not said anythings right or wrong.just posed a question.as you have writen letters on the subject ,i thought you might actually have a clue.but it seems not

if you were my health and safty rep id be afraid very afraid...

the question i posed was simple.please learn to read(i know my typings not the best,but it still isnt difficult)the whole thread


why do you think it should be immune from counting towards your sickness quota

Good post and it was well answered by Ade@cambs who in his prevuious reply was polite if a little tart - its a pity you called him an idiot it kind of ruined the whole of your argument..

On the Large Print stuff - it all absences are treated as genuine and you have a sick certificate I would have thought that would go someway to "Swine Flu" being discounted if its classed as a Pandemic. However, if lead swingers are using it as an excuse for a week or more of then they should hang their heads in shame. That ultimately is the problem with RMs apppraoch, it pays lip service to the creed of "All absences are deemed genuine" and in doing so punishes not only the guilty but the innocent as well. We do need a new approach to how RM handle sickness but it needs to be both fair and robust, and most importantly it needs the input and support of the Union otherwise it will be doomed to repeat the same mistakes and generate the same anger as the current system.

[andy2007]

Why don't I think that Swine Flu should be counted towards our Sick Record?
Basically, because (as you said yourself) most cases, are so mild, that people wouldn't necessarily take time off. But because it is so contagious. It would be very irrisponsible, for anyone who thought they might have Swine Flu, to go out in Public. Because if they passed it on to someone who is in a high risk group. They could potentially kill them. There have been very few cases like that here. But even ONE is too many.

Personally, I've been lucky. I only know a couple of people who've had it. And they were fine. But why take the chance?

[lover]

thats a good, thought but not really answering the question.your answers is to wheather you should stay at home or not.you think we should stay at home incase we infect others who may be more fragile than ourselves and inadvertantly kill them.if i came back off my holiday with typhus and stayed at home can i get that discounted cos that sure as shite kills more people it infects.people are guilty of jumping on the old band wagon me thinks.

the point i am making is ,an illness is illness .all should be counted or none should be.the point isnt that you were ill with this or that,its that you were ill.

you cant bitch and moan that this systems in place.we all know why its there.but some of our number abused the system.using sickness for extra holiday.weve gone over this in an old thread before.we all know people that have done it and still do it.its our collective fault that this system,no matter how draconian,is in place.

any accident on company time doing company work should be discounted toward sick leave.i dont care if its 90percent your fault.you wouldnt be their to do it if not working.but you cant say," no that illness counts but that one doesnt".if someone caught swine flu three time in a year i think they would be lead swingers .but some propose it be discounted...doesnt anyone see how stupid an idea that is

clearly some union reps and health and safty reps,have nothing better to do with their work time than think of ways to feel hard done by.they are probably the same people who campaigned to get cycle helmets supplied because royal mail wouldnt.well i bet the men sacked for not wearing them love them

[lover]

Why don't I think that Swine Flu should be counted towards our Sick Record?
Basically, because (as you said yourself) most cases, are so mild, that people wouldn't necessarily take time off. But because it is so contagious. It would be very irrisponsible, for anyone who thought they might have Swine Flu, to go out in Public. Because if they passed it on to someone who is in a high risk group. They could potentially kill them. There have been very few cases like that here. But even ONE is too many.

Personally, I've been lucky. I only know a couple of people who've had it. And they were fine. But why take the chance?

one of my collegues wives works in a maternity ward.his mother caught it and she phoned up to ask if she should stay home they said ,no come in...with new born babies.can you get more fragile than that?nhs

[ade@cambs]

clearly some union reps and health and safty reps,have nothing better to do with their work time than think of ways to feel hard done by.they are probably the same people who campaigned to get cycle helmets supplied because royal mail wouldnt.well i bet the men sacked for not wearing them love them

I suppose the people who's lives have been saved wearing a cycle helmet feel the same way too, i get you feel that we are only reps for our own gains or to get release time and obviously sit around and do nothing. Ok i admit the courses and diplomas do look good on our CV's and i Just spent 9 months getting my IOSH diploma spending one day a week at college and every other week was unpaid but i have already put it to good use at work and it's in our members favour that i am more trained and qualified than any manager at work which is probably why i am involved in the day to day Health and Safety aspect and why managers are happy to seek my advice.

I am only following HSE advice on Swine Flu, but then i guess you think they are clueless as well and are only there to spoil peoples fun by banning conker fights and pancake races.

[POSTMAN]

Why don't I think that Swine Flu should be counted towards our Sick Record?
Basically, because (as you said yourself) most cases, are so mild, that people wouldn't necessarily take time off. But because it is so contagious. It would be very irrisponsible, for anyone who thought they might have Swine Flu, to go out in Public. Because if they passed it on to someone who is in a high risk group. They could potentially kill them. There have been very few cases like that here. But even ONE is too many.

Personally, I've been lucky. I only know a couple of people who've had it. And they were fine. But why take the chance?

one of my collegues wives works in a maternity ward.his mother caught it and she phoned up to ask if she should stay home they said ,no come in...with new born babies.can you get more fragile than that?nhs

I would say that is a lie,be it from you or from who you got it from.
Down my way,if you thought you had swine flue you were not allowed in the doctors surgery and you also had to get someone to get your prescription,and also you had to stay away from family members for a week,which happened to my son who was stuck in his bedroom for the week.

Also lover,your posts on this subject are a joke.

[brothermagrew]

As ade@cambs was rightfully saying:

Trades unionists will have to ensure that employers do not encourage staff to come in when they are ill and may themselves have to try to ensure that staff do not attempt to come to work through misguided loyalty to their employer or their client or their work colleagues. It is important that all staff who are ill remain at home until fully recovered. The HSE and government advice is clear. “Advise your staff to stay at home if they are sick with flu-like symptoms and send home any employees who are displaying flu-like signs/symptoms.”

In the event of a pandemic breaking out, unions will want to get involved in discussions with their employers over issues such as staff taking leave.
Unfortunately some employers have already told staff that, while they should not come in to work if they have been in contact with anyone with “swine flu” they must take annual leave or unpaid leave. This is totally unacceptable and unions must strongly resist any such moves. Not only will it mean that staff with be far less likely to admit they have been in contact with the virus, employers cannot effectively suspend staff without pay and you should contact your union for legal advice where this happens.

For the full TUC perspective on this issue go to http://www.tuc.org.uk/extras/fluguidance.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[lover]

Why don't I think that Swine Flu should be counted towards our Sick Record?
Basically, because (as you said yourself) most cases, are so mild, that people wouldn't necessarily take time off. But because it is so contagious. It would be very irrisponsible, for anyone who thought they might have Swine Flu, to go out in Public. Because if they passed it on to someone who is in a high risk group. They could potentially kill them. There have been very few cases like that here. But even ONE is too many.

Personally, I've been lucky. I only know a couple of people who've had it. And they were fine. But why take the chance?

one of my collegues wives works in a maternity ward.his mother caught it and she phoned up to ask if she should stay home they said ,no come in...with new born babies.can you get more fragile than that?nhs

I would say that is a lie,be it from you or from who you got it from.
Down my way,if you thought you had swine flue you were not allowed in the doctors surgery and you also had to get someone to get your prescription,and also you had to stay away from family members for a week,which happened to my son who was stuck in his bedroom for the week.

Also lover,your posts on this subject are a joke.

which bit is a joke .i see nothing remotly funny in it.

as for the lie..maybe you cant read(my english)she didnt have it ,her mother inlaw did.she had been in contact with her.told to come in anyway....now can you follow that....
it is also the advise on the nhs website which i cut and pasted earlier...who is the joke
down your way they are mental defectives then or hysterical numpties

[POSTMAN]

Why don't I think that Swine Flu should be counted towards our Sick Record?
Basically, because (as you said yourself) most cases, are so mild, that people wouldn't necessarily take time off. But because it is so contagious. It would be very irrisponsible, for anyone who thought they might have Swine Flu, to go out in Public. Because if they passed it on to someone who is in a high risk group. They could potentially kill them. There have been very few cases like that here. But even ONE is too many.

Personally, I've been lucky. I only know a couple of people who've had it. And they were fine. But why take the chance?

one of my collegues wives works in a maternity ward.his mother caught it and she phoned up to ask if she should stay home they said ,no come in...with new born babies.can you get more fragile than that?nhs

I would say that is a lie,be it from you or from who you got it from.
Down my way,if you thought you had swine flue you were not allowed in the doctors surgery and you also had to get someone to get your prescription,and also you had to stay away from family members for a week,which happened to my son who was stuck in his bedroom for the week.

Also lover,your posts on this subject are a joke.

which bit is a joke .i see nothing remotly funny in it.

as for the lie..maybe you cant read(my english)she didnt have it ,her mother inlaw did.she had been in contact with her.told to come in anyway....now can you follow that....
it is also the advise on the nhs website which i cut and pasted earlier...who is the joke
down your way they are mental defectives then or hysterical numpties

Keep up the good work,at least nighty and tman can have a rest

Oh,and i'm gonna tell my quack what you said bout him and his surgery

[lover]

Why don't I think that Swine Flu should be counted towards our Sick Record?
Basically, because (as you said yourself) most cases, are so mild, that people wouldn't necessarily take time off. But because it is so contagious. It would be very irrisponsible, for anyone who thought they might have Swine Flu, to go out in Public. Because if they passed it on to someone who is in a high risk group. They could potentially kill them. There have been very few cases like that here. But even ONE is too many.

Personally, I've been lucky. I only know a couple of people who've had it. And they were fine. But why take the chance?

one of my collegues wives works in a maternity ward.his mother caught it and she phoned up to ask if she should stay home they said ,no come in...with new born babies.can you get more fragile than that?nhs

I would say that is a lie,be it from you or from who you got it from.
Down my way,if you thought you had swine flue you were not allowed in the doctors surgery and you also had to get someone to get your prescription,and also you had to stay away from family members for a week,which happened to my son who was stuck in his bedroom for the week.

Also lover,your posts on this subject are a joke.

which bit is a joke .i see nothing remotly funny in it.

as for the lie..maybe you cant read(my english)she didnt have it ,her mother inlaw did.she had been in contact with her.told to come in anyway....now can you follow that....
it is also the advise on the nhs website which i cut and pasted earlier...who is the joke
down your way they are mental defectives then or hysterical numpties

Keep up the good work,at least nighty and tman can have a rest

Oh,and i'm gonna tell my quack what you said bout him and his surgery

well if you go to a quack instead of a real doctor this is going to happen

in seriousness,the doc is going to tell you ,if you have it.to stay away...most of the people their are already sick and thus more in danger.
even my dentist says that.but NOT and again NOT stopping you going about your daily work lives.
the point is it doesnt matter what you catch.it does matter how many times your off work.its very simple ,i dont see that anyone has said anything, with the least bit of bearing,please postie.give us your wisdom on why some illness's should count and some should.cos as a lead swinger i want some extra holiday..this week swine flu..next week what...lets get stress on the list..then ill still have 2 absences where i can genuinly be ill...please impart your wisdom oh great one..

[POSTMAN]

Why don't I think that Swine Flu should be counted towards our Sick Record?
Basically, because (as you said yourself) most cases, are so mild, that people wouldn't necessarily take time off. But because it is so contagious. It would be very irrisponsible, for anyone who thought they might have Swine Flu, to go out in Public. Because if they passed it on to someone who is in a high risk group. They could potentially kill them. There have been very few cases like that here. But even ONE is too many.

Personally, I've been lucky. I only know a couple of people who've had it. And they were fine. But why take the chance?

one of my collegues wives works in a maternity ward.his mother caught it and she phoned up to ask if she should stay home they said ,no come in...with new born babies.can you get more fragile than that?nhs

I would say that is a lie,be it from you or from who you got it from.
Down my way,if you thought you had swine flue you were not allowed in the doctors surgery and you also had to get someone to get your prescription,and also you had to stay away from family members for a week,which happened to my son who was stuck in his bedroom for the week.

Also lover,your posts on this subject are a joke.

which bit is a joke .i see nothing remotly funny in it.

as for the lie..maybe you cant read(my english)she didnt have it ,her mother inlaw did.she had been in contact with her.told to come in anyway....now can you follow that....
it is also the advise on the nhs website which i cut and pasted earlier...who is the joke
down your way they are mental defectives then or hysterical numpties

Keep up the good work,at least nighty and tman can have a rest

Oh,and i'm gonna tell my quack what you said bout him and his surgery

well if you go to a quack instead of a real doctor this is going to happen

Good point

[Tman]

Keep up the good work,at least nighty and tman can have a rest

Won't happen, Postie old feller.

"No rest for the wicked", as they say.

[Geezer]

RM Document on the Matter


What should I do if I suspect I have swine flu?

~ If you have flu like symptoms and are concerned because you have been
in contact with someone who may have Swine Flu. you should stay at
home and contact the National Pandemic Flu Service 0800 1 513 100.

~ If you have had contact with people who have had Swine Flu confirmed
and you do not have any flu like symptoms then you should continue to
attend work as normal.

~ If you have been diagnosed as having Swine Flu. then report it as per your
normal absence reporting mechanism. Take medical advice and treatment
and return to work as advised.

~ There is no need on risk grounds to avoid contact with people who might
simply have come into contact with those having the illness ie.parents of
children at schools with a confirmed case but who are not ill themselves.

~ If you have any concerns you can contact the numbers at the bottom of .
this sheet for additional advice/information or visit the Health page on our
Royal Mail Intranet http://iplatform.intranet.point/rmg/Services/Health" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

~ You can reduce the risk of catching the virus by, maintaining good basic
hygiene by washing my hands frequently with soap and water.

Useful contact numbers:

~ National Pandemic Flu Service:
~ NHS Direct:
~ HELP:
0800 1 513 100
08454647
0800 6 888 777