Somebody please help- vacant duty stolen.

[Lounge Lizard]

Hi Lizard, thanks for the reply. Unfortunately, I'm not in the union. I used to be, but because of the forced carrying over of hours, agreed to by our rep without our input, and also the shambles that is the 2010 agreement, I got fed up of paying £100+ a year in subs and came out of it. As I said in my post though, i had tried to talk to our rep about it before, but he reckoned he knew nothing. Then as it transpires he knew what was going on all along, so certainly feel there is no point in contacting him. Would it do any good to try higher than him? Not sure how I'd go about getting the number though. Thing is, in spdo's you are generally left to fend for yourselves. Whenever anyone has had need of union involvement in our office they have never been any use or even very interested.

"Thing is, in spdo's you are generally left to fend for yourselves" - yes, and those that haven't worked in an SPDO have little idea of how isolated you are likely to be, no work time learning sessions, visit from the DOM perhaps once a year, only occasional news from the CWU, etc., out of sight out of mind really - but all that can be part of the attraction of working from such an outpost.

[Wiggins79]

Hi Lizard, thanks for the reply. Unfortunately, I'm not in the union. I used to be, but because of the forced carrying over of hours, agreed to by our rep without our input, and also the shambles that is the 2010 agreement, I got fed up of paying £100+ a year in subs and came out of it. As I said in my post though, i had tried to talk to our rep about it before, but he reckoned he knew nothing. Then as it transpires he knew what was going on all along, so certainly feel there is no point in contacting him. Would it do any good to try higher than him? Not sure how I'd go about getting the number though. Thing is, in spdo's you are generally left to fend for yourselves. Whenever anyone has had need of union involvement in our office they have never been any use or even very interested.

"Thing is, in spdo's you are generally left to fend for yourselves" - yes, and those that haven't worked in an SPDO have little idea of how isolated you are likely to be, no work time learning sessions, visit from the DOM perhaps once a year, only occasional news from the CWU, etc., out of sight out of mind really - but all that can be part of the attraction of working from such an outpost.

Hmm, sounds like you've worked in subs before then? All the above is quite true, incidentally.

[madmartin]

I would like to make one point and correct me if I'm wrong but you're on a 28 hour a week contract? and the job you wanted was a 40 hour a week contract? so even if the job was advertised I dont see how you would have been able to get it. If it was a 28 hour a week job that you were after then maybe you might have a bit more of a case. Is the guy who has now been given this job on a 40 hour a week contract?

[DGP1]

I think FT has it, MTSF comes into play in this but do put in a grievance about it and have confirmed.

[dvbuk55]

I would like to make one point and correct me if I'm wrong but you're on a 28 hour a week contract? and the job you wanted was a 40 hour a week contract? so even if the job was advertised I dont see how you would have been able to get it. If it was a 28 hour a week job that you were after then maybe you might have a bit more of a case. Is the guy who has now been given this job on a 40 hour a week contract?

As long as he has made the manager aware of his wish to increase his hours then he should be eligible for consideration.

[smokerjim]

Wiggins, I think the 1st thing to do is find the downloads forum, and download, print and read through the Pay & Mod 2007 & Business Transformation 2010 agreements ( so you have something to hit back when your DOM says "Sorry, can't do that cos of the last agreement", and if they says "local agreements" say "I was never informed of that, nor was I asked to vote on it, and where are the details of these local agreements? How can I follow them when they are not published?"

Basically arm yourself with as much information as you can before confronting him....that lot should be enough ammunition to start with, also ask a solid colleague to witness anything ( that postmistress sounds a good bet if she's available ).

Also find out what the situation is with this other fella's seniority is....unless his is greater than yours, the whole thing sounds moody & remember seniority is calculated on the date of joining the business, whether you've worked 6hrs a week or 60hrs.

I'd definately echo the advice to go to your area rep, your local rep sounds like a selfish cnut & the sooner he shows his true colours ( and becomes a screw ) the better, in the mean time, look into becoming a rep yourself ( either for the SPDO, or the whole district )....it won't be fun, or easy, but you'll have the chance in future to stop others going through what you're going through now.

[Lounge Lizard]

Hi Lizard, thanks for the reply. Unfortunately, I'm not in the union. I used to be, but because of the forced carrying over of hours, agreed to by our rep without our input, and also the shambles that is the 2010 agreement, I got fed up of paying £100+ a year in subs and came out of it. As I said in my post though, i had tried to talk to our rep about it before, but he reckoned he knew nothing. Then as it transpires he knew what was going on all along, so certainly feel there is no point in contacting him. Would it do any good to try higher than him? Not sure how I'd go about getting the number though. Thing is, in spdo's you are generally left to fend for yourselves. Whenever anyone has had need of union involvement in our office they have never been any use or even very interested.

"Thing is, in spdo's you are generally left to fend for yourselves" - yes, and those that haven't worked in an SPDO have little idea of how isolated you are likely to be, no work time learning sessions, visit from the DOM perhaps once a year, only occasional news from the CWU, etc., out of sight out of mind really - but all that can be part of the attraction of working from such an outpost.

Hmm, sounds like you've worked in subs before then? All the above is quite true, incidentally.

There are still several hundred SPDOs across the country so there's probably quite a few on here with experience of them.

[Judgee]

"Also find out what the situation is with this other fella's seniority is....unless his is greater than yours, the whole thing sounds moody & remember seniority is calculated on the date of joining the business, whether you've worked 6hrs a week or 60hrs."

Yes this needs to be established first. If he has higher seniority then you could just be pissing in the wind.

Secondly, rejoining the union may not help you out. I don't think they get involved in matters that occur prior to you rejoining? Could be wrong but think there was a recent thread about this?

[fishtank]

If this guy is a surplus employee and they are using MTSF it doesn't matter whether he has been here 1 year or 30 years....
He is a surplus member of staff on a 40hr contract so....a surplus 40hr position has to be found for him if that is what he wants....and they have found one.
Whether they have followed MTSF to the letter is a different story but first you will need to find a rep that fully understands MTSF...good luck with that.....

mtsf.jpg

[Wiggins79]

Cheers again guys. Tried again this morning to get hold of the manager to demand she come out an explain the situation. As per usual, she was out of the office dealing with issues at another office at the other side of the county. I've written out a letter detailing everything that has occurred to date and asking for an explanation. I'm just in the process of getting someone to check over it for me who can tell me if what I've put is OK and not got anything in it likely to cause more aggro. My first draft descended into an angry rant, so I'm hoping I've managed to tone it down and make it more business like. I'll let you know when I have any further progress.
And to all the people who are asking if I have seniority over the other bloke- the answer is yes, by 2-3 years.

[dvbuk55]

Cheers again guys. Tried again this morning to get hold of the manager to demand she come out an explain the situation. As per usual, she was out of the office dealing with issues at another office at the other side of the county. I've written out a letter detailing everything that has occurred to date and asking for an explanation. I'm just in the process of getting someone to check over it for me who can tell me if what I've put is OK and not got anything in it likely to cause more aggro. My first draft descended into an angry rant, so I'm hoping I've managed to tone it down and make it more business like. I'll let you know when I have any further progress.
And to all the people who are asking if I have seniority over the other bloke- the answer is yes, by 2-3 years.

Well sometimes you have to be a little bit more direct..............so instead of a stamp, tie the letter to a brick and hurl it through her office window, guarantee that will get her attention right enough..............probably won't help matters but..................................

[Wiggins79]

Well sometimes you have to be a little bit more direct..............so instead of a stamp, tie the letter to a brick and hurl it through her office window, guarantee that will get her attention right enough..............probably won't help matters but..................................

Hah, yes. And with any luck it might hit her on the head. Whoops, did I just say that out loud?
If I do it is it OK if I say it was your idea?

[DGP1]

Well sometimes you have to be a little bit more direct..............so instead of a stamp, tie the letter to a brick and hurl it through her office window, guarantee that will get her attention right enough..............probably won't help matters but..................................

Hah, yes. And with any luck it might hit her on the head. Whoops, did I just say that out loud?
If I do it is it OK if I say it was your idea?

Blame it on falling brick levels

[dvbuk55]

Well sometimes you have to be a little bit more direct..............so instead of a stamp, tie the letter to a brick and hurl it through her office window, guarantee that will get her attention right enough..............probably won't help matters but..................................

Hah, yes. And with any luck it might hit her on the head. Whoops, did I just say that out loud?
If I do it is it OK if I say it was your idea?

Absolutely! Just tell her it was all the idea of a crazed irish bloke going by the sobriquet of DGP1 on RMC................

[Postman Plodd]

sobricket