vacancy filling

[postman8]

please can somebody tell me what the correct procedure is for filling a vacancy when they arise in your office.
i have a 35 hour a week colleague who has been in royal mail for some 13 years ,she now wants to go to a 39 hour contract.
the manager has said she will because most senior will get first option when a vacancy comes up.
this week she was told that she might have a chance to up her hours but within 24 hours the dom back tracked and has now said, that even thou this vacancy has become available she will not get it as the area manager has said somebody from up country already on 39 hours will be given it.
this cant be correct as surely option should go to present office only if nobody wants it then advertised outside of office.
if anybody has a link to a site clarifying what happens will be grateful thanks.

[Dorset Plodder]

Unfortunately it may be true postman. we're encountering the same problem. If a Postie in a nearby( don't know if there's a limit on distance) Delivery Office is basically "Surplus to requirements", he can't just be sacked or made redundant. RM have to offer him an equal contract elsewhere. Unfortunately it looks like your office.

I agree that it's not an ideal situation, and will certainly not help the Work Force Esprit de Corps, but that's the deal. Could be worse, in my DO if you are "Made Up" to Full-Time it's only on a "temporary" basis until the entire area has had their Revision. And then if there's any posties in a nearby (?) Office that are "Surplus to requirements", in their own office, they can move to your office and kick you out of your new temporary FT Duty!

You are then offered another duty equal to your old contacted hours. You could then find yourself being moved to another nearby (?) office and filling their vacancy for a 20hr, 22.5hr 33 hr etc duty. Good eh?