Miffed in South Wales

[adrianknight]

So, I signed up for the casual resource gig a while back, got 2 shifts, took 3 weeks to get paid, and have received no other work from them.

When I received an email, apparently from royal mail themselves asking if I would like to register for xmas casual shifts this year, I clicked that link like a banshee, only to discover that I was redirected to the angard section of the site, great I thought, sarcastically I might add. So I eventually got through the registration process with angard, again, and thought right, just wait for the shifts to roll in.

Last Thursday, 3/11/11, I was telephoned by angard/reed/whatever they want to call themselves, asking if I would like a week of nights in the Port Talbot sorting office, brilliant I believe is the word I used, this close to xmas, I could really do with some work. The young girl that I spoke to, who in all fairness came across as completely clueless but very apologetic, told me that I would receive an email shortly with all the details of the appointment, which I never received.

The following day, I got a text message stating that there were shifts in the above mentioned office, and to ring them to sort out which shifts, if any, I would like to take. I thought that was odd, after speaking to someone the previous day, still no email so I thought, okay, I'll give them a ring.

Every person I spoke to that day didn't have the ability to check whether or not I was supposed to go there, in the end the last person I spoke to just told me to turn up, and hope for the best, which I must admit didn't instill any confidence in me.

So, still no email from them, explaining where the office is, or if I'd been allocated any shifts, so I point my browser to google maps, to find out where it is myself, as angard are being a tad useless. Find the place, great. get in my car @ 9:30, arrive at the office at 9:45, 15mins prior to shift start so I can get "sorted".

No way to enter the building, pressed doorbells, buzzers, knocked windows doors and even shouted through the gates, to no avail.

I'm now home, 2 hours after my shift should have started, typing this. yay, very productive.

Tomorrow, well, technically today as it's now 12:20 according to my pc, I shall be ringing angard to formally complain about this shoddy treatment, and demand at least an hour of pay for the hour I spent trying to gain access to the place they told me to go to work.

Last year, I was happily doing shifts in the swansea sorting office under the royal mails own HR department, why oh why have they decided to pay this bunch of jokers for something they did so well the previous year?

So far my experiences with angard are if you get offered a shift, if you work it you'll be lucky to get paid, or they offer you a shift and then don't bother to tell you where it is, or how to gain access.

Rant over, I'll post later how my phone call goes with them when the angard office opens, I presume it will be like screaming at a wall for any good it will do me, but I refuse to let this one lie.

[Postman Plodd]

Good on you, give the useless asshats hell.
And keep us informed, im sure a record of people's experiences with Angard may come in useful somewhere down the line.

[andy2007]

The reason they set up Angard, rather than using our own HR. Was to get around the legislation to protect temporary workers, and also to reduce the pay. Angard only pay minimum wage.

[markadam1962]

Withheld phone calls and numerous text messages but no work! Everytime I ring Angard back to ask them to check my records. I have told them on numerous occasions I can only work nights. I believe they do this to see who bites. You are just a body, they don't care if you have a preferece where you work or when, what you skill sets are or any experience you have had in the past. The work is there if you know where to look and who to ask. I have had more shifts by being contacted directly by my MC when its begining to look busy (most of the time of late!) I don't mind half hours notice and always turn in. The Angard paperwork is sorted out then an there so no "pre-booking" needed. It works for all concerned so hopefully normality will return when Angard are proven to be totally and utterly useless.

[Mikey456]

Hi mate the port talbot sorting office isn't on eagle street. It's on christchurch road in the Owens Distribution centre. Christchurch road is just off baglan road down by the hospital. Go to the security gate and he'll tell you which door it is.

What shifts are you on? nights or?

[adrianknight]

Mikey, thanks for the heads up on the location, a little late as I've now told Angard to take me off the books, as they actually told this other guy who turned up in eagle street that it was the right location, so not only are they clueless as to who is working where, they're also giving out the wrong information as to locations....

But yeah, I would've been on nights, nevermind, I've got myself another job elsewhere now.

Good luck to all with your shifts this xmas. :)

[Mikey456]

Shame would of been nice working with you haha. Good luck with your new job!

[adrianknight]

Due to my finding alternative employment now, I didn't think I'd be visiting this site again, but it's only a short visit to post my reply to a text message/email combo I just received from Angard, purely for the lols. :)

I telephoned yourselves roughly a month ago asking to be removed from your books, due to your inability to provide me with sufficient details to work a week of night shifts at the port talbot sorting office, namely the person I should report to and the actual location of the office.

Imagine my surprise, or lack thereof, when I received a text message and email from yourselves today informing me that I had been approved to work for yourselves. Communication in your office appears to be severely lacking.

The email itself contains this paragraph, and I quote, "The first day of your assignment is Start Date is 28 Nov 2011, your shift time will be On Waiting List, There may be an opportunity to work overtime, this will be offered on site locally." which tells me the day only, not confirming whether I was on the previously agreed night shift or not, and still does not tell me who to report to. Also, it still does not mention the actual location of the office to be worked at, and due to me spending roughly 2 hours outside the wrong office the last time your inept staff asked me to work, this does not bode well for the rest of the people who unlike me have not managed to secure employment elsewhere.

So, I ask once again, kindly remove me from your books, I am no longer interested in taking up employment with yourselves, as I feel you are incapable of providing basic information and support to your employee's.

I assume I will receive further communication when I don't turn up on the 28th.

Sincerely

Adrian Knight.

P.S. I'm also still awaiting my P45 from the casual resource team, but doubt that I will receive it.

Good luck to you all with these jokers guys, I think you might need it.

Up, up and away......