No security passes at Bathgate Outhouse

[linlithgowstuart]

Turned up to the East of Scotland outhouse at 2pm today to start my Christmas temp job to be met by 5 other people waiting at the security gate. Apparently they only had a handful of security passes, none of which were ours. Obviously this meant that we couldn't start work today and left people out of pocket with travel costs etc. Some people tried phoning Angard but nobody answered (I see a few others on the forum have tried to contact them to no avail). Quite annoyed at the whole situation and there was nothing the managers or staff of the outhouse could do about it.

Anyone else in the same boat?

[mahrm1]

Turned up to the East of Scotland outhouse at 2pm today to start my Christmas temp job to be met by 5 other people waiting at the security gate. Apparently they only had a handful of security passes, none of which were ours. Obviously this meant that we couldn't start work today and left people out of pocket with travel costs etc. Some people tried phoning Angard but nobody answered (I see a few others on the forum have tried to contact them to no avail). Quite annoyed at the whole situation and there was nothing the managers or staff of the outhouse could do about it.

Anyone else in the same boat?

Did you get an email aswell to confirm you was starting today?

[linlithgowstuart]

Did you get an email aswell to confirm you was starting today?

A lady from Angard phoned me last week to say I had passed the security checks and to turn up today at 2. Never received an email but assumed the phone call was sufficient. There were only a few security passes at the front gate, not the 25 or so that was expected so the rest of us got sent home.

[mahrm1]

I hope this does not happen to me tomorrow when I start.

[wixi]

I'm in the same boat, did you mean the Pyramids Business Park? What's strange is my status on my Angard account is PROCESSING SECURITY CHECKS. Either that's wrong or whoever phoned me last Thursday should not have told me to start.

I called the 0845 number, a stressed operator said she was aware of the situation, took my name (I took hers) and she said the Xmas office would call me back...

Still waiting..., and I've tried calling them with no success.

[linlithgowstuart]

Aye, the old Motorola factory. Turned up again today but it was in vain as the IDs were still not there. The security guy was helpful enough - gave me an 0845 number and he took my own as well in case they turn up soon. Phoned the number and got told to phone an 01604 number which hung up when ringing. My status on my application changed to 'passed security checks' last night. I'll be making a complaint to their head office and I expect to be reimbursed for expenses, a complaint to the Job Centre about their behaviour will be made as well as they were advertised through there.

[wixi]

I must've just missed you! I've just got back from the fruitless trip after giving the security guy my number.

The guy said there were 14 ID cards in the "late" box since they haven't turned up, probably because they've not been told.
And that the manager at the depot should be chasing up the Angard office today.

I agree about the expenses, which Head Office are you going to complain to?

ANGARD STAFFING SOLUTIONS LIMITED
100 VICTORIA EMBANKMENT
LONDON
EC4Y 0HQ

I get the feeling its pointless trying to contact the Xmas team as they are inundated under their own incompetence at dealing with 18,000 causal staff.
I feel better that the security guy has our numbers now.

[fishtank]

You do know whose address that really is wixi?

Royal Mail Group Ltd is a company registered in England and Wales, number
4138203, registered office 100 Victoria Embankment, London, EC4Y 0HQ

[Human Agency Worker]

No security passes for 10 of us who started at Sheffield last night. Around 60-70 people had turned up, about the 40 were sent home, the RM staff placed to deal with the new staff were overwhelmed!

[wixi]

You do know whose address that really is wixi?

Royal Mail Group Ltd is a company registered in England and Wales, number
4138203, registered office 100 Victoria Embankment, London, EC4Y 0HQ

Yes funny that , perhaps one is trying to avoiding EU regulations, I got it from one of the sticky threads.

[wixi]

No security passes for 10 of us who started at Sheffield last night. Around 60-70 people had turned up, about the 40 were sent home, the RM staff placed to deal with the new staff were overwhelmed!

No wonder we can't get through on the phone, if this sort of mixup is happening all over the country there's hundreds of people affected.

It might be good to start a new thread specific to Sheffield so that you can share info with people who've been to the security gates and gleaned some information.
From what I understand, 30 of the people turned up and even though they had security passes they still were sent home?

[Human Agency Worker]

No security passes for 10 of us who started at Sheffield last night. Around 60-70 people had turned up, about the 40 were sent home, the RM staff placed to deal with the new staff were overwhelmed!

No wonder we can't get through on the phone, if this sort of mixup is happening all over the country there's hundreds of people affected.

It might be good to start a new thread specific to Sheffield so that you can share info with people who've been to the security gates and gleaned some information.
From what I understand, 30 of the people turned up and even though they had security passes they still were sent home?

Once inside, they called out the names (they couldn't pronounce half of them!), then issued security passes, half of us on the list to work had no security passes and were issued 'visitor passes', hi vis vests were issued, that was the only PPE, and it was a one size fits all policy - medium. I struggled to put it on, one guy, some 6 and half foot and perhaps 20 stone man couldn't even put his arms through! (He got issued with a RM hi vis - orange one with logo) whilst a woman who had a partner employed there permanently, had turned up in a RM jacket and was told off for wearing it and had to remove it - we weren't proper staff and could not be allowed to wear RM gear!

There were a few boxes of security passes that had already been made up, perhaps 200? but not ours!

Many people were sent home, I presume some of them must have had security passes, I remember he little Indian guy showing me his iphone/email with the offer of work, he was crying as he was sent home, broke down did the poor chap. Bet he's going hungry now too! Travel ain't cheap and JSA don't go far!

[linlithgowstuart]

I must've just missed you! I've just got back from the fruitless trip after giving the security guy my number.

The guy said there were 14 ID cards in the "late" box since they haven't turned up, probably because they've not been told.
And that the manager at the depot should be chasing up the Angard office today.

I agree about the expenses, which Head Office are you going to complain to?

ANGARD STAFFING SOLUTIONS LIMITED
100 VICTORIA EMBANKMENT
LONDON
EC4Y 0HQ

I get the feeling its pointless trying to contact the Xmas team as they are inundated under their own incompetence at dealing with 18,000 causal staff.
I feel better that the security guy has our numbers now.

I was actually just phoned by Angard at around 5 - ironically I failed to pick up in time - and they left a voice mail saying "we're sorry for the confusion but you're clear to work your shift tomorrow night at Edinburgh." The lady leaving the message didn't even seem sure of what she was saying. 1. I should be working at Bathgate as that was where I applied for and 2. I'm working the evening shift, not the night one. I'm not going to turn up there and be turned away again.

I'll send my complaint and copies of my receipts to the Royal Mail/Angard head office that you listed above. It's not a great amount of money but i'm not going to let them take the piss out me just because I need a job.

[wixi]

@linlithgowstuart

Its a shame you missed the call, I managed to catch them, a lady politely apologised for the confusion and asked whether I could work on Wednesday, which was what should have happened in the first place.

So I'll be there 2pm tomorrow and hopefully the right security ID will the there. (My account status is still PROCESSING SECURITY CHECKS)

Best of luck with the claiming travel expenses, I didn't want to push it on the phone at the time, but I'll want to pursue it once I get started.

Also, did you originally apply for night shifts?

[linlithgowstuart]

@linlithgowstuart

Its a shame you missed the call, I managed to catch them, a lady politely apologised for the confusion and asked whether I could work on Wednesday, which was what should have happened in the first place.

So I'll be there 2pm tomorrow and hopefully the right security ID will the there. (My account status is still PROCESSING SECURITY CHECKS)

Best of luck with the claiming travel expenses, I didn't want to push it on the phone at the time, but I'll want to pursue it once I get started.

Also, did you originally apply for night shifts?

I applied for the 2-10 shift from the very start and the lady that phoned me last week even confirmed that time. The fact that the voicemail left earlier stated that i'm supposed to work in Edinburgh on the night shift has just made a bad situation worse.

Hopefully everything turns out alright with yourself tomorrow and they have the passes delivered and names on the sheet. I just can't justify making another 2 hour trip into Bathgate with the chance i'll get turned away again.