Bristol Fiasco, 21st Nov

[ed99]

I and 16 others turned up for our first early shift at SWRDC Severn Beach, Bristol, today. We had been recruited by Angard, had been given provisional job offers, we had all been waiting for a confirmation of a job offer, but not one of us had received one. However, we all (independently) thought it best to turn up for work at the time we had agreed. In that gap between provisional job offer and start date, many of us had found that Angard didn't answer their phones and didn't respond to any e-mails. Some of us had received text messages two days before, saying that we needed safety boots (mention of which had been overlooked at some of the recruitment interviews), and suggesting that Angard did indeed expect us to turn up today. The Royal Mail staff weren't expecting us. They were very good - gave us our inductions, gave us some work, then sent us home at the end of the shift saying we each needed to phone Angard, and that they were not expecting us from the next day at all. Guess what, the number they gave out rang and rang and rang, without being answered, throughout the whole afternoon.

Net result for the 17 of us: wasted travel to Severn Beach (not the easiest place to get to) for the interview, cost of passport photos and copies of other documents that Angard required, turning down other job offers and stopping further job searches having received provisional offers from Angard, cost of safety boots (for those who were actually told in time that they would need them), one shift of work achieved. Will we get paid? Judging by some of the other posts on this forum, possibly not. What a *@!$% fiasco!!!!

I shall be sending letters of complaint to Angard's registered office in London and the address they publish on their website, in Northampton. I shall also send copies Royal Mail. If Angard don't respond to my question about whether I'll be paid, I'll be taking them to the Small Claims Court.

Even though Angard are constituted as a genuine company and are wholly owned by one of this country's great(?) institutions, they behave as though they are scam merchants. My advice for anyone thinking of working for Angard: DON'T.

[ed99]

Totally irrelevant, but I saw another post saying that Angard's name in reverse is Dragna. Top of the Google search results for this word: it was the name of 2 American mafia bosses. L O effing L.

[equaliser]

I too was meant to start at Severn Beach today but given they hadn't contacted me decided against getting up at ungodly hour for what would probably be a futile journey. Having worked at the RM last year they were quite strict on not letting you in if your name isn't on the list.

When I turned up for my rather chaotic interview a representative from Angard/Reed was having a discussion about responsibility for providing boots, the RM manager said they were, the Angard man seemed to think the staff were.

If you are required to wear protective equipment of any sort it is the employers responsibility to provide this FREE OF CHARGE, it is the law.
http://www.hse.gov.uk/workers/agencyworkers.htm .

If I do not get a response tomorrow I am raising the matter with my MP. RM and its various subsidiaries are still publicly owned and publicly accountable.

[JethroTull]

I was given the date of Dec 5, to start at Severn Beach, also told to buy my own steel toe caps.
I was given provisonal job offer and my status is Security Checks etc.

Whats the latest, as anybody started down there yet?

[Donk]

I don't know about other Mail Centres but at Glasgow, steel toecaps and Hi Vis vests are not mandatory unless working on the platform, warehouse or ULD/Pods areas.
In previous years IF casuals were required to work in any of these areas, they were supplied with the necessary PPE free of charge.
As the vast majority of casuals work in manual sorting areas there is no need for steelies. I wouldn't buy them, I think Angard are making assumptions without checking the facts. Surprise surprise.

[memorius482]

I was one of the 17 who turned up on 21st November. Incidentally I see we got paid for the 7 hours we worked.

I am still, however, without any work from Angard. My security checks came through on 28/11, and I was assured work would be available imminently, but still nothing. I'm wondering if any one else who was also there on 21/11 has got work yet.

In the mean time, I know of someone who was recruited last Monday who has been working already. Imagine how angry I am at hearing this. What is Angard up to and how can they be allowed to treat us like this and get away with their inefficiency?