Annual Leave/Purchase of Annual Leave

[dooby1]

Quick question and I'd be grateful if anyone knows the answer.

When annual leave is picked, the first four weeks is picked in your allocated groups which is straightforward. A few weeks ago I was told that any remaining WEEKS would be picked in seniority first and then those that purchase annual leave would follow, and finally remaining days would be picked.

I have 13 years in RM and have worked in a few locations. I have never come across this before. Our CWU rep said it was in a National Agreement and Management supported him. I asked to see the agreement but am still waiting......

Anybody come across this before? Cheers

[Ahebban]

The following link (from the Download section here on RMC) takes you to the Way Forward Agreement which is the last recognized agreement that deals with annual leave in depth. As you will see there are any number of options open to 'pick' annual leave. Whichever option you have at your office must fall within the boundaries covered in this agreement.

http://www.cwu-e4.co.uk/Royal_Mail_Way_ ... eement.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Hope it helps - if not contact your Branch office and see what information you can glean from them.

[baldrick]

I think AL allocation is down to local agreement. In my former mc purchased leave was allocated in the winter leave period (October-March) iirc.

[fishtank]

A few weeks ago I was told that any remaining WEEKS would be picked in seniority first and then those that purchase annual leave would follow, and finally remaining days would be picked.

In my former mc purchased leave was allocated in the winter leave period (October-March) iirc.

That's a bit dubious legally, the documentation in the Way Forward covering the purchase of annual leave has no such restrictions and since the leave is purchased in good faith it has to be treated in exactly the same way allocated leave is.

You could probably argue if your purchased leave choices are severely limited by whatever local agreement is in place you have in fact been mis-sold a product or service.

[sharpie1181]

hi I also have an annual leave related issue. Sorry to hijack your thread with my problem cant seem to set up a new post.

I am a relative newcomer to royal mail, I started in June 2014.

I have been trying to book some annual leave for a while with my manager, to no avail. I was looking to book a week off between Xmas and the end of the holiday year in order to go on my only family holiday of the year. I began to ask about this in October, but as I am part time I probably only catch sight of my manager once a week if im lucky. Every single time I have asked her about booking some leave she has given me one excuse or another and during Xmas pressure it was impossible to get 5 mins of her time.

I eventually tracked her down today after completing my walk, and she tells me that I wont be able to take my remaining holiday as 'there isnt any holiday left'.

I still have around 2 weeks left to take and as far as I am aware if she doesn't allow me to take my holiday she will be breaking the law.

She has also told me that there are other people more senior to me who still have holiday left to take, and she has to book them before me as a result of their seniority, however surely this should not result in me loosing 2 weeks of holiday?

Has anyone else encountered similar problems? If so any ideas on the correct action I should take?

I am currently not in the union, if I join npw would they help me with this before the end of the holiday year?

[baldrick]

In my former mc purchased leave was allocated in the winter leave period (October-March) iirc.

That's a bit dubious legally, the documentation in the Way Forward covering the purchase of annual leave has no such restrictions and since the leave is purchased in good faith it has to be treated in exactly the same way allocated leave is.

You could probably argue if your purchased leave choices are severely limited by whatever local agreement is in place you have in fact been mis-sold a product or service.

As I understand it the Way Forward Agreement does say that how AL is allocated is for local agreement. My recollection might be wrong, but iirc at Mount Pleasant, up to 4 weeks could be signed for in the Summer period (April-September) of which a maximum of 3 weeks could be signed for in the peak (school holiday) period of mid July to the end of August. The balance, which would be the purchased leave, or the additional leave due to length of service, plus any days in lieu, would have to be taken during the Winter leave period. That would be the local agreement.

[dooby1]

Thanks everyone for your input. I have just read through the relevant sections of the Way Forward Agreement and it doesn't support what has been said. I have been in my current office for 3/4 years and have never encountered what is trying to be implemented this year. When I challenged the Union Rep he said it was a National Agreement. The Way Forward says things can be agreed locally. It all smells a bit funny to me and it all went very quite when I asked to see the National Agreement.

I let it slide as things picked up over the Xmas period but I think I may have to poke the bear with a stick and see where we are at with this. I'll update the thread when I have something new.

Thanks again.