Where do I stand? Advice please

[y2j4dx]

Let's start from the beginning, I snapped my achilles in August 2014, had 6 weeks in a cast then told they don't do surgery on this injury now but there's a new way to fix this injury. Basically taken out of cast after 6 weeks, and gradually put my foot to floor with aid of crutches more and more then with one crutch and advantually no crutches. This went on til December then was told I would now need physio so went physio several times. In May I had an MRI on my achilles and results showed my achillies to be extremely inflamed and so in June I was told by my consultant I would need to be referred to a foot and ankle specialist and that appointment is in September. So I was off sick for 6 weeks while in a cast then was on nights doing IPS until mid Feb when they insisted I do half a round and my consultant said that was fine but my achillies would start to cause me pain after 40 minutes and get very inflamed. After 4 weeks I got referred to OHS and they insisted I do no walking until MRI results so back on nights I've been until now but was told I am being referred to OHS again. I had last week off and this week (annual leave) but today go a phone call from my DOM basically telling me it's gone on for a year and there are no 39hr jobs for me. So you going to be paid 30hrs as of next week...ok? I said no as I'm on a 39hr contract. Then he said well I'm putting you thru OHS as you need IHR because I'm making the books so unbalanced. I remained calm all the time but I felt very uncomfortable with how this conversation was going as he was being very abrupt with how he spoke. Trying to say I either reduce to 30hs or leave with IHR so I said I'm going to stop this as I feel I should have a CWU rep with me while you are saying all this. He then said he was referring me for IHR and it will go thru i'm sure of that. And I will state you don't want your hours reduced which I said hold on I never said that as I know none of the circumstances for those terms.

Where do I stand? Do I have to reduce my hours if there are no duties for me. Duty I've been doing is 30 hrs I'm being told but I had said I'm wiling to do sorting to make it 39hrs but got told I can't do that even though my duty I'm signed to is 39hrs and there has been a part timer on it since I've had my injury.

Any advice would be helpful as I feel really stressed out since the phone call.

[postslippete]

How long have you worked there and what does your contract say?

[y2j4dx]

Been there 19 years come December. Not sure what my contract says as will take so searching to find if honest.

[chrisj]

So they no longer carry out surgery on snapped Achilles? I think it will have to depend how much of a tear that one suffers... I do not think the tendons will simply repair itself and it were to do so, it will take a very long time. In essence, you will not really be able to function as a delivery postman on full walks for at least 2 years.

How do the footballers do it? How long do they go off playing for?

Sorry, I cannot help you with the IHR or reduced hours part.

[TrueBlueTerrier]

http://www.glosamal.co.uk/Docs/Group_Il ... nt_200.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; Ill Health Retirement Agreement

[postslippete]

Doesn't sound like they have given you much choice have they? Reduce your hours from 39 to 30 or face Ill health retirement! Sounds a bit like bullying to me, does it not feel like bullying to you? I honestly don't know how some posties can survive on 30 hours a week. After paying off my mortgage, bills and food - I know I would struggle to survive....

Anyway, you obviously don't sound too happy, so this is the time to ring your Area Rep and get them to help you in appealing against Royal Mail's decision. Always a good reason to be a longstanding CWU member to getting the support you need I feel.

Tell them that you wish to still work your full-time hours if at all possible and you want Royal Mail to give you an adjusted duty or alternative work in the office in order to make up all your hours. Management might fob you off by telling you that such indoor work does not exist - but they certainly do exist in our office - callers office, RLE, Balance of Staff etc etc

Your situation does sound precarious but I hope I provided better help than what True blue terrier offered

[meercat]

https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/work/ ... -sickness/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

'Did your employer make reasonable efforts to help you return to work?

A tribunal will look at what your employer could have done to make it easier for you to return to work. This could include:

finding you some work, such as light duties, part-time work or another job
making adjustments to the workplace to help you do your job.
If an employer can show that they did this things and discussed them with you but you didn't take up the offer, they may be able to justify dismissing you.'

From that it looks like if you refuse the 30hrs they could actually dismiss you and a tribunal would find they acted fairly. Obviously seek advice from your rep but if you have to accept the 30hrs ask if when you are fit for delivery can your hours be made back up to 39. If not you might be looking for a little PT job on your days off. BTW if this injury was work related you should be offered a decent payout for IHR?

By the way if his attitude changed when you mentioned the CWU Rep and he threatened you put in a grievance.

[y2j4dx]

Just an Update.

Had a call from line manager today which I never answered but left a voicemail telling me my hours for next week have changed to 4am-11.48am monday and and noon-7.48pm tuesday-friday. I've been doing 10pm-6am Sunday-thursday (tuesday is rest day) and 10pm-5am friday . Can they just do this? I look after my children in the afternoons as my missus works from 2.30-6.30pm. I don't want to call them as I feel like I'm all over the place and have booked an appointment with my doctor as constantly having headaches. Feel like the second week of my annual leave has been completely ruined for my children. I've asked another postie to get me the union reps number so I can call him.

[meercat]

No they can't. Firstly you are required to have a reasonable notice of change of hours that's a statutory right. There is also a CWU agreement about a minimum notice period and I believe it's around 4 weeks.

Also they need to take into consideration you family commitments. They are essentially moving you from night-shift to day-shift. That is NOT reasonable. What WOULD be reasonable would be nigh-shift with different attendance days or slightly different hours.


IF they insist you do these hours but you can't because of family commitments then they sack you for non-attendance you would have a good tribunal case I would think. However I'm no expert so you need to see your CWU rep and go see your local CAB ASAP.

[y2j4dx]

Thanks Meercat

Hopefully a CWU rep on here can confirm what you have posted.

I'm going sick on Monday and going to my doctor and local CAB. Plus hoping to get my local CWU reps number so I can have a chat with him to see where I stand.

I'm trying not to get stressed about this but it's all I can keep thinking about and isn't fair on my family.

[aiden01]

Thanks Meercat

Hopefully a CWU rep on here can confirm what you have posted.

I'm going sick on Monday and going to my doctor and local CAB. Plus hoping to get my local CWU reps number so I can have a chat with him to see where I stand.

I'm trying not to get stressed about this but it's all I can keep thinking about and isn't fair on my family.

why go to cab demand the cwu helps you that's why we pay our subs for and good luck. if u cannot get help with local or area rep take it to the very top of cwu things are getting beyond a joke surlely and somehow the top brass of the cwu have to step In and totally stop these idiotic managers from bullying staff.

[SpacePhoenix]

Management might fob you off by telling you that such indoor work does not exist - but they certainly do exist in our office - callers office, RLE, Balance of Staff etc etc

Callers office and RLE might well be classed as specialist duties. Never heard of a "balance of staff duty" what's that about?

[dvbuk55]

Callers office is, RLE isn't and the other is DOM Support.

[SpacePhoenix]

Callers office is, RLE isn't and the other is DOM Support.

What if the OP's DO has the callers and rle done by the same duty?

[dvbuk55]

Callers office is, RLE isn't and the other is DOM Support.

What if the OP's DO has the callers and rle done by the same duty?

Be thankful its a small office but there has been a relaxation on the Callers manning in recent times and it doesn't seem to matter. Sick, lame and lazy seems to be one of the prerequisites these days.