LTB 794/2015 - Sick Absence between Christmas and New Years Day

[TrueBlueTerrier]

LTB 794/2015 - Sick Absence between Christmas and New Years Day

No: 794/15
Ref: PTC/RE/sn/415


Date: 14 December 2015



TO: ALL BRANCHES WITH POSTAL MEMBERS


Dear Colleague,


RE: Sick Absence between Christmas and New Years Day

Over the last few days enquiries and complaints have been received relating to managers interviewing members about previous absences between Christmas day and New Years day.

At a meeting earlier this week with National Head of Attendance Jo Ferguson the Union was advised that a spreadsheet had been produced and circulated to all line managers in Royal Mail Operations providing details of all staff who had any absence during the period between Christmas and New Years day in the last 5 years. Apparently, it has been suggested to managers that may wish to hold an informal review under the Attendance procedure if they believe there are grounds to do so having considered this information. Inevitably, we have received reports of people who have had one absence, three or four years ago, being interviewed.

This type of initiative has occurred at various times of the year (such as Easter, half term periods, etc.) in various parts of the business over the last few years. It has been regularly challenged by the Union and the expectation of both CWU and Royal Mail was that this kind of scattergun approach would cease following the deployment of the 2013 Attendance agreement, which provides for the opportunity for informal discussions if managers become concerned about a particular pattern of absence. Unfortunately, although the number of incidences of use of this approach has reduced since 2013 it has not ceased. It is deeply concerning that it has now in effect been endorsed by the business nationally and run as a national exercise.

There is no doubt that this is contrary to the terms and spirit of the Attendance agreement. All absence is assumed to be genuine but an exercise of this kind is based on the implicit assumption that this may not be the case. It is disingenuous to suggest that it is done to enable the business to provide support to anybody who has difficulties attending during this period for reasons other than sickness absence – its only effect will be cause anger amongst people who have been unfortunate enough to fall ill during this period at some point in the past and who are implicitly having the genuineness of their absence questioned. It is also a matter of concern that the informal review process introduced as part of the 2013 agreement has never been properly deployed and the only experience that most people interviewed as a result of this national initiative will have of an informal review discussion is one which is completely outside the intentions of the Attendance agreement and which will bring the concept into disrepute.


We have registered our concern with the Head of Attendance in the strongest terms. We do not recognise the legitimacy of this exercise, nor do we regard it is as an informal interview of the kind provided for by the Attendance agreement. We therefore strongly suggest that members be advised not to attend a discussion with their manager concerning past absences over the Christmas period without a representative being present.

Any enquiries should be addressed to PTCS department, quoting reference PTC/RE/sn/415.
Email address: djeffery@cwu.org



Yours sincerely








Ray Ellis
Assistant Secretary

[Surreypostie]

TBT, is there a way of downloading this LTB?

[TrueBlueTerrier]

TBT, is there a way of downloading this LTB?

Through the main CWU website, however the attachment is a "x" document which my computer cant process/open.

[k979aaa]

More top bloody down management again just remember all absences are treated as genuine as long as your a manager!

[Surreypostie]

TBT, is there a way of downloading this LTB?

Through the main CWU website, however the attachment is a "x" document which my computer cant process/open.

Ok cheers mate, I resorted to copy and paste in the end, sometimes I try to make life difficult for myself.

[iainwilson]

What an absolute waste of time and money. Somebody should be fired