annual leave at xmas

[PO1]

Quite right. Take it to your CAM and don't take any shi*e from your crap manager.

[kitkat]

My manager told me the agreement says 'the four weeks up to and including xmas day should be blocked' if this is true then it should be blocked.

[PO1]

Please read the second post and quote it to your manager kitkat.

[kitkat]

I read cosa agreement to my manager who contacted her boss and was told as xmas day falls on a sunday next year that is now the start of the week so it has to be blocked. The leave list has now come to a stand still until i get a straight answer.

[PO1]

Im sorry but that's rubbish. When was it decided that "Sunday is now the start of the week"?

I know in the previous BOSA that the phrase actually used involved "when Xmas day falls at the weekend" so this has been dropped, I know. But to change the start of the week for their own devices.. I don't think so!

Does not the cut off for overtime (when you're lucky enough to be offered it) fall on a Sunday?

Refuse to pick any and I'll get it chased up. I know the reply from a lot is that we won't be here (which I do tend to agree with) but it's a matter of principle as it's something that we will have to go through the motions of doing.

I know they're hacked off cause this year we can pick the week leading up to Christmas AND it's the same next year, but f*ck them. We don't have many things left to cling on to in this job anymore, but this is one of them.

[The BFO]

Isn't it about time someone did a poll to find out how many offices do not have this week 'blocked'? Ours does not.

[PO1]

Just some more points for your branch manager kitkat.

The POL staff contract manual page 5 doesn't go into much detail for monthly paid staff but the important bit 2.2.2 states for weekly paid staff that "the pay week runs from MONDAY to Saturday"

Annex A of the COSA agreement has a weekly time sheet starting MONDAY

The official cut off dates for overtime next year are 16th Jan, 13th Feb, 20th Mar, 17th Apr, 15th May, 19th Jun, 17th Jul, 21st Aug, 18th Sep, 16th Oct, 20th Nov and 11th Dec. All just happen to be a SUNDAY.

Oh and ask her if you went sick on a Wednesday and then phoned in on a Saturday at 11:00 am say, to inform her you are fit for work from the next available day (assuming your next scheduled day of attendance would be on Monday), how many days sick would it be classed as? 4 or 5? We all know the answer would be 5.

So tell her to stick all this sh*te about Sunday being the start of the week right were it belongs, back up her ars*.

[bigjames]

This issue needs some kind of official statement, perhaps even a joint statement from the CWU and POL. The official leave planner that was issued earlier in the year clearly has the 19th of December week blocked, yet the COSA agreement clearly states criteria that should mean that this week is not blocked. I have mentioned this to both my CAM and the local CWU area rep, and I have been deafened by the silence.
An old guvnor of mine said to me (I kid you not) "Son, there are 2 things you don't mess with, people's money, and people's holidays". Sounds like a plan to me.

[PO1]

[kitkat]

I have been in contact with our local CWU guy and he said he had tried to question it with the post office and got nowhere and he told my manager the union agreed to the week being blocked. So the official word from my manager is 'it doesn't seem right but that's how it is' I know it seems like along time ahead in our bleak looking future but it's the principle of the thing. We are so limited by the leave we can take anyway i'm really angry they can change things unfairly and we can't question why.

[bigjames]

Just had a reply back regarding this, and apparently the blocking off was agreed by the CWU before the leave planner was issued out! Apparently this is because it is widely believed that the last posting dates for both 1st and 2nd will fall in that week. If that is the official word from both sides, then so be it, but it would not have been too much to ask to issue a joint statement at the time. Can we also assume that the local CWU reps either didn't agree or weren't told - judging from recent posts regarding them not knowing!

[The BFO]

And why are some offices 'blocking' whilst others are not?

[the old girl]

I'm still waiting for Andy Furey's response on this. I will post any news if i get any!

[PO1]

I've now got hold of the guidlines for holiday planning 2011/2012 and it's quite true. The cheeky bast**ds have claimed that the COSA blocked weeks are Monday 28 November 2011 to Saturday 24 December 2011 (inclusive).

Now before we get you won't be here, it's miles away, the union have agreed, what's the point etc. we may still be clinging in there next year, just, and COSA is an AGREEMENT between us that clearly states the four weeks prior to the week that contains Christmas day will be blocked off. Dress it up whichever way you like, our weeks have always finished on a SUNDAY and still do.

Time for the CWU to stop faffing around get in there and sort out a pay deal and this mess that is developing over Christmas next year.... while they still have members to fight for.

[dueforparole]

We've got someone in our office who has somehow hoodwinked various managers and has been apparently authorized to have something of the order of five weeks leave over the blocked leave period this year.

Current managers are blaming the previous regime we had in the office and we're at a loss to understand how they banked that many hours (or even were allowed to bank that much) , why summer/winter leave limits have been ignored and the fact they've already had various periods of leave since April this year it just doesn't add up.