annual leave at xmas

[counter man]

have they been on long term sick??? Some one in my office, Playing the game?? was off for a year on sick....as soon as the nil pay was about to kick in a miraculous recovery was made..... and then they had an extra 6 weeks leave to add to this year!

[the old girl]

So it seems what we have here then is some Offices have been allowed xmas week, and others like mine will not. My union has hit a brick wall at conference on this subject and i never did get a response from Andy Furey, even though Billy Hayes personally himself passed this on to him for me. What was the point of COSA then?

[PO1]

To be honest with all that's going on over next year's leave, the lack of a pay deal, the phantom share issue that never was for counters, the bullying that goes on in the name of sales etc etc etc.... the CWU counters side had better soon get their ar*e into gear cause instead of voting with their feet on the wage issue they'll be a lot of people walking away from the CWU and be giving their hard earned cash to a union that will actually do something for them.

[kitkat]

Well said PO1 i've been thinking exactly the same thing

[whit1cats]

Anyone have any suggestions how i can battle this one with my manager then? The union rep can't get a difinitive answer and meanwhile the list is being circulated

It has been discussed, and the arguement is when does a working week begin and end.
I would say a working week begins on a Monday, but others in the business believe it is a Sunday, therfore Xmas week is the fourth week this year blocked off.
CWU are asking for the business to be flexable and allow at least one person off on that week. Hope that helps

[the old girl]

But the problem with this is, some offices i know haven't had the week blocked, and some like mine have. I don't want to cause a problem for those lucky offices, but it should be the same across the board.
Also, if it were suddenly opened up, and as we have already done our list, would we have to start over again to make it fair?...

[PO1]

Andy Furey's supposed to be attending the meeting we're having about the stike ballot in the coming weeks. I'll tackle him about this and as many other issues as I can manage to squeeze in.

I'll post the responses (if any) up here so delay picking anything for the moment as I've a feeling things will change.

[PO1]

I've passed this on to Richard Barker who attended our union meeting in Liverpool tonight.

He promised to look into it and hopefully we'll get a response shortly.

I'll post a report about the meeting tomorrow when I have more time.

And yes, rwbarker is definately the real Richard Barker.

[rwbarker]

I agreed to look at this issue following the meeting I attended in Liverpool. Clearly, the answer must be one which is then applied consistently across all branches. My primary consideration here will be the best interests of our customers, and how we best meet those customers needs. Notwithstanding the specific wording within COSA, we also need to consider the spirit of what was intended when this element of COSA was written i.e. how we manage service at peak trading times.

As soon as we have a definitive position agreed, this will be communicated and applied consistently.

Richard

[PO1]

I agreed to look at this issue following the meeting I attended in Liverpool. Clearly, the answer must be one which is then applied consistently across all branches. My primary consideration here will be the best interests of our customers, and how we best meet those customers needs. Notwithstanding the specific wording within COSA, we also need to consider the spirit of what was intended when this element of COSA was written i.e. how we manage service at peak trading times.

As soon as we have a definitive position agreed, this will be communicated and applied consistently.

Richard

Thanks for taking up the point I raised Richard.

As is stated in the opening pages of COSA the "agreement is designed to support and maintain good industrial relations at local and national level. Local and territorial disagreements on the interpretation and application of this agreement will be resolved through the IR procedural framework, with points of principal being resolved by POL and CWU headquarters."

Far be it from me to point out, but the agreement contains the answer to the problem as far as I can tell in the phrase "There may be other occasions when there is a need to reduce the numbers on annual leave". Basically I see no problem if the immediate week prior to Christmas (w/c 19th December) is restricted to only allow 1 person off selected as per the usual selection process, but I do think the selection of leave for winter 2011/12 should be halted at the moment in all offices by a communication until we receive a definitive answer.

[bc29]

I agreed to look at this issue following the meeting I attended in Liverpool. Clearly, the answer must be one which is then applied consistently across all branches. My primary consideration here will be the best interests of our customers, and how we best meet those customers needs. Notwithstanding the specific wording within COSA, we also need to consider the spirit of what was intended when this element of COSA was written i.e. how we manage service at peak trading times.

As soon as we have a definitive position agreed, this will be communicated and applied consistently.

Richard

Again I see counter clerks at the bottom of the pile.What about having time with our families at this time of year? Managers are not on our leave list and I bet admin staff also take leave in these weeks( managers and admin and pay deals!)

[bigjames]

I agreed to look at this issue following the meeting I attended in Liverpool. Clearly, the answer must be one which is then applied consistently across all branches. My primary consideration here will be the best interests of our customers, and how we best meet those customers needs. Notwithstanding the specific wording within COSA, we also need to consider the spirit of what was intended when this element of COSA was written i.e. how we manage service at peak trading times.

As soon as we have a definitive position agreed, this will be communicated and applied consistently.

Richard

Again I see counter clerks at the bottom of the pile.What about having time with our families at this time of year? Managers are not on our leave list and I bet admin staff also take leave in these weeks( managers and admin and pay deals!)

It should be blocked for Branch Managers and Assistants (it is in my office, and I am gutted as it is a week I normally take). Can't speak for higher up than my level or Admin etc.

[PO1]

Any news Richard, as with 9 months to go me and the missus might have to get jiggy with it so as I can have some paternity instead.

[The BFO]

me and the missus might have to get jiggy with it

What a quaint turn of phrase. What does it mean?

[kathleen1]

Any news Richard, as with 9 months to go me and the missus might have to get jiggy with it so as I can have some paternity instead.

Our BM PO1 received an email off rwbarker monday night, he said he couldn't discuss as it was ongoing with the cwu at the moment it might be in the 'Closed Offer'. The BM seems to think that the week will be blocked off he didn't say that but he implied it....mmmmm. No more babies please you are just after a family friendly duty and two weeks off at christmas, i know you so well and remember that!!!!!!!