Royal Mail to start drug and alcohol testing?

[circles]

Yip it 100% needs to be random.

I think it'll end up with EVERYONE on shift being tested

No it won't.

Didn't you read the actual UK law on this matter someone has posted?

[SpacePhoenix]

Yip it 100% needs to be random.

I think it'll end up with EVERYONE on shift being tested

No it won't.

Didn't you read the actual UK law on this matter someone has posted?

Workplace drug and alcohol testing
Permission to drug or alcohol screen at work guidance for employers

In UK employment law an employer can ask an employee to volunteer a sample for drug and alcohol screening. If this request forms an existing part of the employment contract the employee has agreed to consent. If not the employee may decline.
What to do if the employee refuses to do a test?

In the UK an employee can refuse a voluntary request to produce a sample for drug and alcohol screening, even where the employment contract includes pre-agreed terms for drug and alcohol testing as part of their terms and conditions of employment.

It is normal practice for employers to manage such refusals in the same way they would action a non-negative on-site test. The justification for this is given in the following paragraph.

The employer has a duty of care to ensure a drug and alcohol-free, safe working environment.

Requests for drug and alcohol testing must be seen as fair and reasonable.
Random drug and alcohol testing should be just that.
Targeted drug and alcohol tests must be justifiable.
Keep good records.
Confirm all non-negative alcohol test results using an accredited method which will stand tribunal examination.

There's bound to be clauses in our contracts that they'll use. Frankly anyone who thinks that it won't be EVERYONE getting tested is deluded.

[circles]

Yip it 100% needs to be random.

I think it'll end up with EVERYONE on shift being tested

No it won't.

Didn't you read the actual UK law on this matter someone has posted?

Workplace drug and alcohol testing
Permission to drug or alcohol screen at work guidance for employers

In UK employment law an employer can ask an employee to volunteer a sample for drug and alcohol screening. If this request forms an existing part of the employment contract the employee has agreed to consent. If not the employee may decline.
What to do if the employee refuses to do a test?

In the UK an employee can refuse a voluntary request to produce a sample for drug and alcohol screening, even where the employment contract includes pre-agreed terms for drug and alcohol testing as part of their terms and conditions of employment.

It is normal practice for employers to manage such refusals in the same way they would action a non-negative on-site test. The justification for this is given in the following paragraph.

The employer has a duty of care to ensure a drug and alcohol-free, safe working environment.

Requests for drug and alcohol testing must be seen as fair and reasonable.
Random drug and alcohol testing should be just that.
Targeted drug and alcohol tests must be justifiable.
Keep good records.
Confirm all non-negative alcohol test results using an accredited method which will stand tribunal examination.

There's bound to be clauses in our contracts that they'll use. Frankly anyone who thinks that it won't be EVERYONE getting tested is deluded.

No one is testing me.

End of.

[circles]

I must say...

It's extremely disappointing to me the amount of fellow posties on this forum who appear to be getting some kind of sick and twisted thrill from the prospect of potentially thousands of their colleagues being dismissed.

As a previous poster mentioned, it's little wonder the country is such a state of disrepair

[2chorizon]

I must say...

It's extremely disappointing to me the amount of fellow posties on this forum who appear to be getting some kind of sick and twisted thrill from the prospect of potentially thousands of their colleagues being dismissed.

As a previous poster mentioned, it's little wonder the country is such a state of disrepair

Lots of backstabbing goes on in the workplace

And anyway, how else are low seinority people going to get to sign for one of them cushty scenic rurals?

#JustSayNo

[scotchy1962]

I must say...

It's extremely disappointing to me the amount of fellow posties on this forum who appear to be getting some kind of sick and twisted thrill from the prospect of potentially thousands of their colleagues being dismissed.

As a previous poster mentioned, it's little wonder the country is such a state of disrepair

I am with you 100%, this is the "modern" workplace who are happy to lose all their rights that the workers in the past got for them, citing it's the new way doesn't work for me and shows what sort of a selfish society we have become.
Reading some of the comments is a bit sad and doesn't bode well for the workforce in the future, hopefully i won't be one of them when it all comes to pass and all you sad people will reap what you have sowed.

[2chorizon]

I must say...

It's extremely disappointing to me the amount of fellow posties on this forum who appear to be getting some kind of sick and twisted thrill from the prospect of potentially thousands of their colleagues being dismissed.

As a previous poster mentioned, it's little wonder the country is such a state of disrepair

I am with you 100%, this is the "modern" workplace who are happy to lose all their rights that the workers in the past got for them, citing it's the new way doesn't work for me and shows what sort of a selfish society we have become.
Reading some of the comments is a bit sad and doesn't bode well for the workforce in the future, hopefully i won't be one of them when it all comes to pass and all you sad people will reap what you have sowed.

You never had the "right" to be high on cannabis at work
(or any other illegal drug or abused prescription medicine)

& past worker's never "won you" this right in the past

[scotchy1962]

I must say...

It's extremely disappointing to me the amount of fellow posties on this forum who appear to be getting some kind of sick and twisted thrill from the prospect of potentially thousands of their colleagues being dismissed.

As a previous poster mentioned, it's little wonder the country is such a state of disrepair

I am with you 100%, this is the "modern" workplace who are happy to lose all their rights that the workers in the past got for them, citing it's the new way doesn't work for me and shows what sort of a selfish society we have become.
Reading some of the comments is a bit sad and doesn't bode well for the workforce in the future, hopefully i won't be one of them when it all comes to pass and all you sad people will reap what you have sowed.

You never had the "right" to be high on cannabis at work
(or any other illegal drug or abused prescription medicine)

& past worker's never "won you" this right in the past

That is true, but then you cite getting rid of fellow employees so you can get what you want. Bit selfish regardless of how you try to spin it.
If someone is under the influence at work then it's the companies problem not yours, and they deal with it, not you.
How they decide to go about it is the debate.

[TopperGas]

Yip it 100% needs to be random.

I think it'll end up with EVERYONE on shift being tested

But that's not "random" drug testing, that's compulsory drug testing? I doubt it makes much difference but it's still a difference.

[2chorizon]

Yip it 100% needs to be random.

I think it'll end up with EVERYONE on shift being tested

But that's not "random" drug testing, that's compulsory drug testing? I doubt it makes much difference but it's still a difference.

Yes, it must be genuinely random in order to be legal.

(they use an approved computer programme to randomly select payroll numbers, & records are kept)

[SpacePhoenix]

Yip it 100% needs to be random.

I think it'll end up with EVERYONE on shift being tested

But that's not "random" drug testing, that's compulsory drug testing? I doubt it makes much difference but it's still a difference.

Yes, it must be genuinely random in order to be legal.

(they use an approved computer programme to randomly select payroll numbers, & records are kept)

It will be random, it'll be a random office that gets selected with EVERYONE in that office or shift getting tested.

[2chorizon]

Yip it 100% needs to be random.

I think it'll end up with EVERYONE on shift being tested

But that's not "random" drug testing, that's compulsory drug testing? I doubt it makes much difference but it's still a difference.

Yes, it must be genuinely random in order to be legal.

(they use an approved computer programme to randomly select payroll numbers, & records are kept)

It will be random, it'll be a random office that gets selected with EVERYONE in that office or shift getting tested.

That’s not legal.

[Perseus]

It simply can't be everyone in an office or shift. I've seen these processes take the best part of 20 minutes per person.

[LouBarlow]

Nope, no idea, but that doesn't mean it's wrong, irrelevant or some grand plan by these mythical "overlords" who seem to worry you so much.
As others have previously mentioned, it's RM playing catch-up with other industries. Hardly Earth-shattering in it's intent.
Some on here like to give it the Big Boy stance because they're anonymous key-board warriors, but things would/will be different when it's their go to give that sample. I suspect you'll be in that group.

As I say, I won’t be, but you can believe what you like. With the upcoming rise in the minimum wage, it has never been a better time to stick to my principles. I won’t be pissing in a bottle for any employer, when I could be earning only £15 a week less doing an easy job in the warm Monday to Friday.

I feel a bit sorry for you actually. This employer you are bending over for does not give a s**t about you, yet you continue to be a serf for them. It is wild.

[Sean06]

Nope, no idea, but that doesn't mean it's wrong, irrelevant or some grand plan by these mythical "overlords" who seem to worry you so much.
As others have previously mentioned, it's RM playing catch-up with other industries. Hardly Earth-shattering in it's intent.
Some on here like to give it the Big Boy stance because they're anonymous key-board warriors, but things would/will be different when it's their go to give that sample. I suspect you'll be in that group.

As I say, I won’t be, but you can believe what you like. With the upcoming rise in the minimum wage, it has never been a better time to stick to my principles. I won’t be pissing in a bottle for any employer, when I could be earning only £15 a week less doing an easy job in the warm Monday to Friday.

I feel a bit sorry for you actually. This employer you are bending over for does not give a s**t about you, yet you continue to be a serf for them. It is wild.

Might get £15 a less but what if any employer asks for one of these tests.suddenly you become unemployable.