A Letter to the Guardian (read me and pass along)

[Jdalais]

I am going to compose more letters, to more papers, mp's, etc, whatever it takes for action to finally be taken. PLEASE feel free to copy/paste and send this email yourself, if Mr Snowdon (and those that follow) recieve enough emails about a subject then they will print it.

send to - graham.snowdon@guardian.co.uk
subject - Re: Graham Snowdon, Royal Mail followup (your report from 12th Dec)‏

The subject can be anything, but include his name and the general reference of what this is about. And obviously please put your own name at the end.

ALSO - please feel free to add a few of your own comments to the email, but try to keep the overall thing short and sweet.

(edited it slightly)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Dear Mr Snowdon,

Re: Royal Mail - Angard Staffing.

Your original report (12 December) - http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2011/dec/1 ... sfeed=true" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Hopefully this will be of interest to you. I thought I would bring to your attention how Angard Staffing (Royal Mail) have/are treating thier temporary Christmas workers.

To put it shortly;

Many people have only been paid 0.01p each week.
Many have not been paid at all.
Many miss hours.
Many miss all the extra/over time they worked.
Many also miss thier christmas bonus.

I don't even want to guess into how much Royal Mail and Angard Staffing management have been paid through this.

Thousands of people nationwide (18,000 according to your own report) were employed, I can only guess at how many suffered extra hardships over the christmas period.
I understand many gladly went off Job Seekers Allowance, to work 6 days/nights a week, (7 days/nights for some).
People have been unable to pay bills, or do anything.

If on average each person is missing £300 (from reading the forums linked below you can see people are missing up to £650+ individually) and Angard/Royal Mail have only screwed over 50% (9,000 of thier 18,000) of thier temporary staff, then they've managed to pull of a £2.7 million pound scam. And thats putting the numbers very generously towards Angard/RM. If the numbers are closer to 18,000 and averaged at £400 .. well, for a nation of people that are desperate for work and willing to work, then to be treated like this, truly appalling.

Angard Staffing have been nearly completely unreachable (I havnt been able to contact them, I hear very few have been able to), all contact has been useless, and all people have been 'fobbed' off each time.

If you have some spare time, you will find numerous people posting of how they have been treated and underpaid (or not paid at all), though you may need to register at these forums to view the posts (any random registration will grant you access).

Link to Royal Mail forums - http://www.royalmailchat.co.uk/communit ... m.php?f=47" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I am sure you will find a lot more information and a lot of people willing to step forward and the forums linked above. I have seen MP's take a single persons situation to the House of Commons, I hope they care about the thousands that this has affected.

I hope you can help these thousands to get this horrible situation the attention it needs.


Sincerely,


(your name)

[POSTMAN]

Snowdon is on the site already...
http://www.royalmailchat.co.uk/communit ... 47&t=41266" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Over a hundred of you contacted him last time,can you guys beat that this time?

[Jdalais]

This also goes out to all those not directly affect.

If you're appalled by the treatment of the casual/temp staff and the practice of Angard, feel free to copy/paste/email Mr Snowdon, the letter is generic enough, that you only need to put your own name at the end.

Edit: I edited the email address so it goes straight to him (thanks Postman)

[stevenh1]

Copied letter and sent to Mr snowdon, dom littlewood and channel 4 news

[AngDrone]

Excellent! Well done! I shall add my comments to him.

I e-mailed my MP today and advised Moya Greene (RM CEO) that I'd done so, pointing out that she couldn't be arsed to reply to my last e-mail.

Lo and behold, within a few hours, a mail back from one of her minions saying they were "looking into the matter". Yeah, right. You start scurrying around and panicking, RM and Angard chaps, the s**t will hit the fan very soon...

And don't forget that Reed Recruitment have played a significant role in this debacle too!

Chas

[EIEIO]

email sent.

[EIEIO]

Also emailed my own MP who coincidently according to his website "As Secretary of the Royal Mail union in Parliament, Michael is a passionate campaigner for postal services and local post offices. Michael played a leading role in keeping a publicly owned Royal Mail and keeping local Post Offices open."

Could be worth more people contacting him Michael Connarty.

his website http://www.mconnartymp.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Jdalais]

I've forwarded it to Mr Connarty and have done so for my local mp also (Plymouth, Devon/Cornwall)

[bobthedog1]

I've forwarded it to Mr Connarty and have done so for my local mp also (Plymouth, Devon/Cornwall)

Don't hold your breath for a response from Mr Connarty, as by convention an MP can only represent those of his own constituency. It is a good move to be contacting your own MP however, as the more focus we get on this in Parliament the better. My MP is in contact with the Minister responsible for the Royal Mail over this issue.

[livewirer]

And don't forget that Reed Recruitment have played a significant role in this debacle too!
Chas

After checking my Bank Balance today to find just £39.55 had been credited I still owed £650 l called in person on Reed Recruitment in Poole.
I was bluntly told that the Angard Payroll matters are NOTHING to do with them and could not help me.
Are Reed Consulting and Reed Recruitment the same animal? This Poole contact number 01202 688 502 is circulating on this forum.

After a phone call today I have been promised a phone response by the magic date Weds 11 Jan.
If not resolved and no paid in then I will take action suggested in this thread.

The word Smokescreens has have going round in my head for weeks.
I think Angard are trying to pull fast with the hourly payrates.
For those casuals who hadn't worked there before they are none the wiser and wouldn't know about shift allowance and Sunday Premium rates.
I was surprised at the first day induction people ask a RM Line Manager what the hourly rates were? Would you start a job without knowing those facts?
The Line Manager had no idea. I will only believe the £6.58 / hour Angard figure is the Basic rate. In 2010 it was £6.25 in 2010 and £5.95 in 2009.

The MP's should be shown print outs of your Royal Mail Applications page which clearly shows Angard as the Employer and the rates
Candidate: ###############
Last application: Christmas Casual - Dorset Mail Centre
Show previous applications
Status: HIRED AND START DATE AGREED

Christmas Casual - Dorset Mail Centre - Reference Number: XMA11SW006
Christmas Casual - Dorset Mail Centre

Contract Type - Christmas Casual Engagement

Employer - Angard Staffing
Address - Witney Road
Nuffield Ind Est
POOLE
BH17 0AA

Pay Rates
Age 16 - 17
Mon - Sat 06.00 - 22.00 £3.68
Sunday 06.00 - 22.00 £5.78

Age 18 +
Mon - Sat 06.00 - 22.00 £6.35
Mon - Sat 22.00 - 06.00 £8.11
Sunday 06.00 - 22.00 £8.45
Sunday 22.00 - 06.00 £10.21

[dannyboy10]

are these pay rates correct?

im being paid at £6.08

[ennabee]

Working nights last year I got £8.01 in Poole. This year at Bournemouth I was promised £7.84 for nights but have only been paid £6.58. I've queried it by email (with copy) but no reply yet.

[livewirer]

are these pay rates correct?

im being paid at £6.08

Figures above = This is what I signed up to on my Royal Mail Application Page.
The rates Angard pay it seems are REGIONAL not NATIONAL but if you worked nights take £6.58 as the ball park BASIC RATE.

in 2010 the rates for NIGHTSHIFT aged 21+ and working 10 - 6am were
2010 BASIC RATE £6.249 / hour + Shift Allowance £1.76 x 6 hours
Sunday BH Premium 7.2hrs = £2.098 x 7.333 = £15.39

An example if JUST worked a Sunday into Monday (10pm - 6am) in 2010

Tax Period 40
Casual Pay 7.2 hours = 7.333 x £6.249 basic = £45.81
Casual Shift Allowance 6hrs = £1.76 x 6 = £10.56
Sunday BH Premium 2hrs = £2.098 x 2 = £4.20
Gross Pay = £60.67

I have the PAYSLIP to prove it.
Wouldn't mind seeing an Angard payslip as YET to receive one after 4 weeks of waiting

[livewirer]

Working nights last year I got £8.01 in Poole. This year at Bournemouth I was promised £7.84 for nights but have only been paid £6.58. I've queried it by email (with copy) but no reply yet.

Hi Ennabee, Yes the £8.01 was absolutely correct for 2010 = £6.249 basic + £1.76 Casual Shift Allowance for Mon - Sat.
£10.10/hr working Sunday was correct too

The figure of £8.11 I was given on my RM Application page for 2011 was slightly questionable though I would not argue that £6.58 was the basic rate compared to £6.25 the previous year and £5.95 in 2009.

Were you promised £7.84 at the Interview at Premier Inn Westover Road ?
On this forum you will see that figure of £6.58 has been paid at other Mail Centres but not all with some regional differences.
= Angard have convienently forgotten about SHIFT ALLOWANCE.
Perhaps they think that 50p more than the minimum wage is a "great rate" for night shift at Royal Mail's busiest period!

With not having been sent a Payslip yet I NOW smell a rat.
When I read this post of Pay rates Angard sent someone on Nov 27 it would have set ALARM BELLS ringing if I'd known this before I started
http://www.royalmailchat.co.uk/communit ... 56#p443998" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Unfortunately I only found this info on here 4 days before my finish date.
The £350 voucher was therefore a sweetener to make me honour my contract.

I wonder if Angard invested in a 1980's Sinclair Computer to run their payroll system.
Amazing Man can walk on the moon in 1969 but they can't pay a weekly wage correctly in 2012.

[ennabee]

Hi Ennabee, .

Were you promised £7.84 at the Interview at Premier Inn Westover Road ?
On this forum you will see that figure of £6.58 has been paid at other Mail Centres but not all with some regional differences..

I can't remember discussing hourly rates at the Interview, but early in December I got through to Angard and the person said NIGHT RATE = £8.11 (£6.35 + £1.76) for Poole and £7.84 for Bournemouth (£6.08 + £1.76) .This was a Reid regular who said "It's a different rate for different sites." and DMC Poole is the best paid in UK. I sent the lady in question an email about other issues, as well as hoping to get the hourly rate confirmed, but got back an email from someone else which was helpful in another matter but did not mention the rate.

BUT ....My wage slips say, and I have been paid at, NIGHT RATE £6.58 and I have queried this.

My Application page stating "start time agreed" with the Bournemouth address and my name at the top says NIGHT RATE £7.84