Comments by Colin Welch

Colin Welch
Member - 10 posts

Yes, sorry, we pay statutory sick pay but no form of company sick pay.

I take it then that there are no laws governing the requirements of providing company sick pay?

Colin Welch
Member - 10 posts

My Company does not pay sick pay unless the employee is off as a result of an industrial injury, and then only flat rate.

In addition, if one of our employees is off due to attending hospital for an operation, in some cases for several weeks, they too do not get paid.

What is the legal stance on this please as I find it very unfair.

Colin Welch
Member - 10 posts

I am attempting to cancel a contract for hygiene services but a clause in the agreement states " This agreement is binding for a period of five years with a 3% increase per annum, and subsequently may be terminated on the anniversary date provided that written notification is given by the party terminating it to the other at least three months prior to such anniversary date". My questions are; is this indeed a binding contract? Can I do anything to get out of it? And does the anniversary date mean the 5 year anniversary or can I assume it means annual i.e. the anniversay of the date signed which is 6/6/06?

Colin Welch
Member - 10 posts

And you dont think his comments "What a bunch of wingers and whiners, if you are all a token representation of LA employees then I'm not suprised that this country is in the mess its in" are insulting or intimidating?

Kelly Mansfield quite rightly pointed out that this forum is not the place for personal queries or personal insults and I am not again going to be drawn into more debate on the issue. I think this thread has run its course and I believe there is a real issue in business today LA or otherwise which cannot and must not be ignored.

In my previous posts I did not wish to mention my own personal experience but as this has developed perhaps I now should (briefly).

In the Summer of 2006 I had a nervous breakdown at home in front of my wife, this following months of systematic bullying by an LA Executive Director. I was most unwell and entered a period of prolonged depression and all that goes with that.

My family also suffered miserably but in July 2007 I returned to work with "so called" control measures in place to prevent direct contact with the aggressor.
May I point out that at no time was this individual ever investigated for their behaviour towards me even when my counsellor clearly indicated that following interviews with my line manager they admitted that they knew this was happening!

In November 2007 I was suspended from work following "allegations" which I will not go into now, all of which, may I add, were completely without basis or factual evidence. In a nutshell, I had rocked the boat and this was my thanks!

Last Christmas was hell again for me and my family worrying constantly about security for them. Then, a job offer out of the blue so I resigned (just what they wanted!)

I now work for an organisation that respects people and are friendly and supportive of each other - I am very happy!

This has taught me one thing, to respect each other, to expect to be respected and to settle for nothing less! Sorry to prattle on!

Colin Welch
Member - 10 posts

"What a bunch of wingers and whiners"

EXACTLY what the individual said of my colleague who suffered at his bullying hands. Yes, I DO DEMAND my rights Mr Maltby and who are you to ever say that I have no rights to do so? Or are you of the opinion that Managers and similar hierarchy are more "important" people than me with more rights??

Colin Welch
Member - 10 posts

I totally agree with all you say - but what can be done about this unacceptable situation?

Colin Welch
Member - 10 posts

I have been watching these posts with interest and agree that Unions are not all they are cracked up to be! I "was" a member of one very large Union whilst in Local Government and put my trust in them to help me. Only to be let down when the need arose for them to defend my position.

My personal view is that Local Government is riddled with varying degrees of corruption. A very serious and swathing statement I know but from personal experience I became aware of many instances where senior members and exec directors / heads of service were allowed to do whatever they wished with no fear of being held to account. And to top it all, I found that the branch officer for the Union was in a relationship with a Head of Service - how can that be permitted??

I am very saddened and disheartened by my experience in Local Government and ask, "just what state is our Country in when our so called leaders are allowed to run like this?"

Colin Welch
Member - 10 posts

I completely agree! There appears to be an element in Council's that consider themselves "above the law" and they can get away with anything. I joined a London Borough Council in 2000 having never worked in Local Government before and was completely taken aback by the amount of allegations of bullying and harrassment issues coming across my desk in the form of Stress assessments. Once my H&S section had investigated the stress issues we compiled a confidential report on each individual which highlighted the bullying issues. Nothing was ever done about any of them.

I myself was subject to bullying by an Executive Director for the last two years when I left in February this year. I had six months off work in 06/07 due to stress as a result and yet no-one ever listened to my complaints or did anything to stop this happening.

Councils need to be held to account - they are not above the law and this needs to be stopped in its tracks.

Colin Welch
Member - 10 posts

I have found a website that provides a service for checking driver licences it can be found at: http://www.drivercheck.co.uk/?gclid=CPqYh4-r05ICFQQF1QodLCI_Hg

Might be of some use.