greenrat

Hi - was wanting some advice on how to handle this as my work have completely cocked up my contract ... basically I'm on a 6 month temporary contract, was given a contract stating this was a 6 month probationary period, leading to permanant employment, also was given an end date of 27th April, I started on 8th December so surely my contract ends on the 8th June. Wondered where I stand legally and if I would have any comeback. Also how do I approach this with work - I am the union, the organisation is large and has separate HR function. Want to find a way to handle this assertively to get a good outcome.

As I'm sure everyone on the forum will be aware, an increasing number of jobs, particularly in the admin sector are now from agency workers. We are now in the 21st century and it is surely high time we outlawed the use of temps and agency workers - employers can use agency workers to circumnavigate laws on redundancy (e.g. they can't hire someone on a permeanant contract to do the same job as someone who they have made redundant, but can hire agency staff). Employees also can and do use agency workers as "scabs" to do the work of workers taking legitimate industrial action. The only reasons employers like agency workers is that they are easier to fire and less likely to unionise for fear of job security. The outlawing of agency workers would not only lead to more job security for us workers on the bottom rung (and everyone else), but also to a less divided, and therefore less stressed workforce, less back biting in the workforce, and increase productivity.

Hi all, I would like to pose the question, is there any difference between the two main parties on Sheffield Council? Sheffield Council for the past decade or so has been dominated by the Labour and Liberal Democrat parties. In the run up to this years local (and general) elections, it is worth considering if there really is any real difference between the two major parties on our council. Let's take a look at some of the major decisions taken by the council over the last 10 years, starting with the controversial PFI deal to resurface all the cities roads; this will involve tying the council into an expensive and complex contract with a private company. Despite the habit PFI contracts have of going belly up leaving the taxpayer to foot the bill (London Underground had to pay £410,000,000 to take back control of London Underground after one of the PFI contractors Metronet went bust), the decision was voted through by both Labour and Lib Dem councillors with little to no debate. The outsourcing of the council's HR, Payroll and IT to Capita was a deal done by the Lib Dems (http://www.capita.co.uk/media/Pages/CapitaselectedbySheffieldcounci.aspx), but started by Labour (http://www.computerworlduk.com/management/government-law/public-sector/news/index.cfm?newsid=3457). The Lib Dems fought tooth and nail to keep Wisewood school open (http://sheffieldlibdems.org.uk/news/000147/lib_dem_proposal_saves_local_schools_from_labour_axe.html), when BSF funding was dependent on one school closing, then closed Abbeydale Grange, a school with £14,000,000 worth of BSF funding allocated to rebuild the school. And so on and so on. Is there not a danger to democracy of having the main parties in cahoots so much?

Taken from the Sheffield Star website, published this Saturday 6th February 2010 (Story URL - http://www.thestar.co.uk/headlines/Transfer-plan-job-fears.6047705.jp) : - -------------------------------------------------------------------------- "MEMBERS of the Sheffield public contacting the council could be dealt with by privately-employed staff if plans to transfer the authority's entire customer service operation to an independent company are given the go-ahead. Customer service workers at the council have received an e-mail saying plans to move the operation to Capita are set to be considered by councillors next month. Employees would have their terms and conditions transferred under government TUPE regulations. But one worried employee said there were concerns about job losses. He said: "When Capita first took over customer service at Dixons they said there would not be any job losses. "But within weeks the entire training team was made redundant and then the senior level managers were targeted." He also raised concerns about the standard of customer service that would be provided. The man said the e-mail staff had received from Julie Bullen, head of customer services, said the proposals were being considered as part of the council's Customer First Programme. But the worker said plans to move services over to Capita, the council's strategic partner, would spell bad news for Sheffield residents. "I think it would seriously compromise my ability to deliver a good service and do my job properly, if I end up having a job at all," he said. Ms Bullen said the plans were about getting things "right first time" for the council's customers. She said: "The Customer First Programme is about improving customer service, satisfaction and value for money." She added improvements would include a single phone number and email address for customers; a state-of-the-art customer service centre which can deal with customer queries by phone, email and text; improved working with the council's partners and a new website geared up for online transactions. "For the residents of Sheffield this project will mean they can access services more simply and quickly," she said "However, at this stage these are just proposals and no decisions have yet been taken. We are regularly communicating with the staff who are directly affected by this so that they are involved with, and understand, this project as it progresses." " ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Obviously everyone running this part of the council has been living in a cave for the last 10 years and have made no effort to look into Capita's track record. Not only this the council is allegedly using agency staff from places such as Leeds and Nottingham to fill admin jobs. So much for sticking up for Sheffield jobs.

No need to use cardboard I have a spare sleeping bag ...

Wondered if anyone else gets the service 14 bus from town to Wisewood as I've been having some right fun and games with it ... ... for the last 4 Mondays the 1759 & 1819 have not turned up and the new T M Travel service that started this Sunday was 25 minutes late Sunday afternoon - plus the driver three times had to stop to ask directions!

Was at a debate with him and the other prospective candidates a few months ago at Abbeydale Grange debating the "proposed" closure of the school. Thing with Paul Scriven he's a very good public speaker but that's about it ... he left this debate early when he was getting awkward questions which he couldn't answer, so if it were a straight choice between Scriven and Blomfield I'd go for Blomfield.

This may be of interest to anyone like me who has to use the bus services in Sheffield, which are quite frankly, crap - West Yorkshire Transport Authority (Metro) has begun work on a Quality Contracts Scheme, allowing Metro to set fares and routes (http://www.wymetro.com/news/releases/091202.htm). Sheffield Council has made noises about implementing scheme in Sheffield but so far nothing more has been heard. So come on Scriven & co, get your act together and sort this out!

Given the choice, would you rather see council services run by the council or a private company?

Hi just wondered if anyone on the forum actually works for Streetforce, and if you do what are your views on the council's plans to hand the department over to a private company in 2011?

Certainly will not be voting for Labour, Conservative or LibDems in the upcoming general elections. The problem is the parties who do actually represent working class people e.g. the Greens have nowhere near the cash that the main 3 parties do, and do not get time on TV like they do. Just wish the progressive parties would unite to take on the bigger parties.

I like the following poem as it makes me laugh ... "Ernie the pidgeon" Ernie was a pidgeon A pidgeon, a pidgeon Ernie was a pidgeon A pidgeon that flew He flew through the day And he flew through the night And when he came back He was covered in sh ... ... Ernie was a pidgeon (repeat rest of poem)

Today is the queens speech in parliament, where the government announces which laws it is intending to put to parliament in the next year or so. If you were the government which laws would you be proposing?

How does your workplace rate in how well it implements disciplinary procedures? Are they too harsh / leniant with certain people? Is it one rule for management and anothe rfor normal workers, or is everything OK? Please discuss ...

Forgot to say, Voluntary Action Sheffield (http://www.do-it.org.uk/) can help you with the voluntary work ... good luck!!