Picture the scene…
One worker threatens the safety and well being of another.
What does the individual do,and what course of action should the company take?
Ken.
Hmm…difficult to say without a few more details but in general I’d say:
Report what has happened to a manager.
Manager should take action…what action is taken depends, as I don’t know what the offence is.
If the managments action isn’t satisfactory…take up the complaint with either a higher level of management or an authority.
Perhaps the statement was a bit vague,so I’ll clarify…
One driver at our place is continually late for work,and has been told about his timekeeping by the manager.
He can’t get into work on a morning at the appointed start time for everyone,at 6 o clock,and sometimes rolls in at 8 o clock.
Now,our customer has given us a load of timed deliveries of say 8am,and while a lot of our drivers can get in,and meet these schedules,this guy can’t,so it’s left to others to,‘carry him.’
Our manager has indicated that we should keep a record of his start times,and he will,in due course,deal with it accordingly.
This driver has discovered that this exercise is taking place by the office staff,and has threatend one of them for doing his job,ie:providing the manager with the requested information.He has threatened the employee with violence.
So what do you do if your the employee,and what action should the company take?
Ken.
What happened Ken, did one bloke threaten to banjo the other?
In that case if I were the one threatened I would demand he was sacked.
Sack the geezer, if he’s late all the while Im surprised he’s still there, and fighting is gross misconduct as far as I know, wjhich allways was instant dismissal!
The saga deepens…
The one being threatened,it turns out,has just applied for the vacant transport managers job at our place,so how will all this appear to the contract manager?
Does he employ the guy,because he realises the prospective manager isn’t prepared to take any ■■■■ from the driver/s by disciplining him/them when the need arises?
Or,
Does he not give him the job,because he sees the prospective manager as weak?
and fighting is gross misconduct as far as I know, wjhich allways was instant dismissal!
You’re quite correct Mal.But as any violence hasn’t taken place yet,only a threat,is this the correct route?
It’s all very interesting.
Ken.
There are a lot more factors that need to be taken into account - it is not black and white. How long have the start times been 6am? Did he used to have a start time of 8? How long has he been employed? If you are all keeping an eye on him he will most likely cry bullying or unfair dismissal, it is the responsibility of the manager to confront him at the outset and let him know he is being watched. If this is not done and it ends up at a tribunal then your company will find themselves in hot water. The other thing to watch out for is is he actually booking from 6am (assuming you are hourly paid not salary), if he is then that is falsifying records and can normally be classed as gross misconduct and an isntant dismissal.
At the end of the day sounds like the manager is not taking ownership of the problem and that in its self will lead to further problems.
You have to say that the manager is getting the staff to do his dirty work by getting them to tell him when the other fella is late.
It’s his job to make sure his staff are on time and take action if they are not, he can’t expect people to ‘tell tales’ on each other.
Personally I couldn’t give a monkeys when other people turn up to work…it’s not my job or my problem.
It was stated to the drivers from our previous contract manager,and displayed on the notice board,that everyone had a start time of 6am,unless otherwise notified the day before.He was also told by the previous contract manager,about his lateness,but I’m unsure if it was put on his record.
As we are salaried,the subject of ‘fiddling’ his timesheet doesn’t really come into it.
On the subject of the manager using others to ‘do his dirtywork,’ well,to a point I agree,but when the driver starts at 6.30am, (When he feels like it.) can be out of the yard at 6.45am,and the contract manager starts at 7am,he doesn’t always see it,but we in the office have to log the fact that the delivery is going to be late,so the customers help desk can inform the store,and then he asks, “Why was such and such a delivery late?”
Ken.
But how long has it been 6am? The reason being is that if it was 8am before and then changed to 6am it is a change to his contract and would have needed notification and and a consultation period, even then it does not need to be agreed by the driver. If he can prove that his start time was 8am for any length of time then he has an “implied contract”(cant remember the exact defination), which is as good if not better then a written one. Sounds like he has done his homework if you ask me and will no doubt end up costing your company some money.
Quinny:
It was stated to the drivers from our previous contract manager,and displayed on the notice board,that everyone had a start time of 6am,unless otherwise notified the day before.He was also told by the previous contract manager,about his lateness,but I’m unsure if it was put on his record.As we are salaried,the subject of ‘fiddling’ his timesheet doesn’t really come into it.
On the subject of the manager using others to ‘do his dirtywork,’ well,to a point I agree,but when the driver starts at 6.30am, (When he feels like it.) can be out of the yard at 6.45am,and the contract manager starts at 7am,he doesn’t always see it,but we in the office have to log the fact that the delivery is going to be late,so the customers help desk can inform the store,and then he asks, “Why was such and such a delivery late?”
Ken.
I guess that makes it more difficult…maybe there should be somebody in authority there at 6.00?
I’ve never had good experiences on jobs where the manager isn’t around til later…it causes this kind of trouble amongst other things. This driver is obviously aware that the boss won’t be there and uses that in his favour.
To my mind the manager is not doing his job. Can’t he see from tachos what time this bloke starts? If not (and I can’t imagine why not) then he must come in early on various unplanned occasions to check if his instructions are being followed. In any case if customers are so insistent on delivery times there would be feedback there.
But, on no account should work colleagues be asked to inform, unless threatened with violence, then that is a different matter and should be handled by a written complaint.
Salut, David.
Tell him in my deepest Glaswegian accent, and puff out my 6’6" big fat hairy chest and say OK then i,ll see you outside the gate whenever you feel up to it .
(/And hope they get the message because im a big softy at heart).
jammymutt:
Tell him in my deepest Glaswegian accent, and puff out my 6’6" big fat hairy chest and say OK then i,ll see you outside the gate whenever you feel up to it .(/And hope they get the message because im a big softy at heart).
Would you like to come round and sort my niegbours out?
they is free beer init.
and i am serious
so this bloke is on salary, it hasn’t been mentioned what time he finishes, if he doing the same amount of hours as everyone else, i can see where he’s coming from.
threats of violence have no place in the work environment in my book, if you’ve got something to sort out, do it at the weekend away from work.
i dont do early regularly but then a lot of people dont do late…in this day and age 24/7 is the norm someone has to start late…my current employer has drivers turnining up at early then doing naff all for an hour i spose their claiming POA…pot that i’ve got better things to do
smcaul:
But how long has it been 6am? The reason being is that if it was 8am before and then changed to 6am it is a change to his contract and would have needed notification and and a consultation period, even then it does not need to be agreed by the driver. If he can prove that his start time was 8am for any length of time then he has an “implied contract”(cant remember the exact defination), which is as good if not better then a written one. Sounds like he has done his homework if you ask me and will no doubt end up costing your company some money.
The term I was thinking of, but forgot last night, was “Accepted Practice”.
im sorry quinny i cant read this thread because of smcaul’s avitar but i would like to see it on the big screen.
also if the driver has threaten a manager with voilence then sack him.
jessicas dad:
im sorry quinny i cant read this thread because of smcaul’s avitar
I bet he would like to see her ID. 
