Sent: 16 March 2022
To: Xxxxxxxx PDU - Staff
Subject: Professionalism, responsivity and health and safety
Dear all,
I’m going to start this email by stating explicitly that the below observations do not relate to all staff. I recognise that you are all working in challenging times, doing the very best you can. However, I think it is important to revisit the expectation that all of us conduct ourselves with the utmost professional curtesy showing due respect for our colleagues and People on Probation. There have been a number of issues coming to the fore of late which can’t continue to go unchecked.
Responsivity
I can totally sympathise with the volume of email traffic that we all get - me personally at least 150 – 200 emails a day. Many of these however are escalation emails to me, where colleagues from with London and further afield are complaining about a lack of response from some of you. I get to see the chain of chaser emails which go ignored or unanswered and this is totally unacceptable. We are all incredibly busy and I recognise that, but even a holding email, advising that you will get to the matter as soon as possible is better than radio silence. This is incredibly frustrating to experience, think about how this makes you feel when you are on the receiving end of it.
Likewise, answering telephone calls. I have seen some staff blatantly ignore reception telephone calls or those form the service centre. What happens next is myself and SPOs then get copied in to emails to resolve queries and issues, only to see you at your desk seemingly able to have facilitated that call in the first place. Frankly, it’s rude, shows a lack of respect for our reception staff, leaves PoPs annoyed and causes unnecessary aggravation. There is a knock on effect when this happens and we need to be considerate of that fact.
PoPs are also left waiting in reception for far to long it causes congestion and leads to people getting irate. If your PoP is early then let reception know that you will come out and see them at the allotted time.
Health and Safety
Staff are still failing to book interview rooms, take the right panic alarm for the right room and if I catch the person who is deliberately unplugging the telephones in the interview rooms, there will be a consequence!! These rules are not meant to be a hinderance - it if for your health and safety. We need to be able to ensure the right response is provided if you need it. Reception staff can’t check to see if you are Ok if the phone is unplugged and if you need assistance in Interview room 3, but the panic alarm for interview room 5 is going off then any meaningful response is delayed. Taking the wrong panic alarm and using the wrong interview room has a knock on effect. This is an impassioned plea for you to all take this more seriously from now on. Health and Safety is a collective responsibility.
Professionalism
This goes without saying for the majority of you, but a reminder that we are a team that need to stick together and look out for each other. We all need to take leave for rest and recouperation and should expect colleagues to cover us as much as we should cover them. Same for unexpected absences, everyone needs to chip in, it should not fall to a select few or those who repeatedly help out whilst others chose to be unhelpful. I expect that cases are in a well-managed state with next appointments and a clear steer in Delius about what work has/is being done with them, especially when cover needs to be provided at short notice.
I expect everyone to take notice of the above. I have asked for examples of where this is not happening and this will be addressed directly with the individuals concerned as it is behaviour that will no longer be tolerated. It is simply unfair!
I appreciate that the tone of the email is curt, but I make no apologies for wanting to foster a work environment where all staff behave professionally and in line with our civil service values.
Kind regards,
Xxxxxxx
Head of Service
PDU Xxxxxxx
London Probation Service
By email:-
ReplyDelete"It does show the current state of affairs in London, and failure of senior managers to understand, support or motivate staff who are leaving in droves. Ironically the subject is “professionalism”. It ignores the plight of the poor overworked staff, the high caseloads and high sickness rates."
It is quite likely that the manager that sent this email will not face any particular repercussions other than given advice to be more underhand in future. It may be that some in management will be sending supportive messages to the person concerned. We know what should happen and there are plenty of crates to assist. The problem is her bosses have also featured on this blog guilty of incoherent ramblings etc and occasionally had their knuckles rapped for revealing too much of what they actually think. They now get others to write their stuff and when they mess up they are gone. London does seem to burn through a lot of supporting staff at a senior level especially in the HR department where you see a new head of hr every few months then off with their head. In my experience HR staff have a nose for what is toxic and get out of Dodge pronto when the proverbial is about to hit the spinning blades. Something rotten in thecentre of the state of Denmark (or perhaps at the top) methinks.
DeleteIf only more people exposed the arrogance of these so called leaders
DeleteThe manager that sent this email is a two faced nasty piece of work. Thinks she’s above the law, as most of them do.
DeleteNever surprises me how quickly a few narcissistic managers ruin a good probation office.
From Twitter:-
ReplyDelete"Surely this is a parody? Unbelievable!"
Haha. This is a real email.
Delete"and if I catch the person who is deliberately unplugging the telephones in the interview rooms, there will be a consequence!!"
ReplyDeleteUsual high altitude cluster-dump from crap management - someone in crisis who's getting it in the neck because of their own incompetence, who doesn't know how to lead, inspire or otherwise control either their team or themselves.
This, dear reader, is what the blinkered aresholes regard as the best of UK probation service provision:
"Probation achieved a lot in 2021 and 2022 is set to be another year of enhanced delivery and continuous improvement, building on our unification."
I’m wondering if they’ve been caught yet!
DeleteThe suspense is killing me.
The voice of desperation, from command and control who appear sufficiently deluded to believe that the problem is the frontline staff. And while that untruth is held to, there will be no improvement at all.
ReplyDeleteSo being rude and threatening to your staff is now a civil service value? Priti Patel must be writing the handbook.
ReplyDeleteDisrespectful and ignorant and not how you address staff especially in professional roles. I have responded to emails in past stating I will get back to you as soon as able and it just causes the recipient to send more emails. I doubt this person does that and perhaps should think that the sheer volume of work means delays are inevitable. Quite frankly a disgrace they are allowed to treat us in a way they would not tolerate with offenders or pops that ridiculous term. TAKE NOTE managers who want to get rid of staff at the top of their pay scale as too expensive and too assertive, we look to leave as sick of this bullying culture, lack of duty of care and making us ill. Keep placing responsibility of staff who are placed under ridiculous expectations and stress levels rather than take responsibility as an organisation. You don't use this tone when offenders threaten staff but pussyfoot around them, you don't support us when other agencies are distrspectful but you treat us like dirt. Yes there will be some good managers but I've seen how easily they can become puppets for senior managers. SPOs before you think you will be protected by senior managers check out Alison Moss's book on the Campbell case. Even the newly qualifies who you think will bend easily into your lackeys are leaving in droves. I'm out as soon as I can and good riddance but also a shame as I've lost colleagues and friends and once liked this job. You become ill they will take you under competency again refusing to accept the workload, rubbish training, lack of support and guidance and management attitude is the issue. As I said a disgrace.
ReplyDeleteFrom Twitter:-
ReplyDelete"Wow. What an email lol sounds a bit desperate. What do they expect when staff are completely exhausted with the job and working at 150% and over? Civil service values..."
From Twitter:-
ReplyDelete"Your name changed twice during my prison time and I was a short term prisoner. One day the left hand will receive an introduction to the right hand."
Wow and wow again. Why do you speak to professionals like they are children?
ReplyDeleteWhich can’t continue to go unchecked
This is totally unacceptable
Is better than radio silence
Think about how this makes you feel
Some staff blatantly ignore reception
Frankly it’s rude, shows a lack of respect
If I catch the person unplugging the phones there will be a consequence
Those who repeatedly help out whilst others chose to be unhelpful
I expect cases are in a well managed state
Behaviour that will no longer be tolerated
I appreciate the tone of this email is curt, but I make no apologies
Do you use a naughty step there?
Civil service values https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/civil-service-code/the-civil-service-code#civil-service-values
ReplyDeleteand what would be your response if a colleague was seriously injured in an altercation and the response went to the wrong interview room? Health and Safety IS all our responsibility - I really do not want to interview a high risk offender in an enclosed space and find out some twit before me unplugged the phone - however the HoS really should use spell check.
ReplyDelete… because there’d really be time to make a phone call!
DeleteCameras will show whats happening with phones. Don’t send threatening emails. Pathetic.
Delete@17:22 - anytime I've been in a situation involving seeing cases at our office who are *known* to pose a real/defined/high risk, I've checked the room out myself & ensured all is secure beforehand, including removing telephones (a weapon that fits the hand nicely) AND ensuring a trusted back-up is watching the cctv - with an agreed, discreet 'please come to the door now' gesture.
DeleteIn prison settings I've notified governors, wing staff AND the interviewees in advance, & arranged for back-up to be present - either in the room or just outside.
I suspect most current Heads of Service - or even office managers - would not understand the need for such resource-intensive measures that might result in dire consequences for their target operating system matrix box-ticking culture.
My response to them would be:
"Known High Risk? No back-up, no interview."
“Reception staff can’t check to see if you are Ok if the phone is unplugged and if you need assistance in Interview room 3, but the panic alarm for interview room 5 is going off then any meaningful response is delayed. Taking the wrong panic alarm and using the wrong interview room has a knock on effect.“
DeleteDoes this manager even work in a probation office, or was this written from the ivory tower?
Hah none of our interview rooms even have working phones. CCTV in one room. Security door stops working all the time. Luckily we have never had to use it. Handle has fallen off the door when an offender was in the room with a PP. Panic Alarm is so quiet nobody could ever hear it... engineers been out multiple times, never gets fixed. Not sure where some of you are working but sounds quite advanced compared to our little death trap.
Delete30 years in, cqsw route 2 years of post degree study then a probationary year with a a confirm, defer or release. My qualification as a probation officer widely recognised but now relegated to a probation practitioner PP and service users are Pop's, risk assessments driven by operational judgement ie drive risk down. I am done with this and have been signed off with "work related stress" having not had a days sickness in over 20 years, interestly my gp asighned a nurse practioner to conduct a post consultation interview re my experiences and advised me that. These notes will be retained should I need recourse to them.
ReplyDeleteReally sorry to hear this and hope things get sorted for you as soon as possible. Take care.
Delete17.22 "THE RESPONSE" WTF is this response??? Senior management not a ffin chance, the truth is that by treating service users as human beings with behavior problems we rarely need a response, in 30 years I have never been assaulted - verbally abused of course, but then you expect this as part of what we do. I can honestly say that I have been shown far more respect and empathy from service users over many years than the current senior managers display, quite ironic really.
ReplyDeleteMwnt
Physical assaults in probation supervision rooms are very rare. If concerned about somebody then get a colleague to sit in or stand outside. If someones drunk then tell them to go home. A panic alarm isn’t a help or a deterrent.
DeleteThank you Jim, I will go out fighting and have amassed an evidence base, whilst IT prevents screenshot the mobile phone can capture e mails and an informed MP is a very useful ally when they realise the possible risks to their constituants by the dumbing down of a once highly respected service
ReplyDeleteThe plural of PoP is PoP, not PoPs
ReplyDeleteFrom Twitter:-
ReplyDelete"POPS better than offender but still crap! I’ll never be a probation practitioner though. I qualified as, and enjoy being, a Probation Officer. Noticed more people becoming Probation Practitioners on email signatures; I’m keeping Probation Officer, thank you."
I'm a pso have been for years have relevant degree too. I came in on temporary contract and did small pieces of work in 3 departments. CP courts team and what was a reducing programmes role. I enjoyed very much working with people. The work was script and did not encourage participant engagement. The courts work was admin admin and more admin. It still is hectic. I was a day a week sent to CP which was a bit more juggling slots and people. Since then Have been locked into case management I do oasys manage risk and been to mappa regularly. I have a basic grounding but at no time do I feel my work is different to any po . My manager allocated me high risk as she said my experience meant I should be taking all these case levels now. I do but I earn a lot less for the work which I have no escape from now as my caseload has gone through the roof . I know I will be blamed if it goes wrong.
Delete"My manager allocated me high risk as she said my experience meant I should be taking all these case levels now."
Delete***Exactly*** how the Trusts dismantled role boundaries with their 'more-for-less' policies & de-professionalisation of the service in preparation for the privatisation of probation via-TR1 (the loss leader) & TR2 - the current situation.
What's that I hear? "No we're not, we're back in the public sector. We're civil servants!"
You're Schrodinger's civil servants... in the HMPPS private sector model where you have no voice, shit pay & fuckwits like the Head of Service bullying & shitting on you... while a handful of senior staff are raking in huge salaries, bonuses, honours & promotions off the back of *your* efforts to meet ***their*** targets.
Do they have sleepless nights? Are they signed off sick? Are they pilloried at SFOs? Do they struggle to pay their bills?
I don't fucking think so, dear reader.
And can a PSO, however experienced, tell their SPO not to be so ridiculous? That there's a rate for the job? That role boundaries have meaning?
No, they cannot. Because they'll be 'disciplined', 'marked' & treated like shit. And another PSO will be groomed to pick up the tasks.
Because that's all this is. Grooming.
Bullies grooming staff to do inappropriate things.
Remember reading about it in your online training? Domestic abuse; sexual abuse; emotional abuse...
At least y'all might now have some empathy with the victims of those you supervise.
They introduced om, com, ro and pp to remove role boundaries. One size fits all!
DeleteFrom Twitter:-
Delete"This shouldn't be happening! This isn't saying a PSO isn't capable, it's highlighting POs are paid more to manage higher risk cases."
This is not just a matter of pay or experience, but doesn’t the case allocation tiering framework outline that that high risk cases or tier B upwards, must be allocated to a PO and not a PSO? And if this is any deviation of this, I struggle to see a PSO being disciplined for raising this
DeleteFrom Twitter:-
ReplyDelete"I am a probation officer. Always have been and will be until I retire. My signature state’s probation officer and when I’m person I introduce myself as a probation officer. I’m not an OM, COM OR PP!"
It’s mostly pso’s that call themselves om’s, ro’s, com’s and pp’s. Most po’s I know retain the probation officer title. It’s the title we trained for and says so on contracts. I always introduce myself as po and write it on emails, letters and reports. Even when attending formal meetings asking for the om, ro or com I introduce myself as the po.
DeleteIt’s a shame managers and that bloody useless probation institute were so quick to call us by om, ro and com without asking what we preferred
From Twitter:-
Delete".. and similarly I am a PSO, although I have always thought the title confusing. I never qualified and have never wanted to as I don't want to manage high risk (or medium, even though I am) that's a POs role that they've trained and get payed to do."
From Twitter:-
ReplyDelete"Can't bring myself to say people on probation or POPS, although its better than offender. Luckily, I'm on YOT secondment currently so don't have to! I wanted to be, worked hard to become, qualified as, and progressed as a Probation Officer. Nothing else."
Whoever wrote this rude disrespectful email doesn’t have a clue about work environments.
ReplyDeleteStaff sitting at their desks doesn’t mean they’re not busy.
It’s ok not to answer phones when in the middle of something.
Some emails need investigation and it’s ok not to reply until ready.
If visitors arrives early it’s ok to wait until scheduled times.
It’s ok for reception to say if phones are unavailable and tell early arrivals to wait.
Why must interview rooms be booked are there only one or two?
Why are phones being unplugged are meetings being interrupted by phone calls?
Why are you carrying panic alarms is this for every visitor?
Why does “everyone need to chip in” are cover and allocation measures inadequate?
Where are your managers they can chip in too??!!
Here here
DeleteFrom Twitter:-
ReplyDelete"It's all changed now. They're being made to take high risk cases, a lot of them are applying for PQiP because there's no point in getting a PSO wage for doing the PO work. This is leaving PSO jobs empty. Have you seen the civil service website? HMPPS is crying out for staff.."
Been like this for years and seem to me po qualification means nothing anymore. The weakened arguments of risk assesment are a complete joke on pos now. Pso grades have done the jobs easily and no difference exists in the duties. It's just the pay. I think pos will be downgraded soon enough. All we need is the status based on training modules in house and that's a clear signal to pay equalisation and or downgrades.
DeleteFrom Twitter:-
Delete"I can honestly say in my office no high risk cases are held by PSO’s."
"I second this, I’ve never ever known PSOs manage high risk cases."
From Twitter:-
Delete"They are (I know two offices doing it) and some of them are being 'overseen' by POs but in reality the PSOs do all the work and POs never bother looking at the cases again. And the PSOs aren't PQIPs either so it's not a shadowing case. All down to staffing crisis."
From Twitter:-
Delete"Oh I can definitely believe it, @katielomas99
@taniabassett NAPO might be interested? Co-working arrangements common pre TR in my office but not since (possibly as lost most of PSOs). PQiP policy clear - PO retains responsibility at all times & must see case monthly as minimum."
What might these two be interested in exactly ? It is napos failures that put us here and it is these two who are known for doing nothing but appeasing management.
DeleteFrom Twitter:-
Delete"Whilst I agree with you on most aspects, having just completed PQiP after being a PSO for 17yrs + I can honestly say there is a big difference in between the grades and expectation! The training has helped me reflect on my knowledge and will def’ make me a better officer."
The training does help but it’s what you learn on the job that counts.
DeleteA pso can do po work. There’s not much difference between the two.
Some can’t but then some po’s can’t do po work either.
Haahahahhaa too bloody right they don't . I am a pso 20 years case management and a CRC. Pos did fa in crcs we did it all. I am Nps now and I still have majority hr cases. By the way this po oversight is total bs . They don't ask don't look don't care. Nor do I anymore.
DeleteFrom Twitter:-
ReplyDelete"If anyone is concerned about inappropriate case allocation they should speak to their local Napo reps so that it can be raised at regional level. Tiering and case allocation guidance is clear about which cases can be allocated to who!"
From Twitter:-
Delete"Thirded. Rigorously enforced rule in my area. Even if a PSO has managed the case for a long time, if risk escalates to high then the case transfers to a PO."
The CRC’s had many SPO’s who weren’t qualified Probation Officers. Some became senior managers. I’ve known Directors that have never supervised offenders. If they can make decisions about high risk offenders then why can’t PSO’s be paid to do so too?
DeleteIn busy offices pso’s are left to hold high risk cases.
ReplyDeleteBecause risk increased and no po to allocate to.
Because they were on office duty and continued to see the case for weeks or months after.
Because they were doing the work for the absent po holding the case.
Happens a lot. It shouldn’t but it does.
Just as many cases should be or recently were high risk are allocated to pso’s.
DeleteToo much focus on allocation based on risk level rather than the time, resource and expertise needed.
Probation work and status defined by risk level is where it all went wrong.
Aha!! At last:
Delete"Probation work and status defined by risk level is where it all went wrong."
OK, so its not where it *all* went wrong but it IS where the hyperbole & hyperventilating & risk aversion got in the way of 'doing the job'; where the loss of understanding & lack of understanding about the probation role was replaced by models & algorithms & a keyboard.
Risk is not as simple as Low, Med & High.
https://www.justiceinspectorates.gov.uk/hmiprobation/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2021/06/Academic-Insights-Kemshall.pdf
"Since the early 1990s, risk has dominated much of probation practice, driven by both policy and media concerns, and fuelled by high profile risk management failures"
RIPP it up 1998: Kempshall gave us Risk in Probation Practice as a response to "a recent crisis in the probation service of offenders committing crimes while on probation, prompting a re-evaluation of risk assessment of offenders with the potential for probation."
This was the beginning, when any number of folk started to monetise risk in probation work; when markets for snake oil opened up; and when senior home office staff saw the opportunity to slice-&-dice, to divide-&-rule, to put everything in electronic boxes.... cue Danny Clark and his amazing OASys.
The risk averse manager's wet dream soon became eOASys - fetch me some more tissues while I do it remotely.
Minority Report? Nothing will predict the next murder, or suicide, or rape. Shit happens because people & their lives are complex & complicated.
But not one OASys will protect probation staff from being villified &/or crucified. There will always be sacrificial lambs.
A friend's experience (not verbatim):
I sat with a man I'd never met before, in a prison interview room, doing a parole assessment & my blood ran like ice as he stared at me with his dead eyes telling me he had never hurt anyone in his life. I excused myself after ten minutes. (He was serving 11 years for attempt murder, rape & gbh).
I told my SPO I couldn't possibly recommend release.
"Why not?"
"Well, I'm pretty certain he'll seriously hurt or kill someone. He's extremely angry & not bothered about how angry he is or that he shows it."
"Where's the evidence? His last OASys says he's done well inside & Medium Risk. Once you've pulled it through your Risk Management Plan will cover that."
"No. It won't. I can't recommend release. He needs an independent medical assessment. He's not well."
"OASys says nothing of this. After *just* ten minutes are you saying there's something *we've* all missed?"
"Yes."
"Just do the OASys & get the RMP written up. We'll discuss it again."
I completed a new OASys. I completed an additional assessment tool, the HCR-20*, which indicated areas of concern.
SPO would not agree to signing off High Risk because "OASys does not recognise the HCR-20".
I refused to move on my assessment & refused to complete Parole Report.
A.N.Other, a chum of the SPO's, did the parole report & recommended a release package. The prisoner never attended at the approved premises on day of release. He was arrested two days later in possession of several weapons, but fortunately before he had caused any injury to anyone.
PR - & human - disaster narrowly averted.
I was disciplined after a protracted period of reviews & panels that took several months. One 'issue of concern' was the fact I'd used a non-standard risk assessment tool to justify myself.
Shortly afterwards I left & I've had no desire to return to work for any probation service provider since. Fuck that shit.
*The HCR-20 is a 20-item structured clinical guide for the assessment of violence risk intended for use with civil psychiatric, community, forensic, and criminal justice populations. I had been trained to use it in a previous role.
There are hero's well done you stick up for yourself and intuitive knowledge they shaft you. They miss the details you saved were right then. Bastards.
DeleteKemshall was wrong. Past behaviour is not the best predictor of future behaviour. That bread and butter algorithm that it is, wholly conflicts with the belief that people can change.
DeleteDo people write these comments when they're drunk?
ReplyDeleteHick #£-poberly ,,,
DeleteWhat is certain probation looks back fondly but it was not the answer in a modern world but it may well have been better than this. One thing for certain is the change will happen as the old guard are now gone all but a few remonstrating duffers and whining retirees who don't let go. The fact is this is a new order and they call the tune. Sad as it is it has to be said.
Delete"the old guard are now gone all but a few remonstrating duffers and whining retirees who don't let go. The fact is this is a new order"
ReplyDeleteAnd there it is. The future. The New Order is here.
Spurr must be purring with delight
Oxford English: "Hitler's planned reorganization of Europe under Nazi rule."
Perhaps Putin's planned reorganisation of Europe under Z-rule?
Now, back to the drink...
You can't push the genie back in.
DeleteCurt and poor use of punctuation. I must insist that people stop using an ! to make a point. This service can not go forward when commas are misplaced and sentences are structured in such poor manner. Mediocrity is something we senior managers aspire to on a regular basis and staff need to help us achieve by not unplugging phones. Mangled syntax, exclamation mark, bold text. Unintended but hilarious nonetheless.
ReplyDeletefeast & famine - the fickle world of probation.
ReplyDeleteHas the person unplugging the telephones in the interview rooms been caught yet?
ReplyDelete"the old guard are now gone all but a few remonstrating duffers and whining retirees who don't let go. The fact is this is a new order"
ReplyDeleteWhy, or how is the "New Order" probation better for anyone, staff, service users, or even the public, then the probation service run by the "Old Guard" whining retirees?
How and why does the "New Order" negate the need for the model of probation adopted in the past?
Could the difference really be that the "New Order" is about personal ambition within the service for some, rather then the delivery of a public service for all?
'Getafix
There are pros and cons of both. Neither are better. The red tape and monotonous tick box procedures are now worse.
DeleteProbation culture is utterly toxic, weak management, complicit unions and appalling behaviour from staff which would not be tolerated in any other organisation
ReplyDeleteSo DPWorld decided P&O was not a viable business unless they shed their expensive experienced staff & replaced them with unqualified, inexperienced staff paid on a lower rate.
ReplyDeleteWhat was TR1 but the UK govt doing exactly the same to Probation via the CRCs?
" “Yesterday we were advised, due to Government privatisation plans and the take over by Sodexo, probation services across Essex would see a third of its workforce slashed by the end of the summer... “We are really concerned the terms we negotiated for members, in terms of voluntary redundancies, look like they aren’t going to be honoured... A Sodexo Justice Services spokesperson said: “We are in the process of sharing our plans with employees across the six community rehabilitation companies that we operate, including Essex CRC.” "
The earliest consultations with bidders clearly identified that to make the CRCs viable there had to be significant staff losses & that's exactly what happened. In many cases (certainly Sodexo)it was 'take this severance package or we'll sack you & you get nothing'. This despite the already-negotiated EVR which staff were briefed about.
To be fair there was one difference with the P&O debacle though... the Unions were consulted & agreed to the government's action.
Her Majesty's Government, HMG Opposition & the Probation Trade Unions ALL colluded to facilitate TR & enrich private companies with monies that should have been paid to probation staff.
How was this allowed? Why was there never a public outcry? Why (with one or two notable exceptions) didn't MPs raise their voice?
Now we have half-arsed pseudo civil service provision controlled by right wing bureaucrats, & a broadly new, inexperienced, malleable workforce in the thrall of self-interested bullies & lickspittles.
As 06:11 says... "Probation culture is utterly toxic, weak management, complicit unions and appalling behaviour from staff which would not be tolerated in any other organisation"
And Getafix: "Could the difference really be that the "New Order" is about personal ambition within the service for some, rather then the delivery of a public service for all?"
If anyone has access to senior probation staff twitter you'll be able to see all of the Regional Probation Directors raising their glasses on a night out in Manchester - presumably on expenses. Cheers!! (which reminds me, I had a drink somewhere...)
Deletehttps://www.routledge.com/The-New-Psychology-of-Leadership-Identity-Influence-and-Power/Haslam-Reicher-Platow/p/book/9780815363828
DeleteThis groundbreaking book provides a refreshing introduction to the field of leadership and is jam-packed with theoretical and practical insights derived from a wealth of applied scientific research conducted by the authors and their colleagues around the world over the last three decades.
It starts from the premise that leadership is never just about leaders. Instead it is about leaders and followers who are joined together as members of a social group that provides them with a sense of shared social identity – a sense of "us-ness". In these terms, leadership is understood as the process through which leaders work with followers to create, represent, advance, and embed this sense of shared social identity. The new edition of this award-winning book presents a wealth of evidence from historical, organizational, political and sporting contexts to provide an expanded exploration of these processes of identity leadership in action. In particular, it builds upon the success of the first edition by examining the operation of identity leadership in contemporary society and fleshing out practical answers to key organizational and institutional challenges.
Drawing on real-world examples and rich data sources, this book will appeal to academics, researchers, and students of psychology, business, and management, as well as to practitioners, policy makers, and anyone interested in the workings of leadership, influence, and power.
The difference between TR and P&O is that it was managed by government and the staff and unions were not strong enough. No judicial review, crc staff sold down the river, inflated wages for senior crc management. Once the split NPS not interested. P&O lowest redundancy package £15000. Some upto £100000. Most of those staff wont want the jobs back.
ReplyDeleteThere were proceedings at judicial level the pair of chairs Paterson and the forgotten one made a mess of the submissions along with the cowboy yahoo Mr Lawrence. The trio to date have kept the true details from all members. More of their legacy. The Tories knew the move by p and o was legitimate but are clawing back a little as they don't want to see a trend develop by big employers doing exactly the same fire and rehire on even less pay. Of course they will in the long run and the Tories continue to take the gravy while the ignorance of this electorate let them in time and time again. Same as Napo then . However,as offices close COVID bounce brexit reduces the market PO carry less freight the Ukraine farm stocks fall off the market we shall all the cold of the failures of party boy liar Johnstone. Good luck all.
DeleteA change in the law signed off by former Conservative minister Chris Grayling cleared the way for P&O Ferries to legally sack 800 staff last week without telling the government, a leading maritime lawyer has told Sky News.
ReplyDeleteLegislation to protect employees in the UK was amended by Mr Grayling in 2018 so that the secretary of state does not have to be notified of mass redundancies on ships registered overseas.
https://www.thelondoneconomic.com/business-economics/business/failing-again-change-in-law-signed-off-by-chris-grayling-cleared-the-way-for-po-ferries-to-legally-sack-800-staff-317078/
DeleteKevin Barnett, head of employment at marine law specialists Lester Aldridge LLP, told Sky News that Mr Grayling’s amendment removed the need to notify the government.
The Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992 was amended by statutory instrument in February 2018."
https://statutoryinstruments.parliament.uk/instrument/OuDVE7lI/timeline/yqiRbFce/
* SI created 15 Jan 2018
* Before Lords 16 Jan 2018 - paperwork procedure
* Before HoC 16 Jan 2018 - "Papers subject to Negative Resolution... Business in this section has not yet been scheduled for a specific date."
"59.TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT
Secretary Chris Grayling - That the draft Seafarers (Insolvency, Collective Redundancies and Information and Consultation Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 2018, which were laid before this House on 15 January, be approved.
Notes: The Instrument has not yet been considered by the Joint Committee on Statutory Instruments."
* 24 Jan 2018 - Draft instruments requiring affirmative approval by Joint Committee:
Draft S.I. Seafarers (Insolvency, Collective Redundancies and Information and Consultation Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 2018
* 24 Jan 2018 - Draft Instrument ordered to be printed by HoL (motion to approve the SI)
* 30 Jan 2018 - it was one of many "Instruments not drawn to the special attention of the House... No concerns raised by Scrutiny Committee"
* SI Debated in Committee on Tuesday 6 February 2018
Nusrat Ghani (Con): "In simple terms, the purpose of both sets of regulations is to ensure that seafarers and share fishermen, where employed, are provided with the same level of employment protection as those working on UK soil with regard to insolvency, collective redundancies..."
Karl Turner (Lab): "It is unclear whether the protections set out in the draft regulations will apply to seafarers working on foreign-registered vessels"
Ghani: "it is important to note that the draft regulations have support from across the House, from the unions and from everybody involved in the sector."
Question put and agreed to.
BUT... the key bit of legislation was actually snuck in ELSEWHERE:
"provisions of the seafarers directive on participation in European works councils & notification of collective redundancies... will be provided for by the Seafarers (Transnational Information and Consultation, Collective Redundancies and Insolvency Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 2018 which were made under the negative resolution procedure and enter into force today... It may be noted that collective redundancies and insolvency appear in both instruments. Under the other instrument it provides new powers that place an obligation on an employer to notify the competent authority of the vessel’s flag state in the event of a collective redundancy involving the crew of a seagoing ship. In this regard the competent authority would be the Maritime and Coastguard Agency."
Grayling doesn't change - weasel that he is. The key bit of legislation that does all the damage is hidden in another instrument that was slipped through without scrutiny. Just like the double-speak over "no probation job losses" & the EVR that never was.
He truly is an enormous, bitter slice of turd.
Is this about cleaning up Britain? Or trying to clear up the huge backlog of hours built up in unpaid work?
ReplyDeletehttps://www.gov.uk/government/news/thousands-of-offenders-clear-tonnes-of-rubbish-to-keep-britain-tidy
'Getafix
Nothing to see here; no corrupt,venal or mendacious government in sight; no psychopath/sociopath holding ministerial office; no total eejit holding SoS position for justice or Lord High Executioner; no chancer or desperado holding office as PM; the UK is saved.
ReplyDeleteAll covid data cancelled.
All free covid tests cancelled.
Priti meets Israeli govt officials in UK.
Rishi says his wife's business is not of UK's concern.
PM jokes about trans & other gender issues, claiming they are a Labour myth. Then does a double backflip...
Fuel crisis is because Keir Starmer refuses to eat lamb
DNA proves Rees-Mogg is an extinct dinosaur
The Tory Party is just that; an organisation that endorses parties for Tories
And other shit you might wish to consider...
Policing minister Kit Malthouse has said the cost-of-living rise will be ‘tricky’ for his household, on the same day he is set to receive a pay rise of £2,212.
ReplyDeleteMPs’ salaries rose to £84,144 on Friday, up by 2.7%, after the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (IPSA) announced last month their pay would go up for the first time in two years.
Mr Malthouse, who as a minister of state earns an extra £31,680, making his total salary £115,824, said he was ‘feeling it very significantly’ due to the rise in oil price.
Dont'cha just ooze sympathy for this oversized greedy bastard who will be thinking about a food bank for lunch instead of 120 pounds a bottle of lunching wine with his tory chums. I bet he'll get a special arrangement for expenses as he does something else useless for the country these tories are disgusting .
We're desperately in need of a salary rise. Even if it's 3.1% like those on universal credit. Do you know that the hourly rate for top of Band 3 is 13.55 ph and hourly rate for over 25 on UC is 9.50 ph? Not much difference when you consider the responsibility/workload/pressure we are under. No wonder we're haemorraging staff
ReplyDeleteNot much better for Probation Officers on £30-37k a year to supervise on average 40-50 offenders daily for a crappy organisation without time for breaks, lunch or sleep.
DeleteThe organisation is a joke. Multiple disasters waiting to happen, public at an imminent risk of harm. PO's cant do our jobs properly, wellbeing of staff is a non priority. The solution "we can pay you overtime" "but you have to get it agreed and it has to be for specific pieces of work and doesn't include the general day to day drowning backlog of contact logs, registrations, alerts, enforcements etc". YES THANK YOU SO MUCH!! the solution I CAN WORK MORE! WOW I ALREADY WORK 42+ hours and build up TOIL I can never take but YES PLEASE MORE HOURS PLEASE!
ReplyDeleteAbsolute disgrace!
Judge Gregory Dickinson demanded to know why the Probation Service had allowed Bierton to be housed next-door to a woman who was a similar age to his previous victims.
ReplyDeleteHas she caught who unplugged the phones yet?
ReplyDelete