TO: NAPO MEMBERS
And so this is Christmas
AND SO:
The contracts have been signed. Almost immediately a Howdy-Doody message from Rich Gansheimer, CEO, MTCnovo was posted on London-i followed by a personal letter from Nick and Rich to all CRC staff at their home address. Rich is apparently
“really keen to meet as many of you as possible and work is now being done to finalise dates and venues for a number of meetings through January and February next year. These will provide a great opportunity for you to hear more about MTCnovo, to meet my team and to listen to our plans for the future. They will also provide a good opportunity for you to raise any concerns or questions you have about MTCnovo.”
Details of forthcoming Staff Roadshows were circulated yesterday. I would urge members to attend. I (or one of the other Branch Officers) will be trying to attend as many of these meetings as possible. Rich is also keen to emphasise that:
“MTCnovo will approach this period of transition with care for our new colleagues as a priority”
and wishes to assure you all that:
“in terms of your day to day roles, nothing changes in the immediate period because our priority must be to ensure continuity in service delivery.”
The following day, the first mobilisation meeting took place between the Senior Management Teams of both the CRC and MTCnovo. The meeting was chaired by the MOJ. The first thing MTCnovo said that they wanted to do was to visit all CRC sites (presumably to see exactly what they have bought). Yesterday they were out surveying their estate in the Thames Valley area and today they are visiting St John's Street office (a prime piece of real estate in trendy Islington). The visits are being coordinated by Ann Potter (CRC Head of Estates) and we have asked that our Health & Safety Convenor David Raho be advised of the schedule of visits.
MTCnovo have been allocated six desks in BPR and, now that the cloak of commercial confidentiality has been lifted, have already started sharing information with senior managers in the CRC. I approached two of the CRC Senior Managers yesterday and asked if I too could be provided with information about how MTCnovo intends to deliver services when they assume full ownership on 1st February 2015.
Today I briefly met with two members of the MTCnovo Transition Team. I was advised that they would be presenting their “High Level Operational Solution” to SMT on Monday 29th December 2014. I was invited to attend this presentation but, like some members of SMT, I will be on leave on that day. I was however assured that a copy of the presentation would be made available to me and I have arranged to meet with Rebecca Grattan, Chief Operating Officer, on Monday 5th January 2015 to discuss their plans. So that’s my holiday reading sorted. I am interested to know what their plans are for delivering the services that the CRC have been contracted to provide by the MOJ.
AND SO:
What is happening in the NPS.
It is no exaggeration to say that national negotiations are in disarray. NAPO has an ever increasing list of issues they would wish to resolve but the inability of NOMS to engage in constructive and meaningful consultation is staggering. The fallout from this is being felt by all of you who work in the NPS particularly those of you in courts and who write PSR’s. The resource implications of introducing the RSR and CAS forms were not properly taken into account . The “official” guidance on how to complete these forms is eighteen pages long. A more “user-friendly” guide put together in one area still amounts to almost three pages of step by step instructions. This also assumes that you have all the information you need and that the IT systems are working properly. I have heard of calls being logged very quickly by the new NPS IT Helpdesk but then there being long delays in the problems being solved.
I am also hearing a rumour that, where reports are submitted later than two days before the date of hearing, the report author could be summonsed to attend the court to explain the delay. In my opinion, combining the additional work now required to complete a PSR with this requirement is a recipe for disaster. How do the powers that be expect you to cope?
And so this is Christmas.
The Branch Office will be closed from Wednesday 24th December and will re-open again on Monday 5th January. On the behalf of all the Branch Officers I would like to extend season’s greetings to you all and wish you a Happy New Year
Pat Waterman. Branch Chair.
Privateers are taking over the world, G4S have been given the contract to " look after" the paintings in the National Gallery. PCS union members are going on strike over Christmas, three days..
ReplyDelete38 Degrees are supporting them and they are asking for the support of the general public, donations signing petitions.
Thanks Pat A great message that was eagerly anticipated by your members. You have done a great job this year keeping Napo members informed in your own inimitable way. We have seen youand your activists taking the fight to Grayling Selyous etc and you are definitely on their naughty list.. You have been there at every rally and leading the campaign rain or shine. You have worked tirelessly for Napo during all the ups and downs and no one can doubt your straight talking no nonsense approach to dealing with senior managers etc. Sometimes it doesn't make you popular in certain quarters but those who know you (especially those who you have represented) know that no one else could have done it better. Have a good rest and recharge your batteries as we will need you in good voice in the New Year.
ReplyDeleteI genuinely expected people to be outraged when it became clear that NAPO's officers lied to us all about the reasons for halting the JR, the bogus account of winning 'crucial concessions' having now long since been plainly, publicly exposed as entirely hollow. I was going to comment on how they seem barely concerned to bolster or defend it, but a far more worrying truth would appear to be that they in fact have no need to trouble their selves so. I don't know if it's a reflection of the particular powerlessness that our people feel after all we've been through, or if it might be netter understood more as an outcome of the right's long and insidious campaign on all fronts to hoodwink working people more genuinely into believing politics at every level is somehow not their concern - that it's something complex or boring or beyond them that they cannot and should not try to influence - but most of the people working in probation, it would seem, in truth simply experience the Union acting in a fashion no better than the employers as something simply unsurprising or perhaps even inevitable. All are just alien others it would seem, their world of extravagantly paid people in suits attending high powered meetings bearing no relation to ours as they pursue interests and agendas utterly divorced from anything relating to our work, to our views, to our feelings, or to our lives... meanwhile, we trudge on, the future ever more frightening..
ReplyDelete'.out from the door of the farmhouse came a long file of pigs, all walking on their hind legs...out came Napoleon himself, majestically upright, casting haughty glances from side to side, and with his dogs gambolling round him.
He carried a whip in his trotter.
There was a deadly silence. Amazed, terrified, huddling together, the animals watched the long line of pigs march slowly round the yard. It was as though the world had turned upside-down. Then there came a moment when the first shock had worn off and when, in spite of everything-in spite of their terror of the dogs, and of the habit, developed through long years, of never complaining, never criticising, no matter what happened-they might have uttered some word of protest. But just at that moment, as though at a signal, all the sheep burst out into a tremendous bleating of-
"Four legs good, two legs better! Four legs good, two legs better! Four legs good, two legs better!"
It went on for five minutes without stopping. And by the time the sheep had quieted down, the chance to utter any protest had passed, for the pigs had marched back into the farmhouse'
Simon Garden
Perhaphs it might be because not all people take the same snide and sneering view as you pla. There is one of you in virtually every office, standing back and sneering but not actually getting involved.
DeleteIs that Ian?
DeleteI see nothing snide and sneering. It's fair comment about Napo's dissembling and their humble apologies. We are not concerned with typing errors here – union officials and officers, presumably by secret ballot, thought it was a good idea to lead the membership up the garden path. When ordinary mortals screw up, they usually face disciplinary action, but higher up the chain, errors are too easily excused. What occurred must be in breach of Napo's code of conduct.
DeleteYes, I know they have apologised and cited their extenuating circumstances – they were under pressure, which is a daily experience on the frontline. But their mea culpa is weak: It should be stated clearly that the 'concessions' were fictions.
So it's actually an adaptive response to become very cynical and references to Animal Farm are apt.
Animal Farm no less. Another cryptic crossword clue?
ReplyDeleteCheer up Simon people will resist, The New Era estate in East London have stopped their landlord from selling their homes by joining together and protesting on the streets of London. Russell Brand assisted and the whole thing is covered on youtube on a programme called "The Trews". The women, because it was mainly women, set up a Crowd funding account and with the help of Brand fought the bastards.
ReplyDeleteWhy was this not covered on the news, why are all the protests in Europe not covered on the news? Because they(the rich) are scared stiff that we will learn to fight back and organise. People have the power but as yet they do not realise it. Simon, go view it, we can do the same.
papa
Man sent back to prison for getting job that started too early in the morning
ReplyDeletehttp://gu.com/p/44e4y/tw via @guardian
Napo needs to engage with new employers and hear what they have to say on behalf of their members to hear how they intend to go about their business. It makes sense to deal with the world as it is not as we would like it to be. Powerful corporate interests are being assisted by governments to take over public sector contracts however determined the resistance happens to be. Napo are not rolling over but they are rolling with the resistance and prodding the machine with understandable caution. We might have to be content with small wins/agreements for now. What is needed is some unity and solidarity to get through tough times. The time for bitterness and recrimination seems to have passed and things need to move on.
ReplyDeleteNapo need to engage with the employer to protect their members, especially when TR fails as inevitably it will, though no doubt 'failure' depending on who is in government will be dressed up as something else - such as a step on a longer road.
DeleteThe interesting issue is whether England and Wales will finally disregard the experiences of what has been learnt from social work and particularly probation practice and move to an ever more correctionalist response to crime, and how long it will be before it is realised that for most law breakers that is a wrong approach, if one seeks to build a society at ease with itself.
2140, from a manager by any chance
Delete23:07 Engaging with new employers and starting a dialogue on behalf of members is what unions do and what Grayling personally refused to do calling Napo names. As a trade unionist I may well have different views on many matters to employers but there is an agreed process and structure and rules of engagement that has been established and we need to use this structure to talk to the new players. If they refuse then we lodge a dispute etc In answer to your possibly loaded question..... I am not currently a manager and have no wish to be one.
DeleteJust to respond to a point from several recent blogs. Serco Community Payback staff have got a 3% payrise already paid to them and we are going to be stuck with 0%.
ReplyDeleteYes but do you know what they have given up as a result....there will be amendments to terms and conditions ie, sick pay, holiday entitlement you can be certain...It's a sweetener, nothing more!
ReplyDeleteThe one thing I find hard in this process is that I passionately believe in a public sector probation service. Not split and not contracted out. But from an employee perspective, let's face it, we are rightly dubious of the private sector, but our public masters treat us with absolute contempt in every possible way. Thankfully I have found my escape route and 2015 will end my career as a probation officer. What a shame.
DeleteNo. There were no changes to terms and conditions. They are still on same terms aa when they left London Probation.
ReplyDeleteThere are pro Napo posters on this blog who remind me of those Japanese soldiers, still fighting the war in isolation, on Pacific islands, when it ended years before. Only difference is the Japanese put up a fight.
ReplyDeleteBet that sounded witty in your head. Then you had to go and write it down....
DeleteHi, I was being reflective, when I wrote it and think it is a very good analogy. BTW, I got my p45 yesterday after 20 plus years and come next Wed, there will not be a single person left in my office who was there 12 months ago. So, I stick by it and to the person who found it 'offensive', I can only imagine TR left you unscathed. Pfft.
Delete"BTW, I got my p45 yesterday after 20 plus years and come next Wed, there will not be a single person left in my office who was there 12 months ago."
DeleteSo very, very sad - take care my friend and best wishes for the future.
Jim
12;23 Welcome to Napo's world where whatever you say someone will find it offensive. Sorry to hear that you are leaving and appreciate what you are saying about your colleagues leaving too. Napo has suffered a series of severe setbacks and is down but not out. Most active members are focused on the job in hand and we realise we cannot turn back the clock. Happy that members like Jim are giving us all food for thought. Trying to move forward as positively as we can locally. Good luck and try to have a good Xmas
DeleteShame on you 00:42, that is offensive.
ReplyDeleteTo all colleagues prepared to resist TR for the integrity of our profession and the safety of our community, THANK YOU.
a PO
What interests me is the unending stream of vitriol from SG targeted at NAPO with not much to contribute to any of the other discussions. All this talk of corruption is laughable. The idea that NAPO officers have their own agenda which is at odds with the members is perverse as there are bound to be differing perspectives (as every strike reveals). It's a democracy and has room for a range of views. What matters is the voting and subsequent action. That's what keeps things running. NAPO has done a lot to assuage the gainsayers but there comes a point where the conspiracy theorists have to be left to their own obsessions and work needs to continue in the context as it presents itself. Grayling has given an undertaking to address concerns raised; it is a matter of record. Whether this was because of the abandoned JR or in spite of it is a moot point. I think the membership recognises this The bidders will hold him to account as much as the unions will seek to and if he fails to deliver the changes to the NPS and Prisons that are required to make it work, the bidders will not accept criticism for not delivering at their end. There is nothing to be gained by compromising our relationship with Interserve et al from the off and everything to be gained. In trade unions, you negotiate with your employer, not their commissioner. Opposition to TR has to take a different form now.
ReplyDeleteclearly you have been brainwashed or either worse in a managerial position or aspiring to become a manager hence the reason why you talking nonsense. in reading your comments I can see it's people like you who have contributed to the destruction of probation.
Delete20:50 A combination there of Napo and management bashing in one. How original and refreshing- not. It is easy to say others are talking nonsense without coming up without engaging in the bothersome thinking and effort required to come up with a plausible or constructive solution. Perhaps you would like to prove me wrong by kindly outlining in response what you would have done differently and tell us what you did from your armchair to stop the tide coming in. You remind me a bit of the guy at my local who props up the bar saying that everything is crap and everybody is talking rubbish (except him) but makes no effort and has no clue when it comes to doing something about it.
DeleteI wholly agree Anon 09.33, I tend to think those responsible for such vitriol must lack for an audience in their workplace.
ReplyDeleteWell said 20:56 Totally in agreement with 09:33 too. SG starting to sound bitter to my ear without adding much to the discussion
DeleteSometimes tho', there is a place for, if not bitterness, at least the timely reminder that all is not good and some decisions may require further scrutiny and reflection, and sometimes people should be held to account. How many times have you heard it said in your office 'we are where we are', as if yesterdays decision (however poor, misguided or downright dangerous) must just be sucked up and accepted without comment as the 'change machine' rolls relentlessly on. Friend, you may believe it prudent to just go with the flow, but some of us are either unwilling or unable to just 'let it be', so we keep banging that drum, even if we sound out of step with the status quo and bitter.
DeleteDeb
Well said debs. Wonderfully put.
DeleteI certainly wouldn't want things to go without comment but we must always remember that those we choose to criticise are human beings not automatons. There is a difference between stating your point passionately and repeatedly having a go to the point of causing offence. f someone is seeking to persuade another person to think differently then name calling and harsh words are usually ineffective. Witness the vitriol poured on poor Professor Pal Senior when he ventured to support the Probation Institute on this Blog. He has supported probation for years and was doing a lot for the campaign however after a barrage of criticism from some regular contributors on here I have heard very little from him since. He can defend himself but it must have been unpleasant to be heckled rather than engaged in reasonable debate.
DeleteThe fact is there is no reasonable debate and no fair process for members to be part of. Those in positions of power have disregarded, shut down, isolated alternative voices. The approach from my experience has been 'we know better' and NAPO have chosen to shake the hand with the devil for reasons if self interest. I can think of a number of examples to evidence this. When a victim in DV starts to resist and fights bk the perp criticises her for complaining i.e "there you go complaining again and having a go". This is what we are witnessing here. Paul Senior would have had more integrity defending the 'association' part of NAPO then supporting the probation institute funded by the MOJ.
Delete