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April 16, 2008
HIRE CARS: THE INSTRUCTION
The chief officer sent an email to the staff at Town Quay office earlier today in which he referred to an instruction to fill the tanks of hire cars after use. An instruction from an employer has to be taken seriously as to defy leaves the employee at real risk of disciplinary action, including dismissal.
The procedure on hire cars was never agreed with Napo. It was imposed on Napo members. It must be almost twelve months now since we expressed the view that passing the financial burden over to members was unreasonable and that using petty cash or HPA credit cards would be fairer. Our arguments went unheeded. Now we are at the point of an instruction. We regard such an instruction as unreasonable and we will press this home in other forums, but for members we recognise that there is a need for clear advice. We are not going to advise you to willfully defy an instruction.
We know some members have expressed the view that they already feel bullied by this procedure and they have felt threatened by disciplinary action. Members are vulnerable if they willfully refuse an instruction. However, we also know that some members are not financially able to carry extra costs for up to six weeks before being reimbursed through expenses. To those members we advise, despite it being a demeaning experience, to make it clear that you cannot afford to fill the tank. Then seek the advice of HPA as to how you follow the chief officer’s instruction.
Napo has been repeatedly criticised by the chief officer for the stance we have taken on this issue. This branch can live with such criticism because not to have opposed this unfair and unreasonable procedure would have been us failing in our duty to represent the interests of members we serve. It is a sad state of affairs when an employer adopts such an attitude, but it does underscore why as a branch we must remain strong and united when facing unreasonable demands.
Posted by Hampshire at April 16, 2008 07:06 PM