We’ve heard something completely unbelievable about the Isle of Wight Council this morning.
VentnorBlog has seen an email sent to all council staff on Tuesday evening – as snow was falling on the Island – in which the council stated, “If anyone is unable to get into work due to bad weather, this time must be taken as annual leave or flexi time.”
Seemingly at odds is the council advice to Islanders not to make journeys unless absolutely necessary, while their still-standing advice to council staff is that they will have to knock days off their own holiday allowance if they can’t make it to work.
Council staff unhappy
Not surprisingly many staff at the council are pretty unhappy about this and have been in contact with their union representatives.
Mark Chiverton of Unison has been in touch with the council a number of times since Tuesday evening, but as yet, the council are sticking to their line about the holidays.
He told VB, “I and many of the council staff are dismayed at the council’s position. It compounds the general feeling of how the staff are being treated by the council, such as the still ongoing dispute over changes to car allowances.
“Besides the weather conditions, many staff are having to stay away from work to look after children, due to the council making the decision to close the schools.
“Obviously sense needs to be applied to this. It’s quite right that people who live right next to work should, if they can, get into work. What would be reasonable is a flexible approach by the council with people who can’t get into work because they live far away not being penalised.”
VB is contacting the council to find out their view on this and if they’re planning to change the position.
Update: This statement received by the council at 5.35pm
Stuart Love, IW Council director of economy and environment, said: “The council has requested that, during the inclement weather, staff who are not able to reach their place of work, fulfil their public service roles either in an alternative location or by working from home.
“In accordance with common practice up and down the country in both the public and private sectors, those unable to do this will be required to take leave or use flexi time to make up for their absence.
“Such an approach is, I am sure, supported by council tax payers particularly those who rely on the IW Council for services. It is also only fair on the great many staff who have made appropriate alternative arrangements or who have managed – often showing great determination – to attend work as normal.
“The advice has been that only necessary journeys should be taken while these conditions persist. We would hope that our staff would view the requirement to get into work as such a necessary journey.
“However there are bound to be some cases where special circumstances prevail and we will of course take such instances into account when deciding whether lost time needs to be made up.”
Image: Purpleslog under CC BY-SA 2.0
