At Last ... Some Action @ "Work" !!

... albeit still totally informal, still totally "up in the air" .. still pretty much up with the "I need to check with xxx and confirm with yyy etc etc etc .... " as noted yesterday lunchtime.

Still .. there's an "informal offer" to extend my working life for an extra 6-8 weeks (I guess they've finally realised that it's not that easy to say "sod off" without actually thinking it through - bloody amateurs ...). Tomorrow will see info from the puppeteers in India regarding what needs doing - then I guess it's up to me to either say:

1) "Go F*ck Yourselves";
2) "What's in it for me ?";
3) "Admit you goofed ?";
4) "Why has no-one noticed my OM tatto ? Thought that guaranteed my job for life" ...

or other such stuff ....

There are some "pros" - the statutory government redundancy "pay limit" goes up from £350 to £380 per year in October - so assuming these 6-8 weeks are not part of my notice period (if that is the case see option 1) above !!!!!) it's an extra £765 on my paltry lump sum ... tax free natch - could get pay till February 2010 rather than just before Christmas 2009 ...

I await tomorrow's info - and also something written down in black and white - every bugger else has had official "sod off" letters - I'm not making any decisions without some legally binding bits of paper ...

... would you ?

Football post to follow for you football people - based on last night's and tonight's action - honest ... !
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You Just Couldn't Make It Up ...

... unless you work (?) in the "Tower of Doom - Cheadle Hoom"...

An interesting week-end .. no mail on Saturday morning .. a 1-7 whupping for Stafford on Saturday afternoon ... a bit of a "walk" on Sunday (camera never came out of bag mind) and an evening in Tameside General Hospital !!! I've had what felt like a bit of a throat infection all week, making breathing a bit of a nuisance - by 1900 last night it had become a privilege rather than a right - eek (or rather gasp). After an hour or so on oxygen, nebulisers, various blood tests and a chest x-ray, the pronouncement was "a throat infection" - so now I'm on rather large amounts of penicillin, prednisolone etc - and the swelling around the windpipe is now easing off ...

... enough in fact to turn up at "T.o.D.C.H." this very morning - to find out that ALL the death/reprieve letters WERE sent out on Friday ... apart from two ............ yes you've guessed it ... me and my Boss. Straight on to HR - who obviously knew about this (lack of sending letters) on Friday but didn't have the guts/competence/compassion to tell us. Apparently (still rumour/conjecture) "they" want both of us to work for another two months ...

... (silence) ...

Now then ... is this two months part of the three months notice - or are they delaying the "start of notice" until 3rd November - a sensible question, suitably asked. "Errr ... I need to speak to xxx - who may need to check with yyy - and then probably get the deal typed up and approved by zzz" - that was 1030 this morning - "We will make this our top priority today" - it's now 1400 ...

Out of here early doors anyway to pick up yet more drugs - and then onward to Hurst Cross tonight to see Ashton United take on Burscough. I note from their site this lunchtime that a former stalwart of the club Graham O'Neill died yesterday - at a very young age. Tributes are coming in on the Ashton United message board, and no doubt there will be a moment's reflection on this sad loss, later today ... RIP Graham.
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.. And so it drags on ...

... Postman Pat came - and Postman Pat went ... leaving only a flyer from that useless union.

Until Monday I remain ... employed ?

Off to Stalybridge in an hour or so - thence to Droylsden ...
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Expecting the word tomorrow ...

.... leaving "work" tonight - I said to Dennis (doing reception duties), "Have you had ... ?" "Yes" was the reply - he'd had a pile of envelopes delivered to reception from HR to put into the "Royal Mail Bag" ...

The bigwigs had been in a Board Meeting since early doors today - so we can safely assume (??) that the finishing touches have been sorted (PILON etc) and tomorrow morning the "Letter of Finality" will arrive with some concrete information ref finish date and all the relevant sh*t that goes with it ...

With Mossley Postie arriving as late as midday ... I won't be dashing downstairs at 0730 like some - all will be revealed later - possibly before I hit the road to Droylsden. I've also noticed that Alfreton are "in town", playing at Hyde United, so it's a fair certainty that Wozza and the boys will be in Stalybridge Buffet Bar tomorrow lunchtime - so I'll probably go for a quick meet (and a quid on the "guess the attendance" sheet !) before heading off down the Ashton Road to Droylsden ....

Might be back later - well this IS a bit early for me !!!! And we will be looking out for the Mossley score tonight (away @ Warrington Town) - after 28 minutes it's 1-0 to Warrington - arse .....
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"None the Effing Wiser"

OK - meeting @ 0830 - good ol' Northern Rail contrive to make the 0724 train 25+ minutes later - so we all dash for the "little 354 bus" that gets you into Stalybridge just in time to miss the Piccadilly train - which fortunately was 6 minutes late so ... success, and the 0804 to Cheadle Hulme was successfully caught as well. Arrive a couple of minutes late - to find the meet has been put back to 1430 - un-effing-believable ....

Then .. the 0900 video conference with the "boys from India" finally got underway at 0950 (they'd all buggered off to lunch - so why arrange a conference at 0900 our time - yep total "heads of dick" really ) - 60 minutes later they said "thanx - tara" (or words to that effect) - either they were so overwhelmed by the scope of said system - or they didn't really give a toss anyway ....

Still work to do (including setting up stuff for two new starters - honest !!!!!) ... laughable but true ... and the 1430 meet finally took place @ 1445. All I found out was my final redundancy payment (already worked that out myself) and the number of weeks notice (already worked that out myself) ... still no "final date" - or whether PILON (payment in lieu of notice for those who don't know !) - or whether work my notice ... what a joke. Have to be honest mind - my interviewer (who was troubled by my "attitude" @ first meeting) seemed more "human" this time around - he was almost as peed off as I was !! So - the uncertainty continues .. I pointed out that I WILL appeal (see "handover notes stuff" from last night) - if all 70+ of us appeal, we'd probably find that a good percentage have valid cases - but none of us can do owt until we get our "letters of doom".

Also heard today that one of our crew who re-located to the new Abu Dhabi office with wife and family about 12 months back was given his notice a couple of days ago as well - I moan about my situation, but that is a real p*sser don't you think ???

Simon Carves/Punj Lloyd - just don't go there ...
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Wednesday ...

... an interesting day indeed. Spent the morning chasing round Salford/Walkden with "small boy" sorting out some further education - success - he's now on a course doing something he's interested in (Animal Care/Management) - no thanks to our local 6th Form College in Ashton who 24 hours earlier had suggested a daily commute to Reaseheath College - in Nantwich (check it out - 4+ hours a day travel - laughable) !!!

Made it to 'work' for lunchtime - my "second redundancy consultation interview" (viz the second "going through the motions interview") is now set for 0830 tomorrow morning - my train gets me in for 0825 so I should make it - but to me it's just another episode in the "We'll make it hard for you because we don't really give a toss" saga.

And guess what ?? I've been asked to put together some "handover notes" - you know, from my "non-existent job"... The phrase was "I know where you're coming from, but you wouldn't sh*t on your mates would you ??". And I'm sure that "da management" are thinking EXACTLY the same thing - that appeal sounds all the more tempting/relevant doesn't it ?? Especially as shortly after that pointless interview I have to go into a demo of our Business Management System to 'our glorious leaders' in India. I reckon they think it's a little spreadsheet system - when WE know it's our fundamental Financial/Invoicing and Time Reporting system - I know that Oracle database backwards - no bugger else does - that appeal sounds all the more tempting/relevant doesn't it ??

There are some other "irons in the fire" as well here - but I'll tell you now - they do not involve UNITE the Union - they were next to useless during our redundancy "exercise" back in February this year - so much so that I resigned as Union rep - and I'm led to believe from others who've been in contact this time around that they are similarly "less than forthcoming" - now if we were high profile like Diageo or LDV, they may have got off their arses and done something - but a paltry 20+ members in a failing company doesn't make for good national publicity does it ? Sad but true ....

Look back through the posts - tomorrow (3rd) was supposed to be the day when the "notice" letters were sent out - we're already overrunning - nothing official has been said, just rumour of course (symptomatic of ...) - and don't forget our HR Department is NOT getting hit this time either. India may well be pulling the strings and calling the tunes, but we do have a totally clueless set-up at this end as well (we all know of course that everything went pear-shaped when "HR" took over from "Personnel" !) .. but enough for now ...

... anyone interested in football ?? Mossley's game this weekend away at Warrington Town has been switched to Friday night - apparently in an attempt by Warrington to boost their attendance. Just a shame they'd not taken away support into account (I know a few - including me) who won't be taking up the offer, especially as the ground is far from the railway station, and it's virtually impossible to get back to Mossley via train that late ... I bet they don't try this when Halifax Town are coming to Cantilever Park. So - it's a Saturday game for me down at the Butchers Arms when Droylsden entertain Stafford Rangers - a chance for a natter with Droylsden's snapper Carl (not seen since the Manky Cup Final @ Oldham last season) and a second chance to see the Rangers this season - just hope they do better than they did in the PSF at Kidsgrove !!!

Had a nice holiday in Britanny though - can't take that away from 2009 - here's one from Carnac just to "take minds off sh*t" again (double-click for "bigger" as they say)..



More tomorrow - no doubt ...
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Thursday - late..

Major depression continues ... god I am so hacked off with work - how can one side (viz the management) say "your job is redundant" while people on the "other side" (viz the real workers) continue to ask for stuff to be done ??? Strange innit ..

There's one song that is going around my head at the moment - "Don't Stop Believing" by Journey - don't know why - just is.

One more day - and then ten days away in Britanny - might help me to chill out - get a decent night's sleep - ease off on the beer and fags (a bit !!!) - and finally get my head around leaving somewhere where I've been for 24 years and look for somewhere and something new - but who wants an "over 50" in IT these days ?? Might give me time to think about a total "career change" indeed.

Spotify brings me that Journey tune once again - just after another great fave as in "It's All Too Much" by Steve Hillage - I think it's time for bed - guaranteed another crap night's sleep, waking up about 0430/0500 and lying there until 0630 - been going on for weeks - seriously ! It's only been the football days/nights really that have kept me semi-sane - these few days "en France" may well help me to make a number of decisions vis-a-vis the future - I've got the job description for the "vacant post" on the org charts - it's not really "floating my boat" to be honest - and should I really be grasping at straws to stay at a place which may well go "bump" before Christmas ?? Appeals ?? Redeployment ?? Or should I say "F**k 'em - it's just not worth it"...........
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Wednesday "Meeting"

... a complete waste of time - going through the motions of a 30 day "at risk" consultation whilst knowing full well that it's pointless - yes I can read organisational charts as well. We began with "How are you feeling ?". I replied with "That's pretty much a rhetorical question isn't it ?" - to receive the reply "If you're going to have an attitude .... etc" - wow - amazing reaction thought I. This guy "doesn't know me from Adam" (his words) - so God only knows what he's supposed to do - believe he's getting my boss (also "out") to fill in the tricky bits - which are pointless anyway as there's no-one for my "score" to be measured against.

I said I would appeal - I said I would apply for the one vacant post on the org chart - why the hell not ? Further irony later today - job mentioned earlier in the week (half done - waiting further information) suddenly became "urgent" - apparently the "safe" manager who requires the work may have had some serious input into the org chart ... watch my enthusiasm, ho ho ! (OK I'll have a look at it tomorrow - cus I'm nice - but the phrase "Your function is redundant" has taken on a whole new meaning this week - this being one of a number of "jobbies" that have arrived - and been done - naturally)

"Management" becomes (maybe always was ...) the new five letter word - that's a four-letter word with an "s" on the end ...
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Late Quickie ...

... for the Tiscali user (IP 79.71.105 - plus more - I'm nice) who checked out my website 15 minutes ago - to the best of my knowledge there is no BNP Party in Mossley England - hopefully you were looking for the Newtownabbey Ireland version (where BNP is rife) - but if you're ever up at Seel Park you'll know what I look like won't you ? (amazing what you can discover on websites innit !)
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Redundancy Countdown #1.1

Just for fun .. the rather meaningless "at risk" letter received today has had an accident in our back yard ... can't understand how....

Redundancy Countdown #1

At home - yep had a quick one in the "Penny Black" before the train - Greene King IPA for those interested @ £1-75 (!) Home via Buffet Bar and a quickie in the Brit - read letter - pretty much the same letter as February - just changed the date at the top - have replied to HR via Webmail pointing out that I feel I cannot return the compliment to the phrase "Thank you for your support during what I appreciate is a very difficult time" - could you ??? At least in February we all had a sporting chance - but when your job title ain't on the org chart the complete "at risk"/"30 day consultation period" charade does become totally meaningless. To add insult to injury I was approached this afternoon by an (obviously safe) "management person" ref setting up a new database to sort out "some stuff" - yeah right ... my initial retort was "Have you confused me with someone who DOES give a f**k ?) However I've started it (pro to the end !!). Naturally there is the "right of appeal" - reckon I'll do that anyway if only to p*ss people off and point out certain things ... meanwhile a useful link for other potential "dolescum" is this ...

Work out how little they value you ..

... yep 24 years LOYAL SERVICE gives me a lot less than ten grand - because we know that we will only get the statutory - because .....(I could put all sorts of stuff in here but I'll leave it - for now).

Into work tomorrow ?? Might as well - I've got a weekly rail ticket - would be a shame to waste it ...

Photos ?? Can't be *rsed ...yet
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The Fickle Finger of Redundancy ...

... finally points in my direction - the "at risk" letter has arrived at home apparently - and having seen the "proposed organisation chart" .... my job title ain't there - there now follows a "30 Day Consultation Period" - 'charade' if you like - and on the 3rd September 2009 (just realised ... 70 years to the day since World War II began) we get the official "bye bye"..... and if they expect me to work my three months notice - they are sadly sadly mistaken.

No football tonight - leaving work in 12 minutes - and will sit outside the pub across the road muttering various expletives under my breath ... might even take some photos to "mess with" tonight !!
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The Odds Get Shorter ...

... announcement came at 0930 today - up to 80 people to go (that's out of a total of 130 staff) - no doubt more information to come (they've promised letters tomorrow - which naturally I won't see until I get home in the evening - such are the hours worked by the "Postmans Pat" these days !!) ... a lunchtime drink seems likely today however. Then Glossop tonight ...and 90 minutes to take one's mind off stuff.
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Here we go again !!!

.... sorry folks it's back to that thing called "work" - and yes I did the "clustered server sync" - now I have 537 mail files on one server and 536 on t'other - I'll find the missing bugger tomorrow !! I reckon it's the closest thing to sync that we've had since .... ever .. OK since the early 90's when we had cc:mail - and I was the Administrator (oh for the days of command line admin - oh and don't get me onto Novell Netware 3.11 - happy days indeed !) ..

No it's the "announcement" thingy mentioned last night - what it should have said was "(Last) Friday's announcement, which was delayed until this Wednesday has now been delayed until later in the week - or possibly early next week"... says it all really. Just for interest, our parent company sent out what can only be described as an "Employee Satisfaction Survey" right in the middle of the last redundancy exercise (check out Feb 2009 posts for more info on "How I was Saved" etc etc). The other parts of the group (India, Singapore etc) posted scores of 60-65% - the UK arm figure was 19% - yes 19% - so the solution was to get rid of our "top brass" (with tasty 'compromise payoffs' no doubt) and install new people up top - and then continue with the almost total lack of communication that we had previously - we're getting phone calls etc from people who DON'T EVEN WORK FOR US who seem to know a damn sight more than we do - crazy but true ! Anyway "word on the street" is yet more redundancies - between 20 and 99 naturally ... we wait and see yet again ... OGL was on Indian telly on Monday - the interesting bit of the transcript is (sic naturally ..) ..

Q: Can you give any update can give on Simon Carves or is it most of the provisioning has been done on that one and have you taken any further steps to restructure that company?

A: We are reducing the workforce quite dramatically over there because we are not seeing future for the services business in UK at all and also based on past experience we felt it was more prudent to shift that capability to other locations in the world if we have to retain that. In any case their primary focus is petrochemicals and that sector of our space is pretty much fallen-off for the near-term at least so we are waiting on that. But in terms of restructuring there has been significant restructuring and we are pretty much provisioned for everything barring probably the USD 2–3 million in write down of the redundancy of people, etc.

(end of transcript)

Naturally, most of the "USD 2-3 million" will be to pay off the sacked top brass (some probably already used to pay off the previously sacked upper management) - once again the lower level "victims" will get next to f**k all - that's guaranteed.

Why do we (or some of us) bother "being good"/"being loyal"/"being efficient" - from the grabbing b*st*rds at our place, to the grabbing b*st*rds in "Banking/the City", to the grabbing b*st*rds in the House of Commons - and "nice bonus payment for failure" being the norm ... it's a fine argument for ineptitude/criminality ... isn't it ?

Maybe later - Stafford have lost 3-2 @ Worcester - no idea yet on the Stone Doms v Stalybridge Celtic game tho'

LATE UPDATE (2330) - apparently Stalybridge have lost 5-0 @ Stone Dominoes - no more details yet (can only assume Trudge up front and Captain Birdseye in the net) - and I nearly forgot ...... it was on the 15th July 1986 that I joined Simon Engineering as a trainee computer programmer ... yep 24 years tomorrow ....

LATER UPDATE (0015) - the 5-0 score was apparently a "wind-up" - Stalybridge celtic have actually beaten Stone Dominoes 4-0 ..

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SAFE !

... just back from Lancaster (via a hike up and round Pendle Hill) - pix uploading on big pc - back later - the title of this one however .... says it all really ..... shame a similar result was not forthcoming at the Giant Axe .
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In the words of Yosser Hughes ...

.... GIZZA JOB !!

... because I'm on the "hit list"

... but for now - it's holiday time ..
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