Fit for a Prince too!

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A few weeks ago Ann spent a five-days in London 'going back to school' learning about Projects in a controlled environment (zzzzzzzzzzz!) � alias PRINCE2.

The Course would ultimately lead to a formal qualification in project management and it's a great qualification to have when managing any project. From my experience, its an absolute must-have for managing projects for the public sector too.
It was a gruelling five days and very intensive, but Ann got through the FIRST exam � and passed. On the Friday, the final day, Ann undertook the SECOND exam � much more rigorous and very nerve wracking! Ann didn't know on the day whether she had passed or not, and was told that she'd have to wait a few weeks to find out�

Today was the day � and Ann passed! Yippee!!!

Ann's new job: Day 1

8.08am: Ann starts her new job today and has only got to travel to Northampton (for today, anyway).

...it beats getting the 6am train from Kettering to London!!!

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Return to 'The Pheasant', Keyston

We took a return trip to our favourite restaurant, The Pheasant at Keyston to celebrate Ann's last day of unemployment before she starts her new job on Monday. At the start of her 'rest period' we'd also eaten there.
It was already busy when we arrived at 7.20�and it got busier! . After a glass of wine for Ann and a cider for me, we eventually got to our table around 7.45. We tucked into 'Devils-on-Horseback' (Ann) and 'homemade black-pudding' (me) for starters and the homemade burger (Ann) and roast lamb (me) for mains. We were too stuffed for a dessert, so we settled for a glass of Port and a Bailey's Coffee.

We got home around 9.30. A perfect evening!

�and on Monday, the serious business of work begins once more for Ann. Overall, she's made good use of the three-month (ahem) resting period � a bit of leisure; plenty of time for the garden; some long weekends; and some significant personal development. In fact, we both think it couldn't have worked out much better!

Exam Time - 2

It's Ann's final day in London on the Prince 2 course today and having passed her Foundation exam earlier this week, it must be time for another exam! 


On this occasion, it's a bit more serious, as it's the pratictioner part where you have to put it into practice.
It's a three hour affair, the pass mark is 55% and the results won't be published for about three weeks. A pass will lead to a formal qualification in project management. In turn, this will be a valuable part of Ann's portfolio in future work-roles...but perhaps even more importantly, when organising large parties!!! (I knew there was a practical application for this somewhere!!!)

Someday, my Prince will Come...

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Back to reality with a bump this morning! Ann is in London all week on a five-day intensive Prince 2 Course.

...and just to make things even more exciting, there were no trains out of Kettering due to a fire, so Val and Ann drove over to Huntingdon and got a train from there.

Steve on the Game?

Phew�not quite!

Just when I thought I'd have to develop some new skills to supplement our income (and perhaps introduce a comedic element too!) by going 'on the game', Ann learned today that she had been successful in getting the job she was interviewed for earlier in the week.

That's good news all round and my body-is-a-temple philosophy can now return to the more familiar my-body-is-a-larder-and-wine-store!

Mr and Mrs Normal...

We both agreed that it feels weird normal weird normal...no..WEIRD with me out earning and Ann at home cooking and cleaning!

A Week as a Statistic

It has been Ann's first week as part of the unemployed ranks - and boy, does the State like its red-tape or what!

It started on Monday when Ann thought she'd ring the Employment Office to check her eligibility for Job Seeker's Allowance - she wasn't expecting to get anything, but it was worth a try!

Stage 1 (Monday) started with the long drawn-out telephone interview from the Job Centre lasting almost thirty-minutes. They wanted to know everything about Ann AND about me too. Interestingly, they also wanted MY national insurance number.

Stage 2 (Wednesday) consisted of a 'WFI' - a Work Focused Interview face-to-face at the Job Centre in Kettering. Actually it was a complete waste of time as they clearly weren't geared-up to someone with Ann's experience. Ann learned that she was eligible for some financial aid - the Job-Seekers' Allowance and the rules associated with it were carefully explained. She even had time to explain to the person who interviewed her how to look-up jobs on the Guardian (newspaper) web-site! (because they';d never heard of it) 

The mystery of their request for my National Insurance number was revealed - it was all part of the computation of Ann's eligibility. Shame then that they wrote my number down incorrectly when they confirmed that Ann was living with a 80+ year old geriatric, with a completely different name. Go figure!

Stage 3 (Friday) involved the first visit by Ann to the Job Centre to officially 'sign-on'. Even though it is technically means-tested the 12 year-old who interviewed her confirmed that she will get �64.30 per week, paid by BACs every two weeks. Ann will be paid on Fridays and will be regularly interrogated, interviewed, to ensure she is actually seeking work. She has been reminded that if she can't prove she has been looking, they'll take the Allowance away.

Ann's is redundant

Well, here we are then. After a total of 27 years, 3 months and 7 days of ultra-loyal service, it all ended for Ann today. Next Monday, the new organisational chart will have been air-brushed in, and on paper, it'll be as though she had never existed.

...as many have said before: 'What price loyalty..?'

These lyrics by Eric Woolfson from the Album 'Turn of a Friendly Card' seem strangely appropriate...

Nothing's good, the news is bad,
The heat goes on and it drives you mad,
Scornful thoughts that fly your way,
You should turn away, 'cos there's nothing left to say...

You gave the best you had to give,
You only have one life to live,
You fought so hard, you were a slave,
After all you gave, there was nothing left to save!

You read the book, you turn the page,
You change your life in a thousand ways,
The dawn of reason lights your eyes,
With the key you realise to the kingdom of the wise

Nothing ventured, nothing gained,
No more lingering doubts remain,
Nothing sacred or profain,
Everything to gain!

Download/Listen to the tune (7Mb mp3) HERE

Onward and upward then! One door closes and another one opens...

Ann's Redundancy (1 week to go!)

Here we are then, one week closer to 'the day'. HR have once again shown their complete insensitivity and disorganisation by continuing to ignore all Ann's request for a meet. Instead, the bland one-size-fits-all letter arrived last Monday reminding Ann that she's being made redundant (just in case she had forgotten!) and if she doesn't sign the compromise agreement, she won't get the enhanced redundancy package. A good start to the week then and good to see her employer focusing on the positives!

Interestingly, the letter from our Solicitor to HR explaining our reasons for not signing, would have arrived on Tuesday - the day after - but by Thursday there had been no response from HR - not even an acknowledgement of its receipt. If I was to be cynical, I'd say that was deliberate, to un-nerve us, knowing there is only a week to go to get things sorted.

Ann instructed the Solicitor on Friday to chase HR and what a surprise - HR had discussed the letter with their Solicitor - and obviously made a decision about its worth.

A few hours later an email arrived from her employer stating why they would not consider our case. In short, they wouldn't even acknowledge that there was a equal pay claim! They judged Ann's colleague as doing 'a much more important role' and his job 'being of much greater value'. OK, that depends how you define value in the context of their jobs and it certainly could be argued that her colleague's portfolio is worth more than hers - but they've defined what value means and have never discussed it with us. They also suggested that her colleague also 'presented papers for the Board' - implying that Ann does not. Err, I wonder what Ann spent her time doing on all those late nights in recent weeks and months - yep..writing (and rewriting) Board papers because of her indecisive and inefficient boss!

The refusal to even acknowledge that we have a case has left a real bitter taste in the mouth for us. The arrogant attitude from the other side (which, in fairness we were told might be the case) has left its mark - and we're very disappointed that we've 'lost' the battle and won't be pursuing the case. Why not pursue it? - because it'll be too stressful and too expensive as it'll take nearly a year, maybe longer for it to progress it to an ET - and I think her employer knows that! Wouldn't it be great to win the Lottery and use the money to fight on? You bet!!!!

I can't see Ann's final week being particularly pleasant - and it won't provide a good back-drop to her leaving-do at work on Tuesday either!

Time to look forward rather than back I think...! Very easy to say, but much harder to do...

Lunch with Simon/Trish's Computer

I drove down to South Mimms to meet up with Simon Herrington. We haven't seen each other since we worked together on the Nokia project some 8-9 years ago. he hadn't changed a bit and it was great to catch-up with all his news (including a new addition to the family - a daughter!)

On the way back, I popped round to Trish and John's to assess the state of the PC that had mysteriously 'died' last week. It was freezing on boot-up and in spite of lots of testing by me, I couldn't get it to work. I had to leave it in the same state and suggested they call the guy that helped out Karen and Val when they had a serious problem with theirs.

On a completely different note, we learned today that Ann's employer had called her bluff on the potential 'equal pay' claim we were pursuing. That means that we could pursue it, but she'd lose the full redundancy package in the mean-time, and we'd spend the next year-or-so chasing the case, spending loadsa money on Solicitors and Barristers - and no doubt getting stressed-out about it all. Time to move on we think and concentrate on getting Ann another job!

Ann's Redundancy (2 weeks to go!)

Well, it's been a very stressful week for Ann. Still no reply from HR for her request to sit down with them and discuss her issues!


But what really stood out this week was Ann's meeting with the Employment Law Barrister who she is working with via the Solicitor.

Whereas we thought we had an 'open-and-shut' case, the Barrister - being cautious - has reminded us that the 'compromise agreement document' in which the two redundancy amounts are laid out (statutory minimum and employer enhanced), is purely discretionary! This means that if, through our actions, we p***-off Ann's employer in the last few weeks of her employment, they are perfectly within their rights to withdraw the document - and then bang goes the enhanced option - it literally becomes unavailable! - and we would be left with very little dosh - just the statutory minimum figure!!

Why would we p*** them off? Well, we wouldn't directly, but if the Solicitor's letter explaining our our issues to them, comes across as being too gung-ho and aggressive (because that's the style we were originally advised to adopt), her employer will almost certainly exercise their rights to withdraw the compromise agreement document completely. 

As an result of this, if we end up settling for the statutory minimum redundancy figure and fight the case at an Employment Tribunal, that could take ages (too stressful) and cost us a load of money (also too stressful). And, interestingly, our current Solicitor is NOT allowed to represent us at an ET, it has to be a Barrister (we didn't realise that!) - so we'll end up paying TWO people during the 'fight' process - a double-blow for the bank balance! 

This is a real issue of principles, and maybe we'll look back in years to come and it won't feel like such a big thing; but currently it's such a pivotal decision that we need to make. Either rolling-over-and-signing, (full amount of dosh, but values compromised) or fighting for what we know is rightfully Ann's (expensive, time-consuming, but our values are left uncompromised).

Errr... this is really getting our grey-cells working overtime!!!

So, the Solicitor and Barrister have now constructed an appropriate letter with a few ideas for content from us. It's assertive rather than aggressive (nice!) and sets out the concerns we have very clearly - it also reminds Ann's employer of their obligations under the law.

In the next few days the letter will arrive at HR for their consideration - hopefully some actions/decisions by them will result. The letter suggests they get in touch with the Solicitor to resolve things.

It's going to be an interesting penultimate week! Ooo-err missus! 

...more information next week!!

Ann's Redundancy (3 weeks to go!)

There haven't been any significant developments at work except her HR representative scheduled a meeting with Ann (at last!) and then, the day before, Ann found out the same HR representative was on holiday!!!


On a more positive note, Ann has been busy talking to a head-hunting firm and briefing her solicitor.

Ann's Redundancy (4 weeks to go!)

We're only four weeks away from Ann leaving and (UNhelpfully) HR are being less than co-operative - just when it matters!

Having spent most of my working life in-and-around HR functions, they sometimes just don't 'get-it' - they simply forget who their customers are. In this specific instance, it's their inaction, indifferent behaviour and their unfulfilled promises that have been a real disappointment to us - we expected better - much better -from <<insert company name here later>>. After all, they've had lots of practice in the past with redundancy and restructures, you'd think they would have it down to a fine-art by now!!!

Still, we've engineered something that I'm sure will help them focus on Ann's situation in much more detail ('nuf said for now).

The final countdown...?

Dah-Dah-dah-da, Dah-Dah-dah-da-da...

Well maybe it's not so dramatic, but it sometimes feels like it. 27 years' service and 199% loyalty has counted for nothing when the smelly-stuff-hit-the-fan.

Ann has now had her second and final 1-to-1 with her boss - Her last day at work will be 15 May 2009.

That means that her last official pay-day will be 24 April.

Consequently, there is lots to do and sort-out, including finding her another job!!!

Angela's 60th

Although it was a few week ago, some of 'the old team' met up in London today to celebrate Angela's Birthday.

We all planned to meet at the Thistle Hotel, Lancaster Gate for a few drinks before heading off for Halepi's, the Greek restaurant opposite. We used to frequent this restaurant quite often when we were working on the BA project together, way back in 1999.

I set off  from home just after 11.30, caught the 12 noon train and arrived at St Pancras on time at just before 1pm. It was a warmer day in London and that was very welcome after all the recent snow. In fact, journey down Marylebone Road was very pleasant indeed - it could have been a Summer's day (an English one though!)

Angela and I agreed to meet-up at 3pm, have a few drinks and then wait for everyone else to arrive. I grabbed a taxi from St Pancras at around 1.30 and headed for the hotel - only to learn that it had closed down in 2006 and was now a building site! (but destined to become luxury apartments). I headed instead to the sister hotel just round the corner Thistle Hotel Hyde Park and waited for Angela.

It's just coming up to 3pm - Ann will be having her second official 'one-to-one' with her about now. This is when she'll be officially told that she's being made redundant. The three-month countdown clock therefore starts from today....

As soon as Angela arrived, we sampled the Bar! We chatted for ages and before we knew it, it was 5 o'clock. We had a quick walk along Marylebone Road up to Queensway tube and then back again. Not long after we arrived back Philip arrived and then Rick called to say he was nearby and was heading for the Restaurant.

We headed for the restaurant ourselves, arriving there by about 6.45pm which was slightly earlier than planned, but we were hungry!! Antoinette and June, who had driven from work at BA, arrived not long after.

We had a great meal and the service was spot-on even though they were packed (they were turning them away at the door!)

Once again, the time flew and after starters, mains and just coffee and tea it was 9pm. Rick offered to drop me at St Pancras and I narrowly missed the 9.30 train for Kettering by a whisker! I jumped on the 10pm and was indoors by 11.15pm.

It's been a great day catching-up with everyone. Can it be almost 10 years since we all began work on the BA project and first sampled the delights of Halepi's?

Divine Intervention?

Just when we thought that the only option for Ann was to take the redundancy package, she was contacted by a colleague who recommended she apply for a specific senior manager position.

Let's see how it turns out... 

First Black American President

Barack Obama was sworn in today - the first black American President.