Canal and River No trust - Disrepectful workers

[cwwmike]

My friend just watched one of there employees throw blue gloves into the canal. I asked him why he threw them he said I don't give a shit and then he went off and hid his face before I got my camera out to identify him to his employer. Watching this made me very angry. I spoke clear to him with no swearing. Is this what they get donations for? The gloves had fuel on them as well as before he threw the blue gloves into the canal he put a container away with blue liquid in I guess after fueling a piece of Equipment. I think he's reported as he got a photo of the boat number and as there were only 2 employees around he is waiting for a reply. Anybody else had any problems with the Canal and River Trust?

[Machpoint005]

Careful -- CRT employee or contractor employee?

[jollymoggy]

I went past a CRT workboat once and saw the workman eating lunch, I waved and he shouted WTF you staring at.... I was shocked to say the least.

[Tony Dunkley]

I went past a CRT workboat once and saw the workman eating lunch, I waved and he shouted WTF you staring at.... I was shocked to say the least.

 

That's outrageous, he should have been playing cards at the same time, not just eating.

[Athy]

I went past a CRT workboat once and saw the workman eating lunch, I waved and he shouted WTF you staring at.... I was shocked to say the least.

A former colleague of mine, when confronted by such a question, used to look the person up and down and reply "I'm not really sure". Fortunately for him, they usually didn't twig what he meant.

[Flyboy]

My friend just watched one of there employees throw blue gloves into the canal. I asked him why he threw them he said I don't give a shit and then he went off and hid his face before I got my camera out to identify him to his employer. Watching this made me very angry. I spoke clear to him with no swearing. Is this what they get donations for? The gloves had fuel on them as well as before he threw the blue gloves into the canal he put a container away with blue liquid in I guess after fueling a piece of Equipment. I think he's reported as he got a photo of the boat number and as there were only 2 employees around he is waiting for a reply. Anybody else had any problems with the Canal and River Trust?

I've always found the CaRT operatives & their contractors very polite & helpful. I would suggest that you report this incident asap.

[Paul C]

Fountains staff wear uniforms with the CRT logo on them.

[jenlyn]

Fountains staff wear uniforms with the CRT logo on them.

Not always.

[Guest]

It always amazes me that people who are clearly lacking in social skills apply to work in a job where they might come into contact with other people especially where (to use the horrible jargon) that role may involve an aspect of 'customer facing'.

 

Sadly the NHS I knew had (Probably still does) a hard core of people like this. We would have dismissed somebody who did this unless they had a very valid and good excuse. The problem is it drags down the impression of the whole organisation and the rest of the staff.

 

I would definitely follow this up, it should be pretty easy for the Trust to identify the individual concerned. And before anybody pipes up with 'he's probably having a bad day' - tough unless as I say there is a good mitigating reason for them needing to be so abusive they should be shown the door, or at the very least be given a final warning.

 

And for goodness sake if you can't be civil to people get a job as a lighthouse keeper....

 

ed - the other option of course is that it could be a volunteer, not that that is any sort of excuse I should add.

Edited July 13, 2015 by MJG

[larkshall]

It's not good for the public image. But, I think, and some of you will know better than I, that haven't the staff bee shat upon over the years? If as I remember it, this is the case then I have some sympathy for them. Time for someone to step up and boost morale

[churchward]

 

And for goodness sake if you can't be civil to people get a job as a lighthouse keeper....

 

That is no good any more there are no lighthouse keeper jobs to be had. The last lighthouse was automated in the UK before 2000.

 

Even Signalman on the railway are becoming a rare breed where the person is alone in a traditional box on the main network.

 

It's no good we will all have to learn to be civil. There is no real excuse for such poor behaviour and disregard for the environment as described in the OP.

[cotswoldsman]

I think it is a bit unfair to hold CRT responsible for any employee that might be having a hard day. If it is a CRT employee congratulations on finding one. I think it is more likely to be a sub contractor on minimum wage with a zero hour contract

Edited July 13, 2015 by cotswoldsman

[Tuscan]

Agree far more likely to be a contractor, however that's no excuse

[Athy]

I think it is a bit unfair to hold CRT responsible for any employee that might be having a hard day. If it is a CRT employee congratulations on finding one. I think it is more likely to be a sub contractor on minimum wage with a zero hour contract

But that does not give him the right to insult the public for whose benefit he is supposed to be working. I had hard days teaching sometimes, but I didn't then tell the parents (the paying customers) to eff off.

[cotswoldsman]

But that does not give him the right to insult the public for whose benefit he is supposed to be working. I had hard days teaching sometimes, but I didn't then tell the parents (the paying customers) to eff off.

I was not excusing what he said or did was simply saying I think it is hard to hold CRT responsible

[DustyDave]

Maybe he was just having a bad day. I'm sure we've all had bad days and maybe even done something out of the normal as a result.

 

Dave

[Allan(nb Albert)]

It's not good for the public image. But, I think, and some of you will know better than I, that haven't the staff bee shat upon over the years? If as I remember it, this is the case then I have some sympathy for them. Time for someone to step up and boost morale

I remember attending a BW annual meeting in 2009 and being faced by a picket line of employees concerned about job cuts due to outsourcing.

 

When I spoke to Unite representatives, it would seem that BW front line staff had no problem in working with volunteers and would be happy to train them and work alongside them. Unite's concern was that BW had been reducing front line staff numbers to the detriment of the system and the service provided to customers.

 

A handout provided stated that Unite members had no confidence that the existing executive management team could safeguard the future of a sustainable canal system.

 

I think much of the 2009 bitterness continues but rarely do we see it surface as described by the O/P.

 

(As an aside, only one member of BW's executive team is still employed by CaRT and only one non-executive director remains in office.)

[Dharl]

As a slight aside, no one seems to have mentioned that as well as the swearing the OP mentioned that the "Employee" had thrown in to the cut his fuel covered gloves! At the very least unprofessional and am sure the EA would consider it a breach of law for potential contamination of a water course ( even though I understand it's not EA waters but they will still have some jurisdiction when it comes to pollution!). Not a good advert for CART or the contractor involved.

[blackrose]

Careful -- CRT employee or contractor employee?

It doesn't really matter does it? CRT is also responsible for the behaviour of its contractors.

[Machpoint005]

It doesn't really matter does it? CRT is also responsible for the behaviour of its contractors.

 

That depends on how the contractors' contract with CRT is worded. It matters because CRT may choose not to renew said contract, but could only discipline one employee (if so he was).

[blackrose]

 

That depends on how the contractors' contract with CRT is worded. It matters because CRT may choose not to renew said contract, but could only discipline one employee (if so he was).

I don't think the wording of CRT's contract is relevant. Business contracts may be worded in any way one wishes to avoid a duty of care, but that does not reduce the statutory obligations of those employing contractors, and if deemed inadequate, such a document would not be legally enforceable.

 

i.e. CRT can't avoid their statutory obligations in a business contract to say that it's ok for their contractors to chuck rubbish into the canal!

Edited July 14, 2015 by blackrose

[Locksprite]

It always amazes me that people who are clearly lacking in social skills apply to work in a job where they might come into contact with other people..

It was ever thus, the difference being those borderline sociopaths who were always kept out of the public eye in a back office where they could exercise their malevolence toward their colleagues alone, are now being pushed into customer facing roles by financial cutbacks.

 

As a much younger man trying to make his way in the world, I was amazed how such people ever got through an interview process, never mind were kept in gainful employment while being complete ***** to everyone they came across. Serving the general public can test the patience of a saint, but one would hope accountability had rendered the goblin fiefdoms some individuals maintained a thing of the past. It would seem not.

[BruceinSanity]

It was ever thus, the difference being those borderline sociopaths who were always kept out of the public eye in a back office where they could exercise their malevolence toward their colleagues alone, are now being pushed into customer facing roles by financial cutbacks.

 

As a much younger man trying to make his way in the world, I was amazed how such people ever got through an interview process, never mind were kept in gainful employment while being complete ***** to everyone they came across. Serving the general public can test the patience of a saint, but one would hope accountability had rendered the goblin fiefdoms some individuals maintained a thing of the past. It would seem not.

The amazing thing is, sometimes you meet people like this running a pub

[Locksprite]

The amazing thing is, sometimes you meet people like this running a pub

Pubs used to survive if the 'orrible landlord's equally unpleasant familiars drank enough ale to keep the place going. The economics of such closed drinking communities are no longer viable. I love boozers, but can't help thinking a substantial proportion of the flood of pubs that have closed in recent years deserved to, purely for the vileness of the proprietor and clientele. That's before the ill-kept ale they used to slop up.