Employee Rights - Home Page
This web page is for the benefit of the Reliable Pressings' staff and others contracted to provide services to the business, but increasingly is of more and more interest to our customers as well. It is especially important for anyone wishing to apply for a position with us. Chancers beware, if you make it through your interviews by misrepresentation, you will be found out during probation, and we really are demanding.
If you have read our Code of Conduct. which articulates how we expect all of our staff to conduct themselves and provides guidance on how our actions reflect our values and ethics, then it might feel odd that with all that discussion on ethics and values, there is little mention of our people themselves!
At Reliable Pressings we do really make an honest and sincere attempt to treat our staff with the respect they deserve and to make sure that their rights are protected. Sometimes we make mistakes, but the integrity is obvious, authentic and demonstrable.
Permanent staff versus Contractors
The vast majority of our staff are permanent, but we do have a few contracted staff as well. Our preference is to integrate new people into the culture of the business, and this requires permanance. In some instances where a specific skill is temporarily required, or an individual requires more autonomy or they also have other additional income generation or someone wishes to work part time in their pension years, we will formally contract with them. Nonetheless, each member of staff will have:
- A formal Contract of Employment.
- A clearly defined Duty Sheet such as this., note that all Duty Sheets have the same structure and sections - from Driver to Senior Manager.
- Regular and Objective Performance Evaluation.
Objectivity is key and performance evaluation is transparent. As you can see from the example evaluation above, we are frank and to the point, sometimes a little harsh. Our view is that anyone not performing their duties as required and needed by the business, is jeopardising the livlihoods and opportunities of others. This cannot be tolerated. On the other hand, discretionary (ie. when the business can afford it) performance bonuses are paid roughly each business quarter, (sometimes more often!)
Know Your Rights and Duties
If you need help with any of these documents or wish to discuss anything, please make sure you do not hesitate to make sure it is included in the next Big Tree Chat and please also make sure that you allow Ivan to spend time with you.
- The Labour Relations Act are the laws of the land that govern the manner in which employers must treat their staff, at a minimum.
- This act has some amendments mainly dealing with picketing and strike action.
- We are also governed by the Main Agreement that the Metals & Engineering Sector have agreeed upon.
You have a voice
We have our monthly Big Tree Chat which is an assembly of the entire business and allows us to discuss issues in the business, seek consensus on key decisions, raise concerns, provide clarity and to allow the quiet voice of dessent to be heard and differing points of view to be aired. For more sensitive or private matters, for example:
- If your immediate working conditions are a problem use the formal grievance process as a formal record must be kept.
- BUT rememeber it is the right of every member of staff to escalate directly to your Managing Director any concern that you might have. If you feel your rights have not been respected or a simple mistake or over-sight has caused you harm and in your opinion remains unresolved, then act immediately.
Probation for New Recruits
After successful interviewing, all our new hires will either be offered a defined period contract or an employment contract with a probabtion period. This is clearly explained in the addendum to your employment contract. The LRA requires we be quite pedantic and the probation recording and performance tracking, if it appears this has bcome necessary, when done properly can be quite unpleasant, tedious and humiliating.