Approximately 1 week before this meeting, whilst I was loading my van for a morning route, I had been approached by Helen and told not to disappear because I was needed for a meeting, in the meant time, I noticed Joe and Mac (Head Office based Trainers/Assessors) had arrived on site, (Joe was on/off the site conducting Driver assessments with new Driver applicants, I didn’t know where Mac was) when I finished loading my van, I had stopped to smoke a cigarette when I was called into the Stores Security area (as I entered, I noticed there were several people stood around leaning against the wall, watching as I entered- one of which stood out to me because it was Sue (she had a big grin on her face) and I also noticed that as I was entering the Security area, Joe was walking past (behind me) with a new applicant to leave and do another driving assessment, however, this time Joe told the person to go and wait by his van for him and Joe followed me into the Security area (it was obvious, he was waiting to see the outcome of the test I was about to take).
I was then met by Mac and guided into a smaller store room where I asked “what is this about” and I was informed, I was required to take a ‘random’ Breath Test. I immediately informed Mac, he could not carry out the test, he asked “why not,” and I replied “because I have just put a Cigarette out to come in to what I was told was a meeting, and you can’t test me for at least 10minutes,” he asked me why and I told him, “when the Police stop you at the roadside, they ask you if you have smoked in the last 20minutes, surely, you have to do the same”? Mac then asked me to wait outside for 10minutes but, not to go anywhere.
As I left the store Cupboard, the smiles on the faces of those standing around dropped from their faces (in particular- Sue’s) and as I exited the Security area into the service yard to wait, I could hear Mac explaining it to them (I can tell you- they were not too pleased). I did eventually agree to a Breath Test which was negative. (I rarely drink- on the rare occasion I do, I will only drink if I am not working the next day- it’s the price you pay for being a ‘professional’ Driver) this was clearly not a ‘random’ test as those who were stood around had advanced notice of the intention to test me and they were very disappointed at the results. The long-term Drivers told me, they had never seen these tests before and they had ‘never’ been carried out in the past 4years.
The following week (August) although there was an agreement in place with the Managers, I was given an afternoon route with 627kg, after speaking to Babs, she refused to provide me with assistance (again, taking the opportunity to punish me for challenging her authority) that afternoon, I hurt my Back which directly led to me being ‘off sick’ from work the following day.
One week later, I was given an ‘Absence Review’ Meeting, and issued with a ‘Verbal Warning’ valid for 8weeks. This meeting was held with Helen, as we were getting towards the end of the meeting, Babs knocked on the door and entered. Babs asked Helen “how are we getting on,” Helen told Babs “we were nearly done, just a few bits to do” Babs then told Helen Mr **** ****** had arrived and was waiting in the Colleague room (this stood out to me as very unusual- This company has a Policy that they do not receive Reps. within the store and although Helen does ‘some’ work within the store, her main role is as the Manager of the Home Shopping department (Dotcom) which is located in a private part of the Store and would not involve meetings with outside visitors!
We finished the last few bits of the meeting which was then adjourned, Helen asked me to wait in the Colleague room while she made her decision. When I entered the Colleague room, I saw the gentleman Babs had mentioned, sat at a table and I immediately knew he was a ‘Private Detective,’ and the situation had been ‘set up’ to enable him to see who I was so he would be able to identify me. Whilst I was stood waiting, I kept staring at him (taking in the information) and the gentleman couldn’t look back at me (he kept looking at the floor)- it was clear to me, he knew that I was aware of who/what he was! I was then called back into the Meeting with Helen and given her conclusions- a 1st Absence Warning.
4days later, I saw the Detective back in the Store waiting to be met by a member of staff near to the Customer Service desk. I then realised; it was because he had not been able to ‘find me’ at the address ***** had registered for me. When I had removed myself from my relatives’ home and moved into a flat of my own, although I told many of the Managers I had moved, not one of them had asked me for my new address or asked me to update my details (and as the Bullying was quite prolific at that time, I took the view- if you’re not going to ask, then I’m not going to offer the information). (remember, at this time, the store Manager only knew what I had said in the first meeting about her Managers Bullying- they did not have any other information or any details of the Bullying I had mentioned).
August 18th, this Company needed to introduce new Contracts for all Drivers (nation-wide) due to new ‘Driver Regulatory Law’ coming into force. My meeting was arranged with Babs- as I entered the Interview Room, the Lighting made me feel light-headed (it was a bright sunny day outside and I may have been dehydrated after working the morning route) Babs was offering me the choice of a few Shift Patterns and talking ‘at me’ with a lot of information, I told her that I wasn’t feeling too good and I was struggling to take everything in, Babs told me “that’s ok, take your time and take a moment” but she still continued talking ‘at me’ with the information and encouraging me to make my choice of the new ‘Contracted working Hours.’ I felt overwhelmed and, in the end, I said to her “Just give me that one.” The following morning, I felt better and took a look at the new Contract, I noticed I had a combination of the ‘busiest’ work days and the most ‘unsociable’ work hours. When I went back to work on the Monday, I told Babs I was unhappy to accept that Shift Pattern and requested an alternative before our meeting on the 21st to ‘confirm’ the Contracts.