And so it begins

The four week consultation period started today. Unlike the annual Royal Mail fracas, this has greater implications than not sending or receiving any Christmas cards and thereby saving us all a lot of money. Some of the people affected by our re-structuring probably won’t feel like sending any cards this year anyway, being out of a job by yuletide; whilst others will have been redistributed into new managerial posts, albeit at a lower grade. I am cynically minded of Roger Daltry: ‘meet the new boss; same as the old boss’.

We had the first of what I suspect will be many meetings. Turnout was poor, most folk being, unbelievably, even more pessimistic than me; others being too busy to read their email and thereby remaining in the usual uninformed void. Those in attendance had left their altruistic tendencies on their desks, wanting only to know how they would be immediately and individually affected; and, more importantly, when ‘Phase Three’ would commence. Phase Three is when the plebs cop it. This stymied any attempt at a collective response so a list was made. If in doubt, make a list and suggest another meeting. We are encouraged to do the latter in teams so, as I hold a rather singular position, I felt obliged to remind colleagues that I would have to arrange a meeting with myself. Fortuitously (or not), I’ve been invited to join another team who I currently have nothing to do with but may well do in the foreseeable future.

Although there is a facility for individual response and comment to the consultation document by email, most people are afraid to use it fearing that they will be identified as trouble-makers. That speaks volumes. As I have long held this label, I have already fielded four questions so the powers that be have something to read and feel truly part of a democratic process. I shall continue to record developments here for posterity so be warned, it may become very tiresome.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zydAs5bRW1U