Well folks, we're one week into the new year and it looks like another dose of the same old crappy medicine from our colleagues down south! We have just received a "Staff Management Policy" document that appears to be one of the outcomes of the Canterbury Management "Brains Trust" team that was recently scraped together to develop what they lovingly refer to as "best practice" policies based on current systems, procedures and contractual obligations.

Given their past history, we suspected that they may once again create their own unworkable and unacceptable model of the world. Accordingly, we applied to have a representative on the team and our application was accepted by regional manager Paul Monk. Unfortunately, Mr Monk appears to have been overruled by the Canterbury "powers that be" so our delegate didn't actually get an opportunity to contribute.

Having seen the policy, I'm decidedly glad that he didn't! It is, in my opinion, just another example of the bullyboy tactics that our southern members have become used to over the years. I have several problems with the proposed policy and they include, but are not limited to the following:

• It claims to be supportive, but it is, in fact suppressive!
• It claims to hold dear the interests of staff, but is centered on the financial interests of management
• It claims to provide assistance, but appears to promote harassment
• It claims a basis of contractual compliance, but appears to draw a fairly long bow in this area
• It espouses a theory of cooperation, but was once again developed without consultation

There will, of course, be the customary legal challenge that you have all become so familiar with in the South Island and we do encourage all Canterbury members to ensure that they do not attend meetings regarding sick leave without Union support.

Finally, if you're too sick to come to work, then I respectfully suggest that you're probably too sick to either make a phone call to work, or answer one from work. By all means ensure that someone informs the employer that you will be absent within 30 minutes of your start time (if practicably possible), because we don't want to be disruptive, do we?

Finally, if my employer arrived at my door uninvited when I was ill, I'd probably set my Bull Terrier on him - but that's just me, ay?

Brian Davies