Happy Holiday!

LU's aggressive clampdown on attendance continues. There has been a recent rash of managers asking us to take annual leave when we go for hospital operations.

Previously, most managers accepted that operations were not a routine item of sickness. They accepted that operations fell under the category, 'emergency medical treatment' that are excluded from disciplinary action in the Attendance at Work Procedure.

Now, managers seem to be saying that members can avoid disciplinary action only by going to hospital on their annual leave. Does that sound like a holiday to you?

They treat our annual leave as if it is a gift from themselves, rather than a hard-won benefit, much of it accrued through working above our contractual hours or on bank holidays. It is up to us, not management, how we spend it!

When we have been confident in putting forward our arguments, management have quickly backed down. They must know themselves that a hospital bed is a ridiculous holiday destination.