FAS - Workplace Faux Pas

national | worker & community struggles and protests | opinion/analysis

Saturday August 21, 2010 18:01

by EX FAS WORKER - ORGANISATION OF THE FREE PERSON

FAS - MISMANAGEMENT OF FUNDS , BIASDNESS AND SLAVE LABOUR

FAS complaints of abuse and mismanagement, are at an all time high, FAS registered employees has risen by nearly 50 pc. Staffing levels to cope with this has only risen by 5 pc. FAS in recent years has come under attack, due to media reports,including recent documentation on fas activity in Castlebar and other towns across Ireland..

They even recieved funding for a FAS space project!! which has nothing to do with increasing job prospects for the unemployed of Ireland.

FAS IN SPACE

Their tight 1 Billion Euro budget is apparentely NOT ENOUGH FOR FAS MANAGEMENT.

On the CE scheme one is in reciept of 216 Euro respectively (this has gone down from 228 Euros for one single person), there has been a cut on the christmas bonus, and disablity, and they are also thinking of cutting FAS CE payments further.

Even in the days of the Celtic Tiger, FAS has had it's fair share of complaints, ranging from unfair dismissal, to biasdness, bullying,sexual harassment, and general inequality for not just community employment workers (ce workers) but in some cases managers and supervisors.

Most FAS supervisors have admitted to having a lack of qualifications and some not even holding the basic leaving certificate standard or even diploma..

Only recently FAS Management have been put under considerable pressure to ensure FAS supervisors are put on a FAS training programme for supervisors, to ensure they know how to interact with their community employees more effectively..

Most of these reports have been blatantly ignored by government and local business,as some of these businesses support FAS.

Our current minister has even admitted, he cannot get rid of FAS, as they would not have the facilities in place to replace FAS.

While Molloy and Harney were off abroad, and living the life, the FAS offices were innundated with complaints.

FAS have been reported to have sent out inadequately trained apprentices for manual labour on building sites,which obviously has the most dangerous health and safety implications. They had to do a recall of all these workers and retrain them.

There has also been reports in local media and the irish times on the fas lease scandal which has rolled on into the year 2010,the lease was first purchased in early 2000..

The government to date have BLATANLTLY AND BOLDLY REFUSED, to take appropriate action on FAS MANAGEMENT AND THEIR SUPERVISORS.

EVENTHOUGH FAS SEEMS TO BE CHURNING OUT SCANDAL AFTER SCANDAL.

In recent reports in the irish times, to iron out any further complications, FAS will be answering to TWO MINISTERS, NOT ONE..

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Comments (4 of 4)

jobs for the f****d

by fas workplace enviornment a shambles

Sun Aug 22, 2010 00:23

In my experience it was a culture of individuals that had at various times headed up different sections of the organisation and effectively were answerable to no one,some of them had only worked on the ce scheme for only one year.

More than anything I found the experience disturbing, constantly being asked to give account of myself or actions while never having any answers to my questions returned.

When you have an individual who has never had to fight for their job,or show their metal,to be in situations where you had to prove yourself and stand up for your employees,you have an individual who has not had their attitude properly shaped,by their surrounding working enviornment..

I have had this experience with another member of staff in FAS.

The complaints procedure back then,was not as credible as it is now..And i suffered badly because of it.

To have your job description constantly expanded to fit the changing needs of the organisation. To be asked to do the work of others in another section while the full time staff sat and drank tea.

If this was witnessed in any other workplace you can be damn sure p45's would be at the ready!

laugh..

by mickey G

Sun Aug 22, 2010 13:04

fas was a hoot,used to spend all day getting stoned,walk off to the chipper wit 300 quid in my pocket,dem where teh days..lol

fas complaints

by re:fas

Sun Aug 22, 2010 13:28

I had made a complaint to fas some years ago when i was on a ce scheme,i was given menial tasks not related to my job description,and was still expected to do them,not only that but their share of work also,there is a culture of unfairness in fas,but when i did make a complaint,at first my supervisor and employer(the FAS sponsor) obstructed my valid complaint,but when i got together a diary of every event that took place and brought it to the attention of senior fas staff.. it was given a fair hearing...

There is a complaints procedure,that must be followed,by anybody thinking of making a complaint no matter where they are in the fas structure.
ANY COMPLAINT CAN BE VERBAL OR WRITTEN.

Stage 1
Participants on FÁS Training Centre Courses

The complaint should be addressed to the instructor, tutor or facilitator. If the complaint remains unresolved it should be referred to the FÁS Training Centre Manager.
Participants on FÁS Employment Programmes

For those engaged on employment programmes (Community Employment, Job Initiative, etc.) the complaint should be addressed to the immediate supervisor. If the complaint remains unresolved, it should be referred to the programme sponsor (the employer). If the complaint continues to be unresolved it should be referred to the FÁS Community Employment Officer responsible for the project.
Other Members of the public

If a member of the public wishes to raise a complaint, they should address the complaint to the specific department manager.
Stage 2

If having progressed through the 1st stage, the complaint remains unresolved, the client should refer the matter to:
FÁS Client Services Coordinator
c/o Legal Services
FÁS Head Office
27-33 Upper Baggot Street
Dublin 4
work Tel.: +353 (0)1 607 0500
work fax Fax: +353 (0)1 607 0600
Stage 3

In the event that the complaint cannot be resolved, clients may, independently of FÁS, refer the complaint for consideration, by writing to:
FÁS Client Services Commissioner
P.O. Box No. 5656
27-33 Upper Baggot Street
Dublin 4

The service provided by the FÁS Client Services Commissioner is an independent, free and confidential way of settling unresolved complaints between FÁS and its clients.

A leaflet, outlining the provisions of the FÁS Client Services Commissioner scheme and the Commissioners `Terms of Reference' is available on Email request.

IF FOR SOME REASON THAT DOESNT WORK CONTACT SIPTU OR LOOK UP WORKERS RIGHTS IN IRELAND THERE ARE A LOT OF DIFFERENT ORGAINSATIONS OUT THERE.

CONTACT YOUR LOCAL NEWS PAPER ABOUT HOW FAS NEVER DEALT WITH YOUR COMPLAINT MINUS THE WORKPLACE DETAILS AS IT COULD BE SLANDER IF YOU DO NOT HAVE EYE WITNESSES OR EVIDENCE.REMEMBER STICK TO THE FACTS NOT WHAT THE WEATHER WAS LIKE ..ETC

Nepotism

by Fas pass

Sun Aug 22, 2010 13:56

Nepotism in organisations like this are rife,you dont need any training to become a fas worker,or supervisor,which is why many people on different FAS workplace schemes have shared experiences..

Anybody thinking of doing a CE scheme,could potentially ruin their chances of getting a job,if your employer bad mouths you(like mine did).

There is no code of conduct adhered to in many of these schemes,the full time fas staff just run amok..

For example: a fas scheme run in an isolated country area,or even in a town or city,is not regulary reviewed by the fas sponsor of the program or outside fas officials or an independant agency..

Too much authority is given to the supervisor of the scheme,who in some instances is barely fresh from 'ce work training',which could literally mean ANYTHING.

If anything does go wrong you can be rest assured FAS will point the finger at the supervisor or immediate line manager..

A supervisor can have his/her office miles away from the fas main offices,and people from the fas main offices overseeing the scheme are never there to see what is going on a day to day basis..Which is a recipie for a disasterous occurance..

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FAS - Workplace Faux Pas

Comments (4 of 4)