Petition-support Karen James

[Michael J Burden]

http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/karenjames

 

Anyone who has not heard Karen James has been suspended from the RPRA for contributing to a thread on another site.

If you have not already done so and wish to support her click the above link and vote, it only takes a minute.

 

What she wrote was this.............

 

I usually steer clear of topics like this because of the position I am in with regards to working for the RPRA but I am fed up this evening so would like to offer the following...please don't quote me to anyone.

 

Most Councillors have never visited HQ at all and have no idea how we run things. The offices are in a dire state of repair and your staff are not happy. Most are lucky enough to see retirement on the horizon. Some of us are not and we are worried about the stability of our jobs.

 

I would like to think that the new GM will turn things around but the evidence thus far is not encouraging at all.

 

There's a post on here about the new RPRA stray recovery service - yes they are talking about it but they've been talking about it for the eight years I have been working for them and nothing has happened yet. I even offered to have a loft here and drive a van but they didn't want to know.

 

Despite having money in the bank they don't want to spend it. You should see the health and safety issues in HQ - it's not going to be long before someone comes a cropper down the cellar steps and we have a huge claim on our hands. I've offered to throw myself down them at times just to make them see sense. When I suggested staff join a union to help address these issues we were threatened with having our holiday entitlement reduced even though it was already in our contract. Experts in employment law - I think not!

 

A couple of years after I started with the RPRA and before I had my own pigeons I offered to write articles for magazines such as Saga and I got a few published. I also helped organise young fancier exchanges on the continent and we got a few good kids interested. When Brian Tattersall became President he withdrew all funding for both these initiatives.

 

Despite this knockback I took up racing and started writing my column in the BHW which seemed to anger Council even more as I got taken off duties as minute taker at the meetings - just in case I spoke out about what went on I suppose. I gave up writing for a while and then thought - why let the b******s win! I know not everyone appreciates my column but hell - you can turn the page!

 

You have got some good guys on Council and you have got some bad ones. Worst of all you have got plenty that just can't be bothered to contribute.

 

I really hope there is a future for us all but right now it's looking bleak as hell.

 

I applied for the GM's job - eight years shadowing him and representing him when he couldn't be available with Defra etc. Doing a large part of the Blackpool organisation and all that. Didn't even get an interview. My one beacon of hope is that someone will come to my rescue and offer me a well paid job somewhere else. Anyone got any offers because I will do anything else other than this soul destroying job. And no Bilco - I have my pride - I won't do THAT!

[OLDYELLOW]

although this is a petision and this is what shes been sacked for i think the whole thread needs looking at not just a small snipet to put things in to a true perspective   have you a link to the thread please

[pjc]

Having seen a friend of mine at the weekend who has been introduced to the new GM I don't think things are going to get any better.

I also can't see the new guy being prepared to put the work in that Peter has done over the last few years!

 

Phil

[Guest spin cycle]

pigeonchat/ future of the sport...suspended..  not been sacked... yet

[gangster]

WELL IM BEHIND HER ...ITS TIME THE FUDDS GOT  BOOTED OUT OF THERE COMFORT ZONE!!!!!!!!!M  ITS THESE CLOWNS DRAINING OUR RESOURSES WITH THERE EXSPENSES ECT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,SACK THEM LOT  GIVE  REAL FANCIERS THE JOBS!!!!!!!!!!!!........

[Michael J Burden]

http://www.pigeon-chat.com/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=18343

 

This is the thread, takes about 30 minutes to get through.

[pjc]

I think anybody who openly published critisim of there bosses is likely to be suspended and i would suspect in this case dissmissed as it will be seen in many peoples eyes as an attempt to undermine the leadership.

rightly or wrongly this would be the case in any business.

 

Phil

[Diydave]

having read karen james articles in the homing world , i thought she seemed to just go into the office as and when she wanted , BUT !! that was ok by me, if thats what the job entails ?? , as for being suspended , lets know the full reasons why, let the general manager explain fully in the main mag , or online ? and lets judge  ourselves ? (after all we own the rpra ? don't we ?) , if karen is innocent of whatever ? then she has my 100 % backing, as i suspected the commitee members seem to be social meeters rather than do'ers !! cheers boys !!!,

[Guest spin cycle]

I think anybody who openly published critisim of there bosses is likely to be suspended and i would suspect in this case dissmissed as it will be seen in many peoples eyes as an attempt to undermine the leadership.

rightly or wrongly this would be the case in any business.

 

Phil

 

i'm afraid you are probably right

[gangster]

as previously stated we own the lot and the free loading comittee has many non pigeon men on board  why????.......and if things are that bad i salute karen on informing the fancy to the sad state of affairs inside the reddings ect........REMEMBER  WE OWN THE LOT WE DESERVE BETTER!! NOT ALL THE CLOAK AND DAGGER CRAP!!!!!!!!!!!......

[Diydave]

the way to start to put pigeon racing right , is a vote at club level as to how we pick the general manager ?? lets vote a longstanding fancier into the position , with business accrument as well as pigeon knowledge , NOt, as the present manager, and the soon to be new manager "jobs for the boys " << will i get expelled for typing that ?? lol

[Guest spin cycle]

as previously stated we own the lot and the free loading comittee has many non pigeon men on board  why????.......and if things are that bad i salute karen on informing the fancy to the sad state of affairs inside the reddings ect........REMEMBER  WE OWN THE LOT WE DESERVE BETTER!! NOT ALL THE CLOAK AND DAGGER CRAP!!!!!!!!!!!......

 

you're absolutely right...but unfortunately life tends not to treat 'whistleblowers' to kindly however noble.

[Novice]

I have signed the petition but I agree with comments that she was probably justifiably suspended pending an enquiry.

Let's hope that when it has been held the facts will emerge and some of her points will be actioned and she will be reinstated.

For my own part when the GM post was advertised (nationally) I found it really difficult to believe that the best candidate for the job was a local. That definately smacked of "jobs for the boys".

[frank-123]

i would have suspended her or given a severe reprimand for those comments as well

maybe she never got the job and took hump why did she not comment on this before why wait eight years??

its up to the members to change things from the bottom up if the rpra is in such trouble as karen james states

[superstar]

Well both myself and son John back her. A nicer, kinder and more helpfull person they could not wish to have working for them. Seems the old problem here is someone has dared to say something that needs saying but the rest cant face. R.P.R.A needs to sort itself out while it still has something to be head of! At this rate pigeon racing will be a thing of the past in the not too distant future. Get some younger blood with different more modern ideas and lets have a sport to be proud of.

[little sam]

IM BEHIND HER ALL THE WAY, SHE HAS PUT ENOUGH WORK IN GETTING MEMBERS AND KEEPING THE SPORT ALIVE, TO BE HONEST IF SHE HAS A POINT TO MAKE LET HER MAKE IT, IF YOU FELT THE SAME WAY AS HE YOU WOULD HAVE SAID IT NAND THAT WOULD BE THE END OF IT, SO WHAT IF SHE WORKS FOR THE ORGANISATION,

EVERYONE IS ENTITLED TO AN OPINION !!

[OLDYELLOW]

Sam could you please type with the cap lock off as it is deemed as shouting many thanks Mark

[little sam]

Sorry Mate

[gangster]

yes  stop causing trouble  wee man!!!!

[Merlin]

Every fancier should at least get their signature on the petition sheet,to my line of thinking it shows what Karen has said to be absolutely correct,she only said what the majority of fanciers are thinking,unsafe working conditions/practice,pointing out how inept a lot are at the top,how out of touch they are with the file fanciers,sometimes treating them with total disdain,E.T.S.Predators Problems and many other issues, how many realize this,the Sport is losing members hand over fist,top heavy with non pigeon people,strangled with its own incompetence ,totaly incapable of bringing the Sport forward,why not let proceeds from Blackpool stay within,To punish someone for what the majority of fanciers already know,is wrong,and for fanciers to sit by and allow it to happen,this is where the real wrong is .

[Guest]

Please remember that Karen is also a fully paid up member of the RPRA, so she also entitled to have a moan or two.

 

 

[bewted]

here is an open door to change the RPRA back to reality for the real fancier,but,i wonder how many of all you fanciers will do anything about it in some way or another,,,,,,maybe about 10% and they will be the real good ones,,,,,the rest of you,well,,,,need i say ?

[Guest Gareth Rankin]

Your spot on bewted, the general fancier just wants to fly his pigeons and will except anything.

 

10%, i think more like 2-3% would be more like the figure that are willing to stand up and move the sport in a direction that will help stop the decline.

 

cheers

Gareth

[mark]

Your spot on bewted, the general fancier just wants to fly his pigeons and will except anything.

 

10%, i think more like 2-3% would be more like the figure that are willing to stand up and move the sport in a direction that will help stop the decline.

 

cheers

Gareth

 

the only way to stop the decline is for people to get off there *expletive removed*'s  and do something it,at the end of the day talk is cheap.

[pjc]

When the thread was running about the vaccant GM's position there was a lot of discussion about the future of our sport.

I think i sugested then that the RPRA committee should hold an open meeting at Blackpool where the membership can make a direct representation and put there points and concerns forward!

The current method of going to club then fed then region then council does not work and anything constructive put forward will always be blocked!

 

Phil