'The Doc' gets nothing but his own dignity (after 35 years)

Those of you who have followed our story of ' Diggin' for Dignity ' through the pages of the Guardian, or Pikey's site, are in line for a cracker this time.

I would say 'this could be a Council near YOU' but, unfortunately, it is a Council near where my family stays.

The Cast.

An ordinary worker with 35 years on the clock for the Council.

A corrupt Headmaster charged with embezzlement.

A dodgy Council Official.

The Headmaster.

Last year the Council allowed this 'Heidie' to retire 5 years early - on full pension - from his £70K job on the day he first appeared to face charges for embezzlement no less.
The Crown office has now decided it is not in the public interest to proceed with the charges.
This same ex-President of the Headmasters association was also accused of demanding money from the owner of an ice-cream van which sold junk food to the schoolkids.
How dreadfully lucky is that Headmaster, you may say.
Maybe he is just a very good golfer or bowler or something like that.

The Worker.

The worker, known here as 'The Doc', has just retired after nearly 35 years with the Council and an unblemished record.
A party of nearly 300 attended a 'do' for this stalwart of the community, attesting to his popularity and including many important people in a private capacity.
But, what did the Council do for this model worker?
Did he receive 'The Quaich' which the Council's own Strategic Management Committee had approved in such a case?
Did he receive a token gift-voucher as a gesture of appreciation for his many years of service?
Did he receive a Council tie?
Did he even receive a letter of appreciation for all those years of toil?.
Did he fuck.

Why should our hero be treated this way?
He had applied for his enhanced retirement package and the Council quibbled on the grounds of cost. Sure, break the largest Council in Britain, it would. No matter.
He heard about this in a novel way.
The dodgy Council Official had approached our hero in a supermarket and told him he 'could whistle for it'.
Our loyal worker was very embarrassed to hear his retirement package spelt out in front of a supermarket queue, as you may imagine.
The fact that only an appeal through the local SNP MSP produced a result for him was some recompense, but it seems our dodgy Council Official never forgot that he had been thwarted.

The dodgy Council Official.

This one is a real champion. A nasty piece of work.
It seems he had been asked by the Council to attend, in an OFFICIAL capacity, our friend's going away party but never bothered to turn up.
Is it possible he had a senior moment?
Don't think so. He is known as a sharp character. Very sharp.
And, like our headmaster friend, is also known for demanding money - in his case for changing the evaluations of employees in the Single Status Cock-up.
Who knows if this will ever come to Court, but you can be sure of this - he will certainly be allowed to retire on a full pension and the old boys network will have a laugh about it in the Golf Club.

The moral of the story seems to be that, if you get caught with your hand in the till, you will be well looked after. Work your whole life in an honest manner and you will get shat upon from a great height.
Incidentally, it is not just 'hands in the till' that get covered-up here - but, that one's for later.

Let me just leave you with a picture of abject sorrow and humiliation.
A man, out of overalls for the first time in 35 years, suited and booted, standing with his family and waiting for the presentation that his lifetime's work deserved.
The one he had waited for all that time.

The presentation that never came.



(Thanks to the Scottish Sunday Mail, 10/06/07, for the story of the corrupt Headmaster)

*
Amendment 14th June 07

I have recently been informed that the aforementioned dodgy Council Official wasn't actually 'demanding' money, as such, for changing employee evaluations.
In fact, he was 'just' arranging for favoured employees to receive a better grading.
What causes an employee to be favoured was not specified.