|
||||||||
Can they "force" me to go???? |
![]() |
|
|
|
Thread Tools | Search this Thread |
|
|
#26 |
|
Forum Member
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: South West
Posts: 3,279
|
Nissan can't insist that you travel by plane. If it is imperative for you to attend they will have to accept that you will be travelling by train (and pay for it) IMO.
I would be surprised if this situation hasn't arisen before. |
|
|
|
|
Please sign in or register to remove this advertisement.
|
|
|
#27 |
|
Forum Member
Join Date: May 2007
Posts: 383
|
Thanks again for the continued advice.
Have spoken to my sales manager this morning, who actually took it a lot better than I thought! I have been with the company for about 11 years now, with the Nissan side of things for the past 6. It is only in the last 3 or 4 years that Nissan have held product launches abroad (as far as I can tell). I went to Bratislava about 3 years ago for the launch of the facelifted Micra and new Note, but didn't enjoy it, and spent my spare time in the hotel as I was a bit stressed out with it all. They also had the launch of the new X-Trail a year or two ago in Spain where I was asked to go but said I'd rather not. This wasn't a problem as another salesman went in my place, I wasn't told at that time that Nissan were making it compulsory for everybody to attend. But this is what I am being told now........ |
|
|
|
|
|
#28 |
|
Forum Member
Join Date: Feb 2006
Posts: 1,546
|
I have asked my OH who, before retirement, was a senior HR professional.
His advice is to be quiet and reasonable but firm. Continue to escalate this through the hierarchy until you either get the response you want or if you don't just stick to your guns and he believes it is extremely unlikely that anything will come of it. He suggests that you put your position in writing saying something like "I regret not being able to fly but that I hope to continue in my role and working for this company which I thorough enjoy. If it would be helpful I can obtain a medical note from my doctor explaining my phobia of flying. I hope very much that you will be able to find a way around this difficulty". |
|
|
|
|
|
#29 |
|
Forum Member
Join Date: Aug 2010
Posts: 11,776
|
Can you get off the Nissan contract?
|
|
|
|
|
|
#30 |
|
Forum Member
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: South
Posts: 10,847
|
Quote:
Can you get off the Nissan contract?
|
|
|
|
|
|
#31 |
|
Forum Member
Join Date: Aug 2010
Posts: 11,776
|
Quote:
By this point the contract isn't that relevant. For something to be legally enforceable in the contract it has to be applied in a consistent way - and as there hasn't been an obligation on the OP to travel long distances in the previous 11 years then it can't be introduced now, even if there's a clause which says so in the contract.
|
|
|
|
|
|
#32 |
|
Forum Member
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Londonia :o>
Posts: 11,144
|
Quote:
Whilst I appreciate that it is not your situation there are many people who cannot fly for medical reasons so Nissan's attitude is unreasonable.
You could point that out to your Sales Manager if they decide to be difficult. Unless you were recruited specifically with the proviso that you would need to fly and the job cannot be done if you are unable to I don't really think they can make you go. Quote:
Nissan can't insist that you travel by plane. If it is imperative for you to attend they will have to accept that you will be travelling by train (and pay for it) IMO.
I would be surprised if this situation hasn't arisen before. And who knows, it just might work out cheaper for them! |
|
|
|
|
|
#33 |
|
Forum Member
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Devon
Posts: 12,836
|
I worked for a wholly owned UK subsidiary of a Japanese Multnational for 12 years and we looked after a network of European Distributors. Big Corporations were our customers at very senior level and junior level.
After a couple of years, I became a Manager and spoke on the phone and dealt with emails with all of my contacts daily. Technical matters and Sales and Marketing. Tokyo Managers would sometimes order unreasonable tasks to be done. Even our very reasonable Japanese UK Managing Director used to get angry with them. "They are Japan, we are UK. They don't understand and I am the MD here. Don't agree to them" So we quietly ignored them or politely told them to get lost. (You suck your teeth and say "We know it's very important, but it's very difficult") They did the same to us when we asked for something not in the conformist rule book. I must stress, we didn't have many disagreements and, when we did, we never fell out permanently. It was a great company to work for. I imagine there's a whole complex relationship and structure to Nissan Japan, Europe, GB and the UK Dealerships/Franchises too. Depends on who has decided why this Slovakian trip is mandatory and why the UK Managers are also supporting it. Go by train or send a colleague. |
|
|
|
|
|
#34 |
|
Forum Member
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: I'm an oik!
Posts: 9,574
|
What happens if someone wants to buy a Nissan while this presentation is going on, if there is not one salesman in the country? Surely you can offer to "hold the fort" for them?
|
|
|
|
|
|
#35 |
|
Forum Member
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: somewhere in the middle
Posts: 16,761
|
It may also be worth considering that your phobia may be considered a disability in UK employment law?
|
|
|
|
|
|
#36 |
|
Forum Member
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Southern East Anglia
Posts: 75,214
|
Quote:
You can get from London to Bratislava by train in 22 hours.
I would suggest being open with the management, I doubt they'll resort to "Mr T"-style solutions for you. If it was me, I'd be honest and say I'd got a fear of flying, and offer to go by train, and offer to make good any difference in cost, personally. I'd mention Dennis Bergkamp, the now retired Arsenal player, who also had a phobia of flying and travelled to European games on his own, by train. Quote:
Aviophobia[edit]
Bergkamp's nickname is the Non-Flying Dutchman due to his fear of flying. This stemmed from an incident with the Netherlands national team at the 1994 World Cup where the engine of the plane cut out during a flight,[106] prompting a journalist to joke about having a bomb in his bag.[107] Following this incident, Bergkamp decided he would never fly again but did consider seeking psychiatric help: I've got this problem and I have to live with it. I can't do anything about it, it is a psychological thing and I can't explain it. I have not flown on a plane for two years. The Dutch FA has been sympathetic, so have Arsenal, so far. I am considering psychiatric help. I can't fly. I just freeze. I get panicky. It starts the day before, when I can't sleep.[107] The condition severely limited his ability to play in away matches in European competitions and to travel with the national team. In some cases, he would travel overland by car or train, but the logistics of some matches were such that he would not travel at all.[106] In the build-up to Arsenal's Champions League match against Olympique Lyonnais in February 2001, Wenger spoke of his concerns for Bergkamp travelling by train and car, because of the exertions involved.[108] |
|
|
|
|
|
#37 |
|
Forum Member
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: In a jar, on a shelf
Posts: 31,672
|
Quote:
Tokyo Managers would sometimes order unreasonable tasks to be done.
Even our very reasonable Japanese UK Managing Director used to get angry with them. "They are Japan, we are UK. They don't understand and I am the MD here. Don't agree to them" Quote:
Go by train or send a colleague.
It's a car company. Drive? Rock up at the launch event in the new Nissan as the UK's top salesperson ready to give a first hand report on just how incredible it is! Which could be fun if it's a launch of a new GTR/Nismo or comfortable if it's an Infiniti.. Or give yourself a couple of extra days for physio if it's a Micra. For extra style points, rope in a couple of junior sales spods to share the driving and do it as a 'Road Trip'. Otherwise, stick with the Doc's note and good luck. |
|
|
|
|
|
#38 |
|
Forum Member
Join Date: Feb 2005
Posts: 5,004
|
Quote:
It's a car company. Drive?
Rock up at the launch event in the new Nissan as the UK's top salesperson ready to give a first hand report on just how incredible it is! Which could be fun if it's a launch of a new GTR/Nismo or comfortable if it's an Infiniti.. Or give yourself a couple of extra days for physio if it's a Micra. For extra style points, rope in a couple of junior sales spods to share the driving and do it as a 'Road Trip'. Otherwise, stick with the Doc's note and good luck. |
|
|
|
|
|
#39 |
|
Forum Member
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Devon
Posts: 12,836
|
Absolutely. I'm so stupid sometimes.
The e-Type dash is a famous story to the Geneva Motor Show. Grab a nice Nissan model and drive to Bratislava and generate some good Twitter, Youtube Dashcam and fabulous PR along the way. It's a no-brainer. You can even emphasise that the Nissan employee was so dedicated to the cause that he had to attend by hook or crook when flying wan't an option. http://www.coventrytelegraph.net/new...1-dash-3049587 |
|
|
|
|
|
#40 |
|
Forum Member
Join Date: Jun 2006
Posts: 19,567
|
Might a better solution not be to get some therapy for the problem? Deciding that it is going to be a lifetime affliction is very negative.
|
|
|
|
|
|
#41 |
|
Forum Member
Join Date: Nov 2009
Posts: 1,171
|
Quote:
Whilst he was sympathetic, he said that the manufacturer (Nissan) have stated that there are to be "no exceptions".
I mean seriously, how freaking dare they. "no exceptions" my ring piece. Your sick, it's a legally recognised exception. You have sick children or child care issues, your entitled to emergency time off work under UK law. "no exceptions" if you have a holiday booked? A wedding? A funeral? A hospital appointment? How Freaking Dare They I appreciate this wasn't the objective of the OP, but nonetheless, having heard this I will vote with my feet and never ever go near a nissan brand if if they think they are above the law like this. |
|
|
|
|
|
#42 |
|
Forum Member
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: England
Posts: 4,832
|
Quote:
I've been subject to, and witnessed so much abuse of corporate authority and overreach, my tolerance for such matters is long exhausted.
I mean seriously, how freaking dare they. "no exceptions" my ring piece. Your sick, it's a legally recognised exception. You have sick children or child care issues, your entitled to emergency time off work under UK law. "no exceptions" if you have a holiday booked? A wedding? A funeral? A hospital appointment? How Freaking Dare They I appreciate this wasn't the objective of the OP, but nonetheless, having heard this I will vote with my feet and never ever go near a nissan brand if if they think they are above the law like this. A "senior manager" in a single dealership doesn't speak for the entire Nissan organisation and messages can be lost in translation (again, literally). |
|
|
|
![]() |
|
| Thread Tools | Search this Thread |
|
All times are GMT. The time now is 23:49.


