Rough notes of a meeting at 7 Victoria Terrace
8 November 2024
Henry S. Thompson

Present: Rachel Fitzgerald (RF), Madeleine Harding (MH), Katrina
McCrea (KM), John Phillips (JP), Majk Stokes (MS), Henry Thompson (HT)

KM welcomed us to a meeting to support Majk Stokes after the outcome
of the appointment process.


KM invited MS to share how he was feeling.  

MS: Assistant Manager for 12 years, and Acting Manager for 4 months,
promotion was the obvious next step, so very disappointed.

MS: 'New perspective?' Discounts all the hard work and experience,
feels like this counted against me instead of being a positive

MS: Still quite raw.

MS: Long delay in reply to my email at the time was not appreciated.

MS: Signalled interest in the job at the beginning of the summer, wasn't
given any help at all.

--------

KM: Full and open procedure, equal treatment: In the end panel choose
more depth and breadth of experience in person management and venue
management.

KM: Giving feedback even now, panel hopes is useful going forewords.

KM: Feedback specifically for Majk, in person, should have happened as
soon as possible after the decision was made, he was owed that, and
the panel apologises.

RF: Absence of Majk's line manager meant the person normally responsible
for helping him wasn't there, and MC failed to step in and do that
job.

HT: As MC Convenor, my responsibility, and I apologise for failing at
that.

JP: New perspective?  Something the panel were looking for?  

KM: No, not going in, it was something that emerged in the interview
process.  Coming into a new situation allows new ideas.  _But_ new
perspective wasn't the starting point, or the primary point.

KM: MS & Beth Clarke (BC) interviewed very well, but so did the other
candidates.  We had a very hard time making the decision.

MS: still struggling to see why he and BC couldn't have done this
as well or better.

MS: And it now looks like I'm being pushed back to Ass't Mgr and
showing the new Managers how everything works, that's hard to take.
At the very least I should continue to be paid at the higher rate for
their induction period.

RF: Delay in panel response to Majk's email was bad, but it was _very_
hard to reply in writing.  Agreed that retaining Acting Manager pay
for the induction period is a reasonable request.

KM: Looking Forward

MS: The fact that Miranda changed to my not being paid for lunch break
means I'm very nearly working a full week

MS: I would like to go down to a two-day week.  Maybe after three
months of helping new managers settle in? Start in January would be
better?

MS: I'd like to have a more environmental or creative focus:
 * recycling/energy efficiency aspect perhaps
 * C-venues were a mess, they don't learn from their mistakes,
   Greenside would have been a better bet, make my job more about
   planning for and managing "Venue 40", that would be much more
   satisfying.  That's obviously a whole conversation to be had.

MS: So having a project, taking the lead on something, for example
Venue 40 AND/or environmental, that would be great.

RF: New managers would be really excited to hear that.

RF: Easy to lose sight of the environmental stuff, so having someone
actually pushing that on staff will be good. Also this is a great time
to get that going.

RF: Sabbatical next year?  Certainly possible.

JP: Beth's thoughts?

MS: Not the historical connection with the Meeting that I had, so not
the same emotional investment.  Mostly angry on Majk's behalf.  Would
have found ways to do the job well.

MS: Not here today because this meeting is for Majk, looking at other
avenues for new work.

[Beth not interested in pursuing a casual job at the Meeting House]

KM: Wrapping up:

   * There's an open door for further discussion.

   * MS will provide induction for new Managers for period of up to 3 months

MS requests

  * Continue at current Acting Manager pay rate during induction

  * Then go down to 2 days 

  * Be considered for sabbatical later in 2025/6

  * To be given responsibility over a project such as environmental
    sustainability and/or Venue 40

MC will get back to MS on this ASAP, although decisions/details with
respect to some of these will need to involve Sammi and Andy

HST has let S&A know that Majk and Beth applied for the job.  MS will
let them know that he has no animus towards them personally.

JP&MH are happy to continue to support MS.