War of words erupts over Highland staffing ‘woes’

Having agreed a separation deal with their Highland Show manager last week, the Royal Highland & Agricultural Society (RHASS) might have thought they had put their staffing troubles behind.

Not so, as a letter will wing its way out to all the RHASS directors later this week highlighting deep concern on a range of staff issues within the organisation. These include under manning, absence through stress and the impact and the possible illegality of using charitable funds for severance payments.

The letter, which has been circulating on social media in the past couple of days, has been penned by Janice Milne, a long-term sheep exhibitor and a regular sheep steward at the Highland.

During its time on social media, her letter gathered the support of a number of RHASS members who describe themselves as “caring deeply about the Highland Show”.

The letter expresses concern over the loss of “many experienced staff” in a short period.

It goes on to remind directors of their legal responsibility to look after staff who have been absent from work due to stress and the need to help those suffering from stress to get back to work.

The directors who will hold a board meeting next Wednesday, will also be urged by Milne’s letter to ask how much the society has paid out in severance money in the past 12 months.

She asks if these payments are legitimate using the charitable rules under which the RHASS operates.

Intriguingly Milne does not define what she refers to as “underlying issues” but pointedly she encourages directors to move beyond their traditional position of letting the paid officials decide on the running of the society.

A former society show secretary, David Alcorn, has also entered the fray, highlighting the “strange and quick circumstances” of the departure of show director David Jackson. Alcorn casts doubt on the RHASS claim that existing staff can cover departures on top of their own jobs and adds: “There does seem to be some issue at the RHASS at present, with them haemorrhaging staff at a truly alarming rate. I am sure the number of staff who have left the business in the past 18-24 months is now into double figures.”

Hitting back at the claims, a spokeswoman for RHASS said: “We are concerned at the level of misrepresentation levelled at the society by a small number of individuals.”

She added, “The society is a responsible employer that has robust processes in place to support its staff. As with all businesses, staff leave, this is inevitable and planned for in every organisation.

“We remain focused on delivering another successful show and this is the priority for staff, management and directors over the months leading up to June 2019.”