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'Had enough': Boss slammed for 3AM email rant about staff virus complaints

A manager working for Auckland ferry company Fullers is being slammed on social media after sending a rant to staff at 3:10AM.

In the email, the manager wrote that staff who weren't willing to stick around for the new "normal" should leave and "do something else", questioning whether colleagues were "in" or "out".

Fullers Ferries
A manager working for Fullers Ferries has been slammed after sending an angry email to staff at 3am. Photo: Getty

The message was shared to the Fair Go Fullers Facebook group, which is "for Waiheke commuters who are sick and tired of the Fullers monopoly and the under-rated so call service they provide".

The email begins: "It's with a heavy heart I write to you tonight. I am sad and exhausted with where we are at, but mostly with the prevalent view from many that we should be back to 'normal'.

"Seriously, do none of your read the news? There is no normal. As a management team we are being berated daily. We are tied and sad – as we spend most of our time working to keep you in a job."

The email added that management had "been under fire" about why things weren't back to 'normal'.

"We, as [an] engagement team have been berated, taken to HR, the CEO etc etc. I have had enough of this. We should be working together to make the best of this – not expecting our lives and work to be exactly the same as it was pre-worldwide pandemic.

"Let's be clear – it is not business as normal. We are not running the same schedules or numbers as last year – anyone who thinks o/r (sic) says we are is in lala land – please come see me and share your data if you think this is possible – I will be fascinated.

"This is hard – for EVERYBODY.

"I get it – if you aren't up for it – cool – go do something else – otherwise stay and work with us for a future - be on the journey."

The letter finished by saying: "Let me know – seriously – for the long haul – are you in or are you out?"

The letter said management had been under fire about why things hadn't yet returned to normal following the coronavirus pandemic. Photo: Facebook
The letter said management had been under fire about why things hadn't yet returned to normal following the coronavirus pandemic. Photo: Facebook

One Facebook user commented saying: "Great managing skills right there."

Someone else joked that it was perhaps a "wine induced rant". Another sympathised with the staff, saying: "Poor staff! That's not fair to dump on what are clearly stressed tired people. Imagine waking up to go to work and reading that diatribe?"

However, one commenter had nothing but lovely things to say about the Fullers team.

"I am a bus driver for Fullers and very happy to work with our great team on Waiheke. Our team is a whanau [extended family] made up of great management and supervisors mechanics cleaners drivers concierge and the like. So I am pretty sure that comment is not aimed at our happy whanau on the Island. Blessings to all our wonderful locals and visitors that appreciate our service."

According to Stuff NZ, Fullers’ chief executive, Mike Horne, said the message had since been removed.

"Operating throughout Covid-19 has been an extreme set of circumstances and we are doing all that we can to fully support our people,” he said.

"As an essential service, the Fullers team had pulled together to provide a dependable service throughout lockdown and was not immune to the impact of Covid-19 on its operation.”

He added that his team had been supported "in a variety of ways".

"We are committed to helping our people adjust to this 'new normal' as we continue to navigate how we meet and grow our service to reflect market demand," he said.

"Many of us are eager to get back to normal and we are too, however normal still feels a way off.

"As a business and public transport operator, we remain committed to our colleagues, passengers, and partners, and to providing a world-leading transport service to all our customers.”

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