Posts: 7
Threads: 3
Joined: Mar 2009
Changing conditions to protect the security of the Whole Company is exactly what unions are about - negotiation and democratic agreement - burdens and losses to be Bourne fairly according to Responsibility and with respect to basic rights and needs.
Managers, and especialy Senior Manages/Executives must bear the heaviset individual blows during cuts - the Honourable Captain makes sure the Crew are safe first, and then goes down with the ship...however, seems archaeolgoists are a bit more like Pirates and Privateers...
Negatively changing established or contractual employment practices to suit a client is NOT ON!!!
!
Posts: 1
Threads: 0
Joined: Apr 2010
chainoffools Wrote:...so I'm working on a site at the moment, and this afternoon the unit's operations manager came down to site. Now, we'd heard some rumours about there being a problem with site hours the previous week. Essentially, the infrastructure project we're working on aren't happy with our working hours. We normally work (on this site at least) a 40 hour week, 8-5 each day with a half hour paid break at 10am and then an hour unpaid lunch break at 1pm. Apparently our contracts to the project say we'll work 8 hour days, and by having an hour lunch and a half hour paid break we're only working 7 1/2 hours.
Today they came down to site to tell us that our paid break will only be paid for half of it, so 15 minutes paid break and 15 minutes unpaid. And our lunch time is now 45 minutes and then we have to go back on site. The upshot being that we will not be paid for the extra time we have to work...
:face-topic: Surely the only issue here is whether or not it's legal to make someone work 8 hours without including a paid break - effectively the change to Chainoffools working hours means that this is now the case on his site
Posts: 6,009
Threads: 2
Joined: Mar 2017
Thank you Dino... indeed that is the issue.. and I did hope that Chainoffools would reply to me. But there is the potential that the company has been alerted...and 'suggested' they stop talking. whatever has happened... the fact remains...
A contract can only be altered after agreement from the parties involved. ... this does not seem to be the case... and I hope the union involved makes this clear... it should not be seen as a meaningless piece of paper that can be altered at will.
Posts: 0
Threads: 0
Joined: Feb 2008
Hello, sorry my internet's been down since last week so not been on in a while.
I'd just like to say thank you for all the advice people have been offering. It's been a great help and very much appreciated.
I'd also like to point out that while I acknowledge the level of time being increased doesn't seem like much, its the principle of changing the hours with no notice that I take issue with. I have a written contract, and I will work to those terms. If my employer wants to change those terms then the can negotiate with the union to change them. Then, as a union member I will vote on that issue in the relevant ballot.
I don't want to get into specifics of the project, the idea behind the post was to ask for help about an issue at work within the confines of this forum. I do not want to bad mouth my employer, as that would be unprofessional and I'm a firm believer that as I get paid to do a job I should be professional about it.
So, for everyone that offered an opinion and help, I would like to say thank you.
Posts: 6,009
Threads: 2
Joined: Mar 2017
15th June 2010, 12:42 PM
(This post was last modified: 15th June 2010, 01:18 PM by BAJR.)
Thank you... and thanks for being non-specific. and for your professional words. The issue is that there is a protocol for altering contracts, and it must be followed... this has not (as it seems) been followed. AS said at teh very very beginning.. this is not guidance, it is a legal thing...
If the employment company has more than 100 employees then staff will have the right to be informed and consulted on matters such as changing a contract. This rule will apply to companies with over 50 staff from April 2008. Consultations with employees can be undertaken on a one to one basis or they may take place as a staff meeting. If the company has a union organisation then they should also be consulted on the changes. So the union MUST be consulted and the changes AGREED.
It does seem that PROSPECT have done a good job with this, and the ... ahem... unfortunate contract will not be happening again.... with clearly specified times and lengths of breaks made in writing. This could be a valuable lesson to learn... don't assume - when creating a contract with a client... spell it out.
