Stressed out

[JohnMF]

The boss asked us to come into work early today because she had an important announcement to make.

When we got there she looked very nervous, she also had a lady from the Human Resources department with her, so straight away it didn't look good. She started reading the announcement which stated that before November the Night Shift will be scrapped and merged on to the Day Shift. I work the night shift, so i will soon have to move onto days, which in itself doesn't bother me. The problem is that by moving on to days I am forced to take a substantial pay cut, which, inturn means I can no longer afford to pay the mortgage on my house, so it looks like I'm going to have to sell up after only buying it a year ago, and find somewhere else to live, probably back at my parents, which is not good when you are thirty, Plus i'm going to be on crap money so i will have alot of trouble trying to buy somewhere else.

Does anybody happen to know if companys can legally do things like this? Just force you to take lower paid positions? There are quite a few in the department who are in the same boat as myself.

sorry for burdening you with my problems, but i had to get it off my chest

 

[Alex_B]

uh, sounds bad

as for forcing you into day shifts, I think that might still be legal, since probably in your contract you have not been guaranteed that you will definitely get the chance to work night shifts ...

so, technically speaking, you have not been forced to take a lower paid position I am afraid.

But I am not a law-person so I might be totally wrong ...

 

[JohnMF]

yes, i suspect your prob right. Just grasping at straws really.

i will have to dig my contract out

 

[TCimages]

The pay difference between day and night shift is so significant that you couldn't adjust your budget?

I wouldn't waste my energy on the legal aspect.

 

[JohnMF]

it's going to be nearly £400 less a month wages. I was already struggling

 

[Mesoam]

why not look for another job in the mean time?

 

[Icon72]

Or a part time gig in the evenings?

 

[skieur]

Does anybody happen to know if companys can legally do things like this? Just force you to take lower paid positions? There are quite a few in the department who are in the same boat as myself.

There is a legal term called "constructive dismissal". What it means is that making major negative changes to the nature of your job or working conditions constitutes firing without cause. A labour lawyer in your area who is an expert in this area (not all are) could tell you whether your situation fits the legal definition or not.

skieur

 

[JohnMF]

mesoam & icon72 - both good ideas. now that i've had a bit more time to reflect on things i can see there are a few more options to me. I just got really panicky before but i've calmed down abit now.

Skieur - I heared one of the union guys mention this to a few collegues. i think they are going to look into it

 

[(Ghastly) Krueger]

This must work differnently by country, but some guys in a parent company were in a similar position, but instead of changeing shifts, some got their benefits reduced (you know, company cars, days of vacation, etc) and they received a partial bonus for the difference of the 1st year.