told to change hours with 1 week notice

[KevinFoley]

Worked as nurse in NHS hospital for years. Hospital decided to do a recruitment freeze a couple of years ago. They are now in a complete panic with high vacancies on wards, Stafford inquiry report has been published and they need to now recruit hundreds of staff.

i work in 9 to 5 job and have been told i need to do some shift work (7am-3pm or 1-9 pm) until they recruit into their vacancies. However I have childcare arrangements which will be impossible to change with this short notice.

Where do I stand with this? have consulted union but they will be slow to get back. Thanks!!

[flowery]

What does your contract say?

[KevinFoley]

Thank you for replying. Contract says nothing about changes to hours. But it is totally routine for staff doing my job to work 9-5, Mon-Fri, we all do.

[flowery]

Just say no then, you are unable to change your hours because of childcare arrangements.

[MustafaCake]

Your contract should state your current working hours.

What does it say?

[KevinFoley]

Written contract states numbers of hours but not pattern of hours. But everyone employed in my position works 9-5, it is well understood and why my job is popular. I've worked this same pattern for years. The wording of the email is this is an instruction and it sounds non negotiable. I'll see what the union has to say too.

[flowery]

If you've worked 9-5 for years and everyone in your role does the same, then those are your established terms and conditions.

[KevinFoley]

Thanks Flowery, they certainly do. Is there a law to say how much notice the employer needs to give you to change those hours, albeit temporarily? Just thinking where we stand if we refuse due to childcare, i can't afford to lose my job.

[flowery]

Changing established terms and conditions isn't as simple as giving enough notice, especially if there's no right to vary hours written into your contract.

They need to get your consent to any changes. If you refuse after proper negotiation and consultation, and if there are good business reasons for the change, then ultimately they may be able to force it through, but just giving notice isn't enough.

There may be an indirect sex discrimination angle as well, as women are more likely to have childcare responsibilities that make a change to variable shifts impossible, so if they try to force a change like that through and the upshot is many female staff members will lose their job, that would be an issue.

Apart from being slow to get back, is your union any good? On the ball?

[KevinFoley]

Thanks that's very helpful. it's the RCN and we have a good union rep, although she is snowed under. i'll come back and update the thread once she gets back to me and after talking to my line manager.