Bit of a rant - advice please

[Firstbornunicorn]

I've been working for my current employer for 7 months and I'm really struggling to adjust to the working culture in the place.

It's the first place I've ever worked in where there's no union - I was a union rep in my last job, so that's a bit weird for me to begin with.

One of the strangest things for me about this job is the level of monitoring. For example, one guy was called into a one-on-one meeting because he had made a typo in the notes on a customer's account. It wasn't anything important, and it was still very clear what was meant, but he was warned that he would lose his bonus if it happened again.

The amount of time we're at the toilet is recorded and we get a disciplinary if it's seen to be too long. Also, if we call a customer, we get told off if we're seen to be "chatting" to them - it should just be information dump, then end the call. Wham, bam, thank you ma'am.

A couple of things have happened that have made me think my employer doesn't really have a people-first approach. One of these happened during the heatwave. Our office had no AC, and was regularly reaching 30 degrees and above. The company did absolutely nothing to combat this, despite two people taking ill and having to be taken to A&E.

The second was more recently. There are about 30-40 people in our office, and we have 3 toilets to service our office exclusively. All 3 of them broke down, and there was no explanation given for this, nor any update circulated amongst the staff apologising for it, or even giving an estimated date for them to be fixed.

After a week, I sent an email to the managers in the office, just politely asking if they would be fixed soon. There was no reply, so I sent another, asking the same question but also linking to the government website re: toilet and hygiene regulations in the workplace. We didn't have access to toilets anywhere else, so it was quite an inconvenience.
This time, I got a very rude, patronising response, saying that unless I was a solicitor, I shouldn't try to speculate on the law. I let it go, and later they delivered 2 portaloos into the car park. The toilets were fixed a couple of weeks later.

I've just let them know that I'm pregnant. It's early days, it's my first pregnancy and I feel like I've been hit by a bus. I suffered from chronic fatigue before, and the nausea and pregnancy fatigue on top is not helping. I was off for a few days last week as I was really unfit for work.
Obviously, there are protections in place for pregnant women in the workplace, so they couldn't discipline me for being off. But, on the day I returned, I got a disciplinary for "inappropriate footwear". I've combed the dress code backwards and forwards, and can't see how my shoes are any kind of violation. For full disclosure - the dress code is casual (although our managers try to insist on business dress, but this isn't what it actually says in the dress code), and I was wearing Converse.
The way I see it, they are probably going to try to get rid of me before maternity starts. I feel I have 2 options:

1. Just get on with it. Try not to give them any reason to get rid of me, and try not to draw attention to myself too much.

1. Stand up to them. Seek legal advice about how they are treating me, and try to change the (frankly, bizarre) working culture for the better.

The labour-card-holding, workplace-rights-believing, trade-unionist in me wants with all my heart and passion to take option 2, but the mum-to-be side of me is whispering that it's not a good idea.

What would you do?

[MaverickSnoopy]

Option 1 without a doubt and I like you am the stand up for what you believe in type. I would however be keeping records and notes of everything and documenting all conversations and making sure your main communication channel was email. I would also know my rights re pregnancy and maternity and not be afraid to mention them if needed....although I would personally (from experience) be doing it in a "my understanding is..." and "I have come across...."

You were a union rep and it's hard to let all that knowledge go and not to use it, but pick your battles. If I were you I would be job hunting while on maternity leave, for the simple reason as they don't sound like they have their employees interests at heart.

[Firstbornunicorn]

@mavericksnoopy sadly, I think you might be right.

I have to go back for 6 months after maternity, or I'll have to pay it all back. So I guess I'll be there for over another year.

[EBearhug]

I tend to go for 2. This causes me tons of issues. I suspect in your case I might go for 1, as a way of managing stress levels.

I'd also join a union, even if there's no recognised one (I'm getting my fees-worth out of mine this year.) The employer doesn't sound like they will play fair, so I'd want someone on my side.

[daisychain01]

My vote would be for an Option 3, a combination of 1 and 2. Bide your time, keep detailed notes of how you are being treated, pick your battles over the short term, to get through your pregnancy, but don't take it quietly. You can become a Union member even if it isn't a strongly unionised environment, you can still go online and enrol in a professional union eg Prospect.

Having Union membership behind you is a massive boon for women, it gives you clout and a sense of strength, especially if you find yourself targeted by any unacceptable corporate behaviour that discriminates, disenfranchised or disadvantages employees. If you have concerns, as a Union member, you have a safe place to talk about your concerns and check your rights. Also use ACAS as a resource, they can be informative on employer good practice.

[MaverickSnoopy]

I do understand why you are torn, but this is an area that many employers seem to screw women over and you have to put yourself first. Yes you could take on a battle but honestly, unless you are strong enough to take them on potentially right before you give birth or post birth, then I wouldn't. Unfortunately this is why so many employers get away with their shit, because it's a hard enough time for women and they pick their battles.

Thinking about your maternity pay. I see a couple of options here. Put the money aside and don't spend it (if you can afford this), job hunt and then if you don't find anything suitable before you are due to return/the 6 months back you could then spend it. Alternatively you could take the money and then use some annual leave to reduce the 6 months (check your contract and maternity policy but in theory it shouldn't be a problem because you would have returned to work). Does your policy state that you have to return for 6 months or repay the full amount, or is it pro rated depending on how much of the 6 months you work? If the latter than you could hold back some of the money to repay but not all.

My employer treated me badly through my second pregnancy. I had pgp and sciatica and was really struggling and they made life very hard citing long term poor performance and was about to start performance management (irony being this was a new manager who was totally unaware that just before she started the company had given me an award for my outstanding performance and contribution to the company). The doctor signed me off with my pgp before they could down that path. When I wanted to return I needed to reduce my days because I'd been left from the pregnancy with a permanent disability which wasn't going to allow me to commute 5 days a week. Company policy dictated that they must offer an alternate role if reduced hours wasn't suitable in my role (it was a big company and they could have easily done this). However they didn't and so I resigned. I could have quite easily taken on a battle but I'd spent nearly 2 years with them damaging my mental health and so I walked away with a big pay off. I do wish I did more, but I made the right decision.

[Lucy001]

As a fellow traveller with the whole Labour card and trades unionist- it sounds awful, but shut the hell up and stick your head down, or accept that you are going to be dismissed. I hope you are still in the union?

Accept that this place isn't that bizarre - I know quite a few places that operate in the same way. I agree, I'd find it weird and be unable to shut up - but if your maternity pay is important then you are going to have to.

[Firstbornunicorn]

@EBearhug it's just so hard to keep my mouth shut. I'm usually a shy person, but I just seem to burn with injustice at this type of thing! My colleagues aren't interested, even though I've stood up for many of them when the company has pulled some similar sh*t on them.
I'm a member of GMB, and there's actually one other member who works for the company and went through rep training at her last job, so at least I'm not completely on my own!

[Firstbornunicorn]

@daisychain01 I think that's a good idea. I always ask for copies of any document I've been asked to sign, and I ask my manager to sign it too (you can probably see why they don't like me, lol!).
I am a member of a union... Not that my employer knows that - yet!

[Firstbornunicorn]

@MaverickSnoopy you're right, mental health is a big consideration. I don't know if I have it in me to fight them all the way.

I'm not sure whether it's Pro-rataed or not, but as it happens, apparently they're changing the policy to 3 months. Hopefully this will come into affect before I apply for maternity. I think I could manage 3 months.
Saving maternity pay is a great idea, but ultimately I don't feel this will be realistic for us. The maternity policy isn't great, as it stands, so we'll be quite a bit worse off during my leave anyway.

[Firstbornunicorn]

@Lucy001 there's nothing like a bit of tough love!!! 😂