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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU to go to the press about my company and their conduct?

53 replies

LegallyComplicated · 28/09/2013 11:24

Am a regular and have name-changed for obvious reasons.

My company (a multi-national company, well known in this country) are in the process of 'restructuring' their staffing system. However, it's not restructuring, they are re-writing contracts and if staff cannot fit in with those new contracts or are not willing to take the alternative employment offered, they are being more or less forced to hand in their notices so that they don't have to pay redundancy.

There are a lot of employees talking of going to tribunal. Several at management level have walked out. The jobs vacancies list for our company is 5 A4 sheets worth of print-outs, whereas there is normally half a page. So many people have walked out because they cannot cope with the intimidation tactics that the company is using. They are getting away with treating so many people in a very unprofessional manner. We have been told that we are not to discuss the matter with ANYONE, including other colleagues going through this 'consultation' process, family members etc. I am very, very surprised that it hasn't come out in the press already, to be honest.

A few of us are keen to expose the company. I may not have explained all of this very well, so am more than happy to expand on anything I have written here. I am sorely tempted to whistleblow on this. AIBU?

OP posts:
BuggerLumpsAnnoyed · 28/09/2013 11:28

Have you signed anything to say you wont speak to anyone?

ageofgrandillusion · 28/09/2013 11:28

YANBU. Do it anonymously though, obviously. Guardian might follow it up. Email one of their business desk staff.

catgirl1976 · 28/09/2013 11:29

I would if you think you can keep yourself protected whilst you do

If what they are doing would fall under the whistle blowing legislation you would be protected anyway but it sounds like they are being unethical rather than illegal, so I would report but keep myself safe

PlayedThePinkOboe · 28/09/2013 11:31

Stick it on slashdot

Original poster
LegallyComplicated · 28/09/2013 11:31

I'm not sure if I've signed anything to that effect, to be honest. I signed the notes that were taken at my initial consultation and the HO staff that conducted it stated at the start that I mustn't discuss it, so I don't know if just signing the notes is acceptance of that?

OP posts:
Original poster
LegallyComplicated · 28/09/2013 11:34

Also, a member of HO staff that I have become friendly with as a result of this confided in me yesterday that she was concerned that the company were getting themselves into legal hot water.

I think that they were banking on most of us going without a fight (and many have) but some are taking it all the way.

OP posts:
CostaLady · 28/09/2013 11:36

Christ, this sounds like the company I've just left. Would the letter G mean anything to you?

Original poster
LegallyComplicated · 28/09/2013 11:38

No, Costa! Sorry if you've had similar troubles, though.

OP posts:
Isildur · 28/09/2013 11:42

Are you certain that you will be covered by whistleblowing policies, go for your life.

If, however the company is complying with the law, and not endangering anyone, going to the press might not be considered whistleblowing in the strictest sense. If you've signed a confidentiality agreement/clause, you could still be laying yourself wide open.

If your employer is just being ruthless, and sticking to the letter of employment law, they probably won't really care what you do, and probably have a press team who'll make everything OK again.

I'd be wary of trusting your new friend at HR/HO too, who might just be trying to pacify people, and tell them what they want to hear.

eggyhead · 28/09/2013 11:47

I would be very tempted to shop them to the press.

I knew a large company who went into administration. They didn't adhere to redundancy legislation and 'chose' to pay fines of about £5k which saved them thousands if not millions in payouts to staff. People who had worked for the company for years and were close to retirement left with nothing as not only did they receive a pay out, the pension pot hadn't been managed properly and was underfunded.

Sadly, 'putting our staff first' is corporate bullshit for a lot of companies.

Original poster
LegallyComplicated · 28/09/2013 11:48

I don't think that they are acting legally, in a lot of circumstances.

I have handed in my notice so I am irrelevant, but had I stayed and fought it, I think I would have had a case.

When I returned to work from maternity leave in 2010, I agreed flexible working hours with my area manager and as such, she drew up a contract for me which stipulated that I would work three days 9am -2.30pm and friday as a 'late' working day. This has always worked well and my line manager has no problems with those hours. However, in my initial consultation, I was told that they were ripping up that contract and putting me on to a new matrix (rota, to the normal person Hmm) They then handed me a new staffing template and I could not do any of the hours they asked of me. They wanted me in the office 12-5 on three days but I literally have no-one to collect DS, so I had to say there were no hours that I could offer them. They kept emailing me saying that my flexibility was a problem, I needed to work on it if I wanted to stay with the company etc. I really don't see what I could have done differently. The change in hours aren't even making business sense. They aren't saving money, and they have more staff in at quiet times than they have in at peak times (on this new template)! I am at a loss...

OP posts:
Iheartcrunchiebars · 28/09/2013 11:49

I'd go to your local BBC radio station (it will go national once they've done it) and they'll make sure you're looked after as a source.

Original poster
LegallyComplicated · 28/09/2013 11:51

Also, they are trying to re-locate my line manager to a site 22 miles away, offering her no salary increase and even though the suitable alternative employment guidelines state "If we cannot relocate you within 20 miles of your current site, we would likely consider that a redundancy."

So she has turned that job down, but since she has turned that job down, they are refusing to offer her redundancy. ACAS have said subtly (as they have to remain impartial) that she would probably win at tribunal.

OP posts:
gaggiagirl · 28/09/2013 11:54

Sounds like my place OP, does the letter N mean anything to you?

Original poster
LegallyComplicated · 28/09/2013 11:56

No, not N, either. It is a W. :)

OP posts:
jamdonut · 28/09/2013 11:59

Sounds like Tesco to me!

BreakOutTheKaraoke · 28/09/2013 11:59

A very large retail company I worked for a few years ago did similar, and as far as I'm aware do it every couple of years now, chopping hours back every time.

Original poster
LegallyComplicated · 28/09/2013 12:00

Ha ha, not Tesco, either. It is a retail chain, though.

OP posts:
Original poster
LegallyComplicated · 28/09/2013 12:00

They aren't actually chopping hours back, though. They are still operating on the same base hours, just changing what hours those hours are worked, IYSWIM?

OP posts:
LondonMother · 28/09/2013 12:01

alart?

jamdonut · 28/09/2013 12:02

Well if it is a W and not N or Tesco...there are obviously a lot of places chancing their arms and doing the same thing ,which is shocking!

LondonMother · 28/09/2013 12:05

Asterisk fail! Trying to be too clever there. Sounds a very nasty situation, OP, hope you can find another job soon. Somebody ought to take this up, but I entirely understand that you need to think long and hard about whether you are the one to do it. Are you in a union?

nilbyname · 28/09/2013 12:06

Wait rose?

catgirl1976 · 28/09/2013 12:08

ilkinsons........

LondonMother · 28/09/2013 12:13

I would be heartbroken to learn that Waitrose/John Lewis would behave like this. They're a worker-owned business, though, and not really a multinational.