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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Work situation wwyd

196 replies

T0getherindreams · 24/07/2019 19:32

Ok, Long time reader, first time poster.

I have a serious work situation and I don't know if it's unreasonable for me to be so angry. Not angry really, absolutely furious. I have no idea how to handle this and looking for opinions.

I'll be as brief as possible.

I work for a huge, massive, gigantic company, one you've all heard of. I jave worked here for 14 years. A long time colleague, 12 years or so, has just fucked me over for no obvious reason.

Everyone in my department (including my colleague in question) gets a shift allowance, it's a sweetner for being on call over certain weekends.

Because my colleague (lets call her H) has been on long term sick, left, came back on another contract, her on call allowance is less than mine. I don't know why, same job, but she signed up to a new contract when she came back.

Now, two years ago our department stopped routinely working weekends and since then all new starters are on the contract which H signed. My boss at that time said he wanted flexibility to allow for weekend work if necessary and I had no objection to being called in so he left me on my old contract.

Today he called me into the office first thing, first day back from my leave, and asked me to sign a new contract. Apparently H has been emailing HR about me and saying it's unfair I get paid £40p/m more than her because I'm still on the old contract.

My boss said he's sorry but she has made so much "noise" that HR are now on his back. He said she brought the issue up in a staff meeting while I was leave last week, so everybody knows it's her anyway, and he's not being unprofessional in telling me it was her.

I'm fucking fuming, she gets nothing out of this. Nothing. She has messed with my pay just because she could.

No massive back story, no drip feed. I thought we were good work colleagues, even helped her get out of major trouble a few years back.

No idea why she would do this.

What do i say when I see her tomorrow.

Aibu in being so angry?

What would you do now?
Sorry for the long post.

OP posts:
Waveysnail · 24/07/2019 19:34

Contact union before signing anything

WutheringTights · 24/07/2019 19:35

Have you signed? Not sure that they can require you to. People often get paid differing amounts in companies for all sorts of reasons. Cutting someone's pay because someone else is on less isn't on.

Topsecretidentity · 24/07/2019 19:35

Agree- contact your union asap. Don't sign

AnneLovesGilbert · 24/07/2019 19:36

YANBU for being angry but I don’t know what you can do about it. Sucks.

73Sunglasslover · 24/07/2019 19:37

Maybe H said this in the hope that she would get the same as you rather than you get the same as her? Don't sign until you know what your legal rights are.

Whatsforu · 24/07/2019 19:37

I am pretty sure your manager can't do that. I would get advice before signing anything. Your manager doesn't sound very good!!

chuffnstuff · 24/07/2019 19:38

Union for sure. This happened to me and I wasn't in the union. Some of my colleagues were paid on call (20+%) and I got sweet FA. If I dared not pick up the phone out of hours I got the wrath from my colleagues manager (who actually wasn't my manager).

AskMeHow · 24/07/2019 19:38

I would get advice before signing anything.

You're not wrong to be furious.

Caselgarcia · 24/07/2019 19:39

Just refuse to sign as you're happy with your present contract. Alternatively ask him how signing this contract will benefit you?

cabingirl · 24/07/2019 19:40

Don't sign it. You need to consult your union or legal representation before moving forward with this.

She broke her continuous service which is why she's on a different contract. You might need to become as vocal as she has been about standing up for your rights.

Ignore her for now - save all your energy for making sure you are treated fairly at work.

Obviously you won't be doing her any more favours.

AnAC12UCOinanOCG · 24/07/2019 19:41

Why does she know you get paid 'extra' for weekends?

HaudYerWheeshtYaWeeBellend · 24/07/2019 19:41

Are you in a union?

I’d be consulting them first and foremost.

Understandably she’s unhappy, however she willingly changed her contract, you have not.

RebootYourEngine · 24/07/2019 19:43

Please tell me you didn't sign.

If you haven't I would be contacting citizens advice or acas

MaverlousMo · 24/07/2019 19:43

Please don’t sign anything without getting some advice.

Are you a member of a union? Can you possibly join one.

Regarding the colleague, be professional but keep your distance and don’t discuss anything unless it day to day work related.

HermioneWeasley · 24/07/2019 19:44

I would understand whether my on call allowances is contractual or not. If it is, why on earth would you sign it away?

I would understand whether HR/management had revealed my package to a third party without my consent - perhaps do a subject access request. If there has been a breach of personal data, depending on how much I wanted to piss off the company, I would consider complaining to the information commissioner’s office.

I wouldn’t confront her about it - the company are being weak, they could and should have told her to piss off and mind her own business. But I’d be extremely cold, and would barely speak to her let alone do any favours.

AlwaysCheddar · 24/07/2019 19:45

Don’t sign!!!! Did you?

Widowodiw · 24/07/2019 19:45

£40 more? Seems like she has wider issues with the business and is making a point.

NoSquirrels · 24/07/2019 19:49

Well, HR can explain why they’re requiring you to sign a new contract.

Also, your manager is being spineless.

Ask for a meeting with HR and your manager to discuss. Don’t sign anything.

CloserIAm2Fine · 24/07/2019 19:50

I would think the response she wanted was everyone else’s being increased to match yours, not yours being decreased.

Seek advice from your union before agreeing to anything

cabingirl · 24/07/2019 19:52

Also explore the option of having the extra money added into your regular pay. Then as far as everyone else is concerned the allowance is the same for everyone doing the same job, and you don't lose any income.

T0getherindreams · 24/07/2019 19:52

Thanks for the replys.

anac

She knows my allowance as we were good colleagues and she has seen my pay slip on numerous occasions.

I have contacted my union and basically been told that if work really wanted to, they could make me redundant and offer me a new job on the contract H is on, it might be unfair dismissal but it would be up to me to persue it. Basically, if they push the issue they could force my hand as I'm not going to go through redundancy am I!

My boss said he's furious about her actions but cant do anything, he's told me speak with HR and sort it out with them. He will support me if he can but the weekend working requirement just isn't an option he can justify at the moment.

Why would a colleague mess with my pay?

WTF!

I have emailed HR but didn't hear back from them today and the lady who I need to speak with wasn't available.

The money isn't so much the issue, I'll survive. But what do I say to H?

How angry is it appropriate to be right now?

Because on a scale of 1-10 I'm about 99!

OP posts:
cabingirl · 24/07/2019 19:57

I think you have every right to be angry - although I suspect that as a pp said she was probably trying to get her money increased not specifically yours reduced. Although people are weird about money like that and she might be equally pleased with the outcome either way.

itswinetime · 24/07/2019 19:59

So wait at the moment you are not offering a weekend service at all does that include the on call service? So Are you still getting paid to be on call when you aren't I'm a little confused? It has she kicked off and gone to HR about a potential future issue?

TheoriginalLEM · 24/07/2019 20:01

Jealousy turns people into cunts

DuckbilledSplatterPuff · 24/07/2019 20:03

So difficult. I think she was hoping they would bump her pay up to match yours. Do you have legal advice on your house insurances (its only a few pounds a month) When my OH was asked to sign a new contract (something to do with pensions) - he was later advised that the company should have offered some kind of compensation for changing the terms and conditions of his contract, as he had worked there for 8 years. They didn't and he was advised that this was against the law. I don't know if this will apply in your case, but you should def check, As to your "colleague" I'd just say "I had no idea that your first action on returning to work would be to campaign behind my back for me to get a pay cut. I no longer consider you a friend." Cold and calm. And hopefully in front of witness. and leave it at that because you don't want her running sobbing to HR. Sorry, this sounds like such a crap situation. I'm sure you will navigate it though. And also anyone seeing colleague in action doing such an underhand thing will have a new opinion of her now.