Work situation wwyd

[T0getherindreams]

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.

I think she was trying to get her money increased, not yours decreased. I'm fairly sure this isn't the outcome she wanted either.

You've a proper shit manager though. I'm struggling to believe he firmly bad mouthed her like that and then tried to Palm you off on hr. he would have been involved in the decision making process and doesn't have thr balls to own it.

I think when you speak to her, you'll find her argument was she wanted the old allowance, and she's as pissed as you that your spineless manager is blaming her.

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.

Only say this if you're twelve. If you're a grown up don't go saying I'm not your friend anymore ffs.

I don't think it's for no reason, it's because she wants the same, doesn't feel its fair someone gets paid more for the same job, and was hoping for a rise to the same.

In your position I would be angry too but I wouldn't say anything. Just stay out of her way and only speak to her unless you have to for work related things.

And as others have said do not sign the contract. After 14 years im sure it would cost them in redundancy pay

I didn't think that they could cut your pay. They might get you on a new contract, but really think they have to keep your pay the same.
I've known people be made redundant and moved across and down within the company, so less responsibility, but no pay cut.
Good luck.

You really shouldn’t be flashing your payslip around, why did you?? But you don’t have to accept a new contract because someone is pissed off that your (considerably older) one is better than hers.
Refuse. Your manager is just trying to get everyone off his back with the least amount of aggro, which is not how to manage well.

I would not sign I work in a large multi national and we have had people leave then return on a lesser contract (non final salty pension, different benefits) that’s what happens if you leave employment

Are you the only person affected? If it was brought in two years ago is there anyone else on this old contract?

And you said she still gets on call pay but less. Do you know what the wording is on the contract for this? Is it she's (and all new starters) are on call for extra time during the week and you're on call for the weekends as well? Is there a reason for the pay disparity?

Just on the off chance. Is it called UPA?

we were good colleagues and she has seen my pay slip on numerous occasions

In all my working life I have never seen a colleague’s payslip! You need to play your cards closer to your chest in future.

The union probably are right - and your manager is an arse because he’s probably in trouble for not having sorted this at an earlier stage.

There isn’t much you can say to her, to be honest. What outcome would make you happy - if she apologised?

Salary not salty

Isn't there supposed to be some comback if complaints by one staff member against another are said to be vexatious in nature?

Because she named you specifically in a group meeting, rather than just mentioning that it was another staff member, it makes me wonder whether it was done out of spite against you, rather than a moan to HR about the general unfairness of some people having a more advantageous contract than others.

She didn't need to name you in such a public manner, did she?

Yes I think she was trying to get her pay raised to match yours rather than get your salary reduced. Does she know? I bet she'll be mortified.

You definitely shouldn't be forced to sign a contract, and your manager sounds quite unprofessional. Your colleague is clearly being a CF for even caring about this and bringing it up in (again) an unprofessional manner. But have I missed something? £40 a month? I'd be annoyed at the principal (and would make noises about how crapply its been handled), but ultimately that's small beans and probably (hopefully) not worth losing any sleep over.

I thought that if they change your current terms for less favourable ones they have to ‘protect’ your old rate for a set amount of time? This happened to a family member with on-call arrangements (NHS)

Hang on, do I mean vexatious or malicious?

Yeah, the advice from the union sounds a bit off - I'd expect them to be offering the local rep to support you in refusing to sign. If I were you I would be saying the only way I would consider signing a new contract was if my other terms were made more favourable to make up for the loss of money - so an increase in my basic wage to cover the loss of the shift allowance, for example.

itswinetime

Yes. I am happy to work any weekend I am asked, at the moment there is no requirement for me to do so.

That's not my fault. I am willing to work if asked.

I am not claiming anything, the allowance is contractual and paid regardless if I work every weekend or none at all.

pretty sure they cannot make you redundant and then rehire you to do the same job so please check that out with someone who knows, surprised that has come from a union rep tbh.

If they make you redundant, they'll have to pay a huge amount in redundancy pay, so I doubt they'd do that.

If they make you leave because you won't sign a new contract reducing your pay, you'd have an airtight case for unfair dismissal/bullying, etc.

You have a case for bullying in the workplace regarding this colleague anyway. In addition, are actively encouraging this and discussing your private and confidential pay in a staff meeting without your permission.

Fuck them! Use that anger and come back fighting! Complaints procedure for data protection breech, bullying and unprofessional behaviour for starters!

Do not be bullied here. You are not in the wrong. Your boss is a dick.

This is awful, I’m so sorry OP. She’s a grade A cunt. Just goes to show you can’t trust anyone.

Whilst I think openness about salaries can help people to ensure they get what their peers are earning (particularly with the gender pay gap), I don’t think you should have let her see your pay slip.

I would just be cold as ice to her, strictly professional, not friendly and tell her nothing.

Is this equal pay for the same work?

Surly she either gets paid more or you less. Isn't the company in the right to put you both on the same contract? aka equality?

I’m pretty sure you can’t be made redundant and immediately reemployed in the same position on less favourable terms. I’m amazed your union even suggested it may happen.
Hold tight.

You don't have to sign it. I recently was made redundant with a very nice handshake from my company because I wouldn't move from my old style contract because of the benefits it gave me. Get some advice before signing anything

My boss said he's sorry but she has made so much "noise" that HR are now on his back.

Your manager is a spineless little fuckwith. No professional manager with any leadership skills whatsoever says something like this.

Your anger should not be towards a colleague who was trying to get themseleves a bit more £. It's towards your manager and employer. THETY are the people who left you on an old contract and decided the best way to deal with inequalty was to bring you down to someone else's level.

No, it’s quite common for new employees to either negotiate more favourable contracts than those already employed, or be unable to negotiate terms quite as good as those in existence. Depending on how keen the company are to get them on board.

T0getherindreams

So you are paid £40 say a month to keep your weekends free just incase. Are you sure those are the same terms as in the new contract? So they are getting paid say £20 a month or have they changed the wording? Because if it's a different allowance then I'm fairly sure your union are wrong and you can argue it.

Word of warning though in situations I know like this the most common thing is everyone looses the allowance somehow. That just my experience though🤷🏻‍♀️