Being told my job description was changed after I joined

[tilyougetenough]

I work in the public sector. I am at pay level X.

I am being asked to do more and more at pay level Y. Pay level Y is higher than mine.

It’s getting to the that more of my working week is being spent picking up these responsibilities than doing my own work, and it’s starting to become a lot. I have been told that my job description was amended to say that I’d pick up these responsibilities when required, but that there was a consideration that after a period of time, I’d be moved up a pay level.

It’s not happening, I’ve been waiting for months for the confirmation and I’m being told it’s not progressing very fast. AIBU to join a union regarding this because I just feel exhausted each day. The actual pay difference isn’t much, but the higher pay level comes with the opportunity for your pay to progress, quite substantially, when you’ve been there for a certain period of time. I’m missing out on that at the moment and I feel a bit burnt out.

Im a union rep. We wouldn't represent you. Unions don't like it when people only join when their services are needed.

If i was you I'd go through the HR process of asking for a grade review.

What’s the point in a union then if they’re not going to help you out?

That's as may be regarding what union reps do or do not like, but joining a union is a good plan so let's not put people off doing that

Because they offer other services too. You should be a member Because you support them all the time. Not just join when you need them. People think they can psy their subs for a couple of months use the services then leave.

Well I won’t be joining one if that’s how they act

Understandable frankly! They are not all like that though - I'm in a union and they have been superb for me and my colleagues over the years.

Well because they can? Isn’t the entire point of them that no matter what, they will support you when you need them? Not that they’ll only support people who are ideologically aligned with them?

It's always worth joining a union because you believe what they stand for. Not just when its convenient for you.

See my other reply. Isn’t the point that they help you no matter what, not just that you’re ideologically aligned?

No because you haven't paid any subs. You basically want free help. You'll likely leave once you've got help.

Similar to car insurance, you need it before you crash it....

The Union is for members.

But what on earth do you mean? If you are not “ideologically aligned” with a union (or any organisation) then joining them only because you want their help is about as low on integrity as it gets.

Let’s not let your thread get derailed through? If you’re on board with unions then join anyway.

Yeah, I will - because that’s what they’re for. To help you.

People can join unions for whatever reason they like. Not all unions operate in the same way. Some, there might be a delay before you can access their services, others it is immediate cover. I have always been a trade union member and would always advise people to join. I don’t like it when people join for help and leave, but that is a matter for their own morals, not for the judgement of other members or trade union officials.

You’re coming across slightly hairy handed but to give you the benefit of the doubt - that’s not what they’re there for. The clue is in the name. I won’t waste any further effort on explaining as I’m not convinced you’re discussing this in good faith.

Why do you think you’re entitled to use a service you haven’t paid for?

If you had a car crash would you expect to be able to then sign up for insurance and claim on that insurance even if you didn’t have it at the time of the incident?

Regardless of whether you align with their views or not, most unions won’t get involved in disputes that predate your membership. It’s like buying insurance after you’ve been burgled. I think people should be part of a union because of the services and protection they can offer, not just if there’s a problem.

They're there for their long standing members
Not some one off payer who only joins when they need help.

As previously advised you should go through your pay grade review policy.

Not all unions will represent you with an existing grievance so it would be worth checking that out before joining to see if they would actually help you.

No, they are there to represent workers, and to ensure employers behave fairly on the whole, not just for one-off cases. In order for them to be able to do so, members need to pay their dues. If people just joined when they had problems, then cancelled, they would not be able to afford to function!

You should join a union if you believe that collective bargaining is a good idea, and if you think that unions are there not just for when things go wrong. In other words you pay your subs so other people get help when they need it.

unions are there for members like an insurance policy. you pay up monthly in the hope you never need them!

i’ve been in mine paying my subs for over 20 years.

all this money from members like me has been used to pay for lawyers and legal advice, somwtimes to take the government to court costing millions for example thw macleod judgement for firemen etc, travelling expenses for reps to get to places members need them etc, full time union reps who help members and who are experts in things, running costs like AGM meeting room hire etc.

union reps also sit on pay negotiation boards where they discuss terms and conditions and try and get a better deal for workers. this is why we have things like paternity leave etc.

unions are the reasons we have weekends off! Many employers wouldnt dream of that but the combined force of unions made them. They are important.

what they are not is something you pay twenty quid to a couple of times, while racking up significantly more costs than that for reps to assist you only once you have a problem. Those costs are subsidised by people like me. Why should i want my money used to help you? you haven’t paid in for long, why should you get help. youll only leave again once you receive it……until next time.

in answer to your question i dont know if posts are still allowed to be regraded. it stopped for a while with the recruitment freeze. you’d have to ask HR what the regrading policy is.

@tilyougetenough I don't know whether your work expectation was misrepresented to you or is unfair. However, it may well be that your attitude hasn't endeared you to your manager and is maybe why they are not especially supportive. The public sector is stretched in all directions as well so pay increases are sensitive.
You could always try your luck applying elsewhere?

My union won't take on cases until someone has been a member for at least 3 months, I think. Most unions have a rule like this (might be a differenttime, e.g. one month,) though they can make exceptions - I would expect that to be more in the case of a large group in a workplace being maltreatment, rather than a single person.

I've not worked anywhere that has had enough union members for it to be a recognised union, so no collective bargaining. I've been very glad of their help a couple of times, though, on issues that affected just me - it is like insurance- I spent years hoping I wouldn't need to use them, when I did, it was worth every penny I had paid in subs. Likewise with insurance- I don't want to be in the position of having to make a claim, but I've been very glad that I could when I needed to.

If you are prepared to wait, I would join the union, and ask for support once the minimum period was up. It's a situation that's been going on for a while, so will another 2 or 3 months make a big difference?