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.

I really don't think people are being unfriendly, they're reacting to the cheeky fuckery attitude the OP is displaying.

OP asked if she should join a union. She clearly doesn't understand how unions work and the reasonable course of action is to alert her of how they work. The first comment immediately made it personal by saying "I won't represent you" with zero explanation. Some bizarre comments then proceeded to call her names, insult her intelligence and suggest she is not capable of doing her work. I'd say it is pretty unfriendly and uncalled for.
OP is in a difficult situation asking for information and advice. She is not "entitled" or CF. She simply found herself in a difficult situation, on a brink of burnout and has never been in this situation before and, therefore, is not sure where to turn for help.

Yes they are, but the reason they are there is that existing, long term members have paid in to fund training for the union reps (who are largely volunteers on top of their main job) and to fund legal advice etc. They've paid to fund campaigns that improve salaries and working conditions for all staff, including you. Many of the members who have paid for these things are quite likely paid less than you.

What you're planning to do is morally the equivalent of walking up to lowest paid member of staff on your team and demand that they pay from their own pocket for you to get legal advice for your problem (that only affects you), because you think they should pay for it, then throw a tantrum when they say why should they pay to support you when you haven't ever done anything to help or support them.

@CatzaNot angry, just amused at her cheekiness/lack of intelligence. OP was attacked for entitlement not because they are horrible organisations. Guessing you have done the same as OP wants to.

I'm a retired public sector worker and a former union rep. Wherever I worked my induction would include the contact details for the unions at the place of work. Employees were encouraged to join, so that they had a the benefits of being in a union. I always joined straight away because you never know do you? And sadly, the OP has discovered the hard way.

I am sure you know everything about every topic on the planet but some people are not informed to the same level. It's not entitled to ask a question about options when one finds themselves in a difficult situation. As I said, what's been made abundantly clear is that unions are not good organisations to be a member of as their members seem to lack any form of compassion. I can only hope that my very niche professional union is different.

@tilyougetenough you are coming across as ignorant and entitled.

I've paid my union dues for over 30 years. You're only interested in being in a union when it suits you. And you're being v unpleasant to people on here who are pointing out how a union works.

Why are you only criticising replies from others and not the OP's rude and aggressive replies?

Horrible reply. Disgusting actually. Totally not needed.

Because I don't find OP's posts aggressive. She is quite right to ask whether unions only support people who ideologically aligned to them and what is the point of them if they won't help because up until that last reply, not a single person actually took time to explain how unions work and, instead, insulted OP.
I will hazard a guess that if you were asking someone for help and they called you stupid and entitled, you'd be somewhat upset about that.

If you are in teaching, there are non-politicised organisations like a Union that can help you.

Frankly, my experience is that the Unions are not worth the subscription fees. When you need them they are useless.

You dont need a union for this op. Assuming nothing has been confirmed in writing about the pay scale discussion we'd entertain the rep for a while before pointing to however the job role flexibility clause is worded that is likely to be in your contract somewhere and sending them on their way.

First step is you need to explain how your other tasks are being affected, but you do like the idea of progressing just not to the detriment of the wider role snd yourself, and ask for a discussion on how you can both address it.

I probably would be upset, but if I'd been obtuse and showed my selfishness so boldly, I'd deserve it.

They usually won't help for the first 28 days. Or that's the rule for the 4 where I work.

Unison, Unite, GMB and Prospect.

Find your rep and ask. Or look online for the one that is recognised by your employer.

They aren't reacting to the first post. They are reacting to posts by the OP that show she thinks she should be able to join, get the full benefits and leave straight away, and claiming that unions are there to support everyone (and by implication including her when she doesn't want to pay more than a month or two of fees). Some of her posts have come across as extremely entitled.

I joined the union years ago and when i needed them they couldn't help at all. Seemed a waste of money and I'm tempted to leave. They seem to.want me to vote for something every other month though.

I do not believe that someone in her position would not know how a union works, how it gets funded, or why her attitude might be seen as grasping. Failing that she could tap into Google and get the info that way. Or the Union’s own website. She is even entitled about doing a bit of research for herself. One of her responses was aggressive, she is entitled and is coming across as stupid. You explain it to her how unions work then rather than coming to her rescue.

It is just a money making scheme for blokes and their mates.

Where has OP been selfish?
When you go to UNITE landing page, it says in bold letters Why join? and cites legal protection, benefits which protect you and your family and access to online training.
Anyone unfamiliar with unions will assume that that's what they do. Nowhere does it say "we won't represent you unless you pay your fees for 30 years and show ideological alignment with our cause". So how was OP supposed to know that?
I have also never seen it mentioned on staff posters around my workplace. It is only because I tend to deal with union reps when supporting others with employment issues that I know roughly how they operate. But even I was surprised at the level of aggression towards OP and I can only imagine how she feels having come here for help in what sounds like a tricky situation just to be faced with this attitude.

Lucky she has you on her side @Catza.She doesn’t even have to pay you.

Actually, OP never said she was planning to leave the union after a few months. It was one of the other posters who accused her of planning to do so.

you have to join in the good times, not just see your job go sideways then take the benefit of all the rest of our union subs to fight your fight.

I guess you'd cancel your membership after the case too?

Can you not see why I, as someone who has paid union subs for two decades, might feel a bit peeved if someone who has never bothered to contribute before joins just at the point they need help? It's like insurance, once the issue has started it's too late. But if you do this I hope you will at least carry on paying subs into the future.

I wonder if OP would ring Aviva and demand they help her if she had an accident abroad but wasn’t a customer, because you know, insurance is there to help….

She did, at 5:33 pm UK time.

I’m not saying I approve of anyone’s comments, I’m just pointing it out.