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.

If you work in the public sector, you should join a Union when you start your job. It just makes sense to.

You have to be a member for a certain amount of time before they will represent you :)

I'm a union rep. People aren't attacking for no reason. The OP got arsey when it was pointed out that unions don't really get involved with issues pre-dating membership. Instead of proving your point, it rather shows how unhealthily a non-unionised worker can be when confronted by the reality of their situation.

As a rep, I don't get paid. It's a voluntary role. I don't mind sharing my expertise in the context of collective support. I would mind if someone who wasn't part of the union demanded that I provide them a service, free of charge, and then bad mouthed my organisation because I refused to ask 'how high?' when they said 'jump'. I think believing that others are there simply to meet your needs whenever, wherever and whyever you choose is a really problematic approach to social relationships - and entirely against the principles of trade unionship.

in that sense a union is like the business owners, basically you have to prove your worth before they even help even when they expect x,z,y from the employee etc

The unions that have been in the news recently haven't helped members who have been with them for years!

Unions exist for the sake of their members. That's the whole point. Everyone should be in a union to support themselves and fellow employees. Then when something goes wrong you have their support. It's not private health care you can just buy in when you need it.

When I was a leader/manager in public service I always, always advised my new appointees to join a Union. Unions are there to support the rights of the individual worker. I generally found Union Reps supportive and professional toward their members, which also included supportively advising their member when that member was in a hole of their own making. I'm now (many years) retired. I would still always recommend joining a Union, if that opportunity is available to you.

They’re not there to help you during a single incidence. They aren’t pay as you go organisations. They are there to offer long term support for the profession/industry, whether that be fighting for conditions of service, offering training and learning opportunities, accreditation, hardship support and supporting individual members who have difficulties with their employers. You have a gargantuan gap in understanding of the purpose and your attitude is an affront to the TU movement.

I used to be a union rep, and absolutely would represent you. Of course it's preferable if you'd joined before, but so it goes.

You don't buy insurance after your house has caught alight. You don't pay union subs after you've already encountered a problem with your employment.

Unions are not just there to "help" individuals in dispute. They also do collective bargaining regarding pay and conditions. They do this on behalf of their members, but if they negotiate a better pay deal, then even non-union employees benefit.

Collective bargaining only happens with recognised unions. An employer doesn't have to recognise a union unless at least 30% employees are members. (They can choose to if fewer, but I don't think many do.)

They can still assist with representing individuals where the union isn't recognised. My union also now has a section to advise on individual pay negotiations (I haven't used them for that, so don't know if they're any good for it - thry have been on other stuff.)

Exactly

That you should join a Union first and not just when you have an emergency, I think.

Union membership is a bit like insurance. You pay for it so that its help is available if and when you need it.

Expecting to get the union's help now is like taking out medical insurance because you need surgery and expecting them to pay out for a pre-existing condition.

Without a Union employers hold all the cards with regards to workplace regulations. Unions provide many services and benefits which need to be funded by a regular income stream. Therefore, they require membership dues (usually a small percentage of your paycheck) to fund the staff, legal teams, and strike funds that make these benefits possible.

Yabu to join a union just for them to do stuff for you.

The point of collective action is to support each other.

I voted you are not being unreasonable but seeing your updates have changed my vote. Unions are not just for cheap support and legal advice. They provide a wide range of services and without them our current working conditions in the UK would be much worse. Everyone should be in a union because they provide negotiating power. Without funding they cannot do this.

I think you're missing the point. Unions will only support a persons situation if they were a member. If you join now and bring up a problem that has been ongoing why should they represent you. What would stop you cancelling your subscription once your problem is resolved?
It is the same as having a medical problem, then taking out medical insurance after the fact. They would not cover you for that issue.
I think you should maybe call a union and ask if they would support you.

A business owner has a contractual relationship with the employee. The business owner will pay wages if the employee carries out their job.

A union has a contractual relationship with its members. The union will represent you if you need union representation.

Think of it this way. If you join a gym, then you have the benefits of membership. If you don't join a gym, then you don't have the benefits of membership. You can't possibly blame a gym that you weren't a member of for the fact you're now unfit.