Change to Terms & Conditions, but no specified working pattern....?

[CustardQueen]

Hi

My employer, a Local Authority, is in the process of reducing staff numbers and amending the terms and conditions of our whole department. Our pay is going to be reduced, all our hours streamlined to 22 per week (at the moment we have different hours/days specified in our contracts), and we are going to have to apply for our jobs. I don't have an issue with any of these points as I know the Council, like many others, has to save money, but we are being asked to sign the new contracts without knowing what our working pattern will be.

I have two young children (2 and 5) and to be able to work rely on a finely tuned schedule involving 3 grandparents, school, nursery, playgroup and my husband (who works full time). My employer wants me (and all the team) to be flexible in when we are available to work, but I have said that practically I cannot commit to that.

I don't mind being asked if I can work extra hours occasionally but to have to keep changing when I'm working would be impossible. Also, if I wanted to get a second job, how could I commit to certain hours without knowing when my main employer would be wanting me to work in the next month, three months etc ...

Does anyone know if employers can expect employees to be so flexible in when they are available? I've posted in Legal too.. Thanks in advance for any advice.. (sorry I didn't mean for it to be so long...)

I believe that providing they do a consultation etc, they can. It is totally shit though.

I had to give my job up due to the same issue with my public sector job - two under fives plus a DH on shiftwork - I could not work any random shift/day thing they liked.

As part of the consultation though, you should be able to ask how far ahead the days off will be announced, whether you can swap freely with colleagues, and so on.

Thanks Moaning, yes it is shit! Can't believe they can just expect us to be available at all times. Sorry about your situation.

Do they have a family friendly policy - a lot of local authorities do - as if they do , well it isn't family freindly at all not to know when you are going to work?

It is all I can think of for now, but you could ask if they are and how they see themselves cntinuign to state this when clearly they are not?

Does anyone know if employers can expect employees to be so flexible in when they are available?

This part - yes they can expect this. I sometimes look after a baby as his mother works various days each week from 7am -4pm and the days change. Therefore she can't get nursery as she never knows until the rota comes out which two days she will be working. I help out as do others - not ideal but she is single and needs to work.

Thanks, I had worked at the same place for over 5 years, working any hours as long as it was on the days I could have childcare from DH (had to be DH for childcare due to early starts or late finishes or weekends when paid-for childcare is not available)

That was no longer an option. So I have gone from a well paid job with good pension to SAHM. It's ok but I would rather still be working, for lots of reasons.

Thanks ivy, I'll find out about the family friendly policy - I dont think they do, but I'll have a look. Its so disappointing - it feels like this job has now become impossible for me to do.

Moaning - that sounds a bit the way its heading for me. Its sad isn't it - I thought that working for the public sector might be a bit more family friendly, obviously I was wrong!

It is happening everywhere in some form or another It happened to us long before the Govt changed or the recession It depends on business needs-if they have done an audit and found this is the best way to run the service ie clients need this then they are perfectly justified However if it is a means of getting rid of people by making it impossible for them to work etcI I do not know where they stand According to previous posts they can change any t and C with consultation (and 90 days notice to unions)