crap! cimpetancy review on Monday (sorry, long)

[mrsSOAK]

Right, to cut a long story short (ha!)I have recieved a letter and an appointment to have a competency meeting on Monday.
I haven't had a chance to look through the company policy re:competancy but I did check out the possible outcomes. They were not good.
Basically I have been set unrealistic targets, as we are in first 6 months of the commissioned contract I have kept my manager up to date with everything and until Wednesday I wasn't aware there were problems regarding competancy. After each update I was told not to worry, to keep at it and it'll all come right in the end. On Wednesday it all came to a head as I have been struggling to arrange course participants. I contacted my manager to keep in the loop and after a few frenzied emails from manager and area manager i think things are getting into place. The following day i get a call from my am asking what is happening, what my plan of action is and to inform me i have a meeting on Monday (competancy meeting) at 9.30am. it is all very official. I have been forwarded my 1 to 1 review which reads like a child has written it, its the first time i have seen the document and there is no way in hell i would've ever signed it(if id been given the chance) as it is full of negative horrible comments with nothing practical or anything i can work on.
anyway...the reason for the post is to ask those of you with experience of these situation, is it safe to say that the decision has already been made and the meeting is a formality? Also as i was told i could have a union rep or a member of staff to support me (although i can't as not a trade union member and other team members are out doing their jobs at that point) would it be acceptable to take a Dictaphone in with me for accurate reporting do if i feel the need to appeal the decision and if i need to go see CAB after?
Thank you

Sorry for mistakes, on devilphone!

No one on here can possibly know whether any decision has been made or not. What decision do you think might have been made?

I think it's unlikely they'll let you record the meeting. If no one is available to accompany you on Monday then you should be asking for a postponement until a time when someone is available to accompany you - have you asked someone and if so when are they available?

How long have you been there? It's not clear whether the first six months of the commissioned contract means your own employment or something else?

Are you on any kind of formal disciplinary-type warning already?

You say you haven't had a chance to read the competency policy but I suggest you prioritise that asap if you have a meeting under the policy on Monday.

If you've been there longer than two years and are not on any kind of formal warning yet, then they are not going to sack you.

Thank you for your response. I was transferred from another organisation under TUPE process. so I have been in post for nearly a year. I haven't had any other than general catch Ups and part of a 1 to 1 review. I feel completely blindsided by this.

If you are unable to find some one to go with you on Monday then ask for the meeting to be postponed to a date where you can have someone with you.

The meeting is likely to be recorded and an impartial person taking notes for minutes, this would be mentioned in the invite letter (that's what we do) so you would also be able to record it to check the minutes are correct if you want to.

Don't forget this is a review meeting, an opportunity to discuss. It's not a given decision and you could view it as an opportunity to discuss how you feel your targets are unrealistic.

Try to stay as positive as you can and keep to the facts without taking it personally.

Why do you think the meeting is likely to be recorded Brian? Can't see anything in the OP to suggest that, unless I've missed another thread or something, which of course I may have.

OP if you've been TUPE'd nearly a year ago, how long were you at your previous organisation? It's your total continuous service that counts, not how long you've been in this particular post.

Only because we record all of our meetings and minutes are typed and signed.

Actually reading back it's a review not an investigatory meeting so I will take that back it would be mentioned in the invite letter if it was going to be recorded.

Hi,
I was TUPE'd at the end of last year, I was in this particular role from May last year but I had been employees by the previous organisation since 2010. There was nothing in the letter to say it would be recorded in anyway (audio recorded or an impartial note taker) although I would have expected this. As far as postponing goes, we are a satellite office with no hr rep here, the am is based elsewhere and was coming down anyway for a different meeting.

Just because tomorrow is most convenient for them doesn't mean you couldn't have asked for a postponement. You've left it too late now really, but if your chosen person to accompany you isn't available it's perfectly reasonable to ask for a short delay until they are.

Yes they'd probably tell you in advance if it was going to be recorded and I think that's very unlikely. Recording meetings like this isn't standard generally and I usually recommend employers don't do it or allow it. But taking notes is pretty standard and I wouldn't expect them to notify you in advance of that. Take your own notes anyway so you can make sure you are comfortable with the record of the meeting. Another reason to make sure you take someone with you in future if you find yourself in a similar meeting, or appeal meeting- it means they can take notes while you concentrate on what's being said.

Oh, and if you've been employed continuously since 2010 they can't sack you for poor performance without previous warnings on your file so that isn't what this is going to be.

Thank you for your replies, obviously when something like this comes up out of the blue, you think the worst