Can i have some honest opinions please

[Arianasmummy]

As some may remember i'm currently part way through a grievance. I returned from mat leave to find my role/work had been restructured and was now being done by a team. In addition a team manager had been appointed, I was not notified of the team manager role or the restructuring.

I am on sick leave as i found it stressful in work. Having a grievance is bad enough but i have been ignored by the new team - in fact i feel bullied.

The companies current position is that i have a job - its still got the same title so thety don't understand my grievance. I have been to Occupational Health and they have recommended i be found an alternative post.

The union have been trying to find me alternate positions. They have found one, but not only is it obvious the hiring manager doesn't want me (he has turned down my application twice). The role is considerably lower level and in addition it is a 5 day a week role. I worked really hard to go down to a 4 day/32 hour week. I have no alternat childcare other than the paid nursery.

I feel that taking the alternate role is defeating the whole point of my grievance which was that i had not returned from maternity to a role of equal stature. In addition i was told that as i only worked 4 days a week i couldn't have applied for the team manager role. So my grievance also refers to the part time workers regs.

I spoke to a barrister friend of the family (a specialist in employment law) they have queried why the union is scrabbling about trying to find me a new post. Its the companies responsibility to do that. They also told me that the company should find me an alternate position that i am happy to accept. If that isn't forthcoming, they feel they could negotiate a good exit package.

Meanwhile, the grievance is still in the internal stage.

I feel really bad about not wanting to take the lower role, the reps have worked so hard. BUT i know it would put me in a worse position than i was before i raised the grievance.

The union seem to want quick results, the barrister has assured me that as i have 52 weeks sick pay that time is on my side.

The whole process is extreemly exhausting, my confidence is shot.

Sorry for the long post - needed to write it down

Hello. Sorry I have to be quick as I'm the run. Stick to your guns. The lawyers advice seems best placed. Don't take the lower role if it will not make you happy and it seems a bit of an insult.

Can you get hold of the team leaders job spec and compare it to yours?

A simliar thing happened to me. They hired my maternity cover, made up a brand new title and told me they were hiring him. When I returned to work, he was still doing my job and I felt completely redundant and lost confidence and struggled to leave my baby girl and home knowing I was doing something that I hated and wasn't worthwhile. I asked to see his job spec and surprise surprise, he didn't even have one. Anyhow, I stuck at it and about 6 months later there was a round of redundancies and they kept me and let him go.

Not much real advice I can give, but motherhood really is the most important job and I'm sure things will work themselves out if you stay strong.

GL

Thanks for replying GL.

I doubt there is a job spec, i don't have one and didn't before i went on maternity leave.

My fear is redundancies. We are coming to the end of the contract, and the company is already displaying exit strategies/tactics. We have just got rid of all the contractors and some posts are being lost. No job losses at present. My fear is that i am quite highly paid. When i did the job on my own it was a fair salary. Now my role has been dumbed down, i am overpaid if i compare myself to market rates. If i took the lower role i would be even more overpaid. The other people, including the new team managaer, are the same grade as me but have only just achieved the grade. I know that their packages are less than mine, not just salary. I have a car allowance and am on a bonus scheme which the others don't have. We are expecting cuts in the future as we approach the end of the contract, i feel i am in a risky position. I'm wondering whether it would be financially better for me to broker an exit package. My redundancy package would be the bare minimum.

I can't wait for this to be all over with.

I knew raising a grievance and an ET would be stressfull, but boy i didn't know it would be this tough

I totally agree with the Employment Law advice you have been given ( ?? someone I know??). It is not up to the TU to find you a role, that is what the company should be doing.
Your TU rep should be there for you. You are entitled to return to a job of the same level and status as the one you left from.
If there is a redundancy exercise you have the same rights as everyone else and it may in fact strengthen your position if you can show that there is a role for you, that they are refusing to give you.

Good luck.