advice please

[ashuraji]

hi
every one
I was working in mail opening unit (DWP) for 7 years, shift pattern was from Sunday to Thursday 1900 to 0300 hours on Sunday and 2000 to 0400 hours from Monday to Thursday
we use to get Sunday premium allowance and night shift allowance last November 2013 they closed the unit as DWP did not renew the contract we had meeting one to one with management and union and we were given a choice to take any shift we want and were told if we go on early shift we will lose night shift allowance but will get Sunday premium for three years

so few people went on to early shift and they received allowance till last week march 2014 , then they stopped paying Sunday premium ,when asked about it ( writing room) and union rep , they said we will not get the Sunday premium as we have changed our shift voluntarily and if we go back on night shift we will get the allowance as told
we were not informed by management or union regarding that our Sunday premium will stopped from April ,
so please advice me are we entitled for the Sunday premium for three years

we had received letters from management and union ( MTSF will be applied for those affected) in July and August 2013



please advice is there any rules or agreement which can help ask them to look at our case and give us the Sunday premium

[rehabron]

hi
every one
I was working in mail opening unit (DWP) for 7 years, shift pattern was from Sunday to Thursday 1900 to 0300 hours on Sunday and 2000 to 0400 hours from Monday to Thursday
we use to get Sunday premium allowance and night shift allowance last November 2013 they closed the unit as DWP did not renew the contract we had meeting one to one with management and union and we were given a choice to take any shift we want and were told if we go on early shift we will lose night shift allowance but will get Sunday premium for three years

so few people went on to early shift and they received allowance till last week march 2014 , then they stopped paying Sunday premium ,when asked about it ( writing room) and union rep , they said we will not get the Sunday premium as we have changed our shift voluntarily and if we go back on night shift we will get the allowance as told
we were not informed by management or union regarding that our Sunday premium will stopped from April ,
so please advice me are we entitled for the Sunday premium for three years

we had received letters from management and union ( MTSF will be applied for those affected) in July and August 2013




please advice is there any rules or agreement which can help ask them to look at our case and give us the Sunday premium

The MTSF agreement was introduced to cover surplus employees who through no fault of their own have been displaced in their duty due to business driven change or downturn in workload. Due to the financial loss incurred the MTSF allows for allowances already enjoyed before the displacement to be payable up to a maximum of three years.
In the scenario you have stated you were given a choice to pick the shift that you wanted and therefore volunteered and not forced to take an early shift and subsequently reducing your allowances that you already held.
I am surprised on this basis that you have been receiving your Sunday premium from November 2013 until March 2014 and you need to have a written reason why after paying Sunday premium for 17 months the full 3 years is not being honoured.
What does it state in the letters from management and union what your conditions were under MTSF and what you have agreed to.