Never on own duty, grounds for grievance?

hazzeem025 · Post by **hazzeem025** » 19 Oct 2018, 16:38

Okay so 2 years ago while I was awaiting an operation management lapsed my duty. On my return to work management continue to lapse my duty. This has been going on for 2 years. I am not a reserve, I am a duty holder. So nowadays virtually every week I am 5 different duties a week. Management have told me in their own words "it's because I can do the job and blah blah is useless, so we put you on all the crap stuff". I see that as myself being blatantly discriminated against because I can do the job! And before any of you chime in, no I don't come in early and I don't run round - I just cost them less in overtime. My other issue is the other person who has their duty lapsed is assigned the same duty (a training duty, which he never trains anyone on)every week. How can this be fair? How can it be fair for myself to be kicked from one duty to another 5 days a week but this person never to be moved. The duty he does was never advertised as vacant, manager just put him on it! I'm sick to the back teeth of it. I think I have grounds for grievance to be put in but would like to hear people's opinions. Ta.

DGH · Post by **DGH** » 19 Oct 2018, 16:58

While you're not being treated in the same way as the colleague you mention, you're not being treated in an unusual way (reserves have to cope with different deliveries every day). Now of course you may argue that you are not a reserve: you have signed for a duty, and that's a fair point.

I think you could reasonably ask for your seniority to be taken into account, and to point out that another lapsed duty holder has been given a fixed duty to cover and that you would like to be treated in the same way and to cover a vacant duty of your choice.

But 'otherwise work as directed' allows a lot of leeway.

miles_peters · Post by **miles_peters** » 19 Oct 2018, 17:45

GRIEVANCE.

themailman · Post by **themailman** » 19 Oct 2018, 17:53

I really hate the way the job has become 'survival of those who complain/make managers life difficult the most'.

Decent, hardworking, really likeable guys are getting totally sh!t on by management. Nothing too unusual there, but in my view there is a bigger issue of medium to longer term employees whom the management seem to bow to at every turn. I know, it all comes back to weak management, but there are plenty guys who wouldn't have an issue with others getting messed around and stressed on a daily basis, so long as they can keep their early finish and ghost OT.
'Just do your job and work to your time', Sure, no problem, that's the only 'revenge' people can get over management, but it starts to have little impact after a while. Aren't we all entitled to a relatively stress free job, if it's good enough for some?
As per the OP asking the question along the lines of 'why always me', almost all of the time they will be told operational reasons/reasonable request. Just a shame that these 'reasonable requests' are not made to all.

hazzeem025 · Post by **hazzeem025** » 19 Oct 2018, 18:11

I'd just like to be treated fairly. I've done this job for 26 years and am being treated like crap because 'I can do the job'

themailman · Post by **themailman** » 19 Oct 2018, 18:16

hazzeem025 wrote:I'd just like to be treated fairly. I've done this job for 26 years and am being treated like crap because 'I can do the job'

You are 100% being discriminated against in my view.

twoloops · Post by **twoloops** » 19 Oct 2018, 18:26

Is this a sheared duty?

Post by **General Mannerheim** » 19 Oct 2018, 18:34

Operational needs.
Just bend over and take it up the harris like evrybody else.

clashcityrocker · Post by **clashcityrocker** » 19 Oct 2018, 18:50

mattycash wrote:Is this a sheared duty?

Is it on ewe tube?

redneck · Post by **redneck** » 19 Oct 2018, 18:56

Grievance. They can only take operational needs so far, this is almost certainly a breach. Get in touch with the union either locally or regionally. In our office we have pursued the grievance procedure successfully for the very same thing on several occasions. 'Occasional' movement from your duty is acceptable, this is 'embedded' movement and unacceptable.

hazzeem025 · Post by **hazzeem025** » 19 Oct 2018, 19:12

No it's not a shared duty. I'm the only person in an office of 70 people who gets moved about as much as this. I did my time as a reserve. If I hadn't had the cheek to be off sick and have an operation they wouldn't have lapsed my duty. Am I entitled to demand a print out of what my daily duty has been over say the last 6 months to back my case up?

redneck · Post by **redneck** » 19 Oct 2018, 20:06

A print out won't exist, I wouldn't have thought, they are not that good at keeping records. Ask them to produce evidence for when you were last on your chosen duty, a silence will be the response. Get in touch with a union rep, you can have them involved at all stages of the grievance process

hero22 · Post by **hero22** » 19 Oct 2018, 20:19

It happens on a constant basis in our office too. Those who do the job properly r shafted while the whingers get it easy. New girl started 5 weeks ago, mates with manager from outside of work. she Refused to be trained on a rural, no problem will get a different chap was the response. Demanded 2 days off at short notice, no worries you deserve it after 5 hard weeks, while the rest of us can piss in the wind for a day off. As for general duties like throwing mail out in the morning, while the rest of us have to the new start seems to need to speak to the dom in the office at the same time each day. Infuriating and if you speak up, the response is you know the job better.

Seymour Buts · Post by **Seymour Buts** » 20 Oct 2018, 13:27

They consider all duties the same, therefore doing other duties is considered a reasonable request I'd have thought. Sh!t but that's the crack here I guess. Could you not sign for a different duty?

Post by **aiden01** » 20 Oct 2018, 20:13

postietom wrote:They consider all duties the same, therefore doing other duties is considered a reasonable request I'd have thought. Sh!t but that's the crack here I guess. Could you not sign for a different duty?

With 26 years service why should he.. who's to say if he signs for another duty same s**t wont happen.