Round revision/Saturday Working SPDO

[jetblack]

Looking for some advice chaps.

I've worked for last 15 years for Royal Mail as a postman. First 3 years working 6 days a week - and the last 12 years working Monday to Thursday on the same rural walk/spdo. Another postie was employed 12 years ago to work the Friday and Saturday on my run.

I am now being asked to work Saturdays (the exact amount yet to be agreed) by swapping (say) a Monday with the other chap for one of his Saturdays - my question is, do I HAVE to agree to working any Saturdays at all ? The reason I ask is that:-

1) I am contracted to work Mon.-Thurs.

2) the other postie applied for the Saturday job in the first place ie.this was never a 5 day rolling rota situation

and 3) my partner works Saturdays and I have 3 small kids to look after - if we have to alter this we are going to be a lot of money out of pocket.

Strikes me that there are other ways around this than forcing me to do saturdays. For example, a relief could be asked to do the other posties 1 in 4 Saturdays - and he for example could work a day of my holiday cover to make up for it. ie. 12 Saturdays off a year for him and he (the regular Fri/sat. postie) covers 12 days of my holiday.
He's happy, I'm happy, the reliefs happy - and Royal Mail is happy cos its not costing them a penny extra.
I haven't put this to the manager yet - but I really need to know if they can COMPEL me to alter my days of work.

Thanks in advance for any replies

[dvbuk55]

Why are you being asked to change? Is it because of a revision? If it is, has it gone to a vote? You do seem to have solved the problem though so put it to your DOM, if it's not costing him anything it shouldn't be a problem.

[jetblack]

Why are you being asked to change? Is it because of a revision? If it is, has it gone to a vote?

Thanks for reply.

We have had very little (ie.none) communication about this (only 2 posties work in our office at any one time) - bit of a bombshell letter arrived today for myself and my colleague (who is in a similar situation). But yes - we appear to be undergoing a revision ( and across the region as a whole) and our office is next on the list.

It certainly hasn't been to a vote in our particular office - not sure about on a wider scale.

If my contract is for Monday to Thursday am I right in thinking that my contract can't be changed without my consent ?
My previous and current manager(s) have certainly led me to believe that the days of work on my run can only be altered when a) I consent to it or b) when I leave my job and someone else is employed on a new contract

[DGP1]

I think RM can change your contract with 28 days notice, I may be wrong, maybe Fishtank would have access to the RM rules about this.

[jetblack]

I think RM can change your contract with 28 days notice

Thanks for reply.

So - just for the sake of arguement - you could have a situation where a man/woman has applied for a Saturday job (because it fits in with other commitments), and they've been contracted for the Saturday and have been working it for the last 20 years.
Then - from out of the blue- said man/woman receives a letter from their manager asking them if they can do every Tuesday (not Saturday) from here on in.
And so long as the manager gives said employee 28 days notice, the postie doesn't have a leg to stand on.

This can't be right can it ?

[TrueBlueTerrier]

http://www.adviceguide.org.uk/scotland/ ... _contracts" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Changes to contracts

You may have a problem at work because your employer wants to change the contract. In effect it is a proposal to change the contract of employment if, for example, your employer wants to:

change the type of work that you do
change your place of work
cut your pay
change the number of hours you work.
In theory, your employer cannot change a term in your contract without you agreeing to the change. In practice, you may be faced with the choice of accepting the change or losing the job. However, you may be able to take some action against the employer if you disagree with the change.

Before you can decide what your rights may be regarding a proposed change to your contract, it is essential to discover what the existing contract says on the issue. You should look carefully at your copy of any written contract and/or the written statement of terms and conditions of employment (see under heading Employee’s right to written details about the employment contract). If you do not already have one, it may be advisable to ask the employer for a written statement of terms and conditions.

It is important to remember that taking action against an employer over a change in the contract may mean that you could lose your job. You should therefore consult an experienced adviser, for example, at a Citizens Advice Bureau. To search for details of your nearest CAB, including those that can give advice by email, click on nearest CAB.

For more information in England, Wales and Scotland about what rights you have if your employer wants to change your contract of employment, see Changes to employment contracts in Employment fact sheets.

[jetblack]

Thanks for reply.

In theory, your employer cannot change a term in your contract without you agreeing to the change. In practice, you may be faced with the choice of accepting the change or losing the job.

Well yes, but we aren't talking about a dodgy kebab shop here employing temps- we are talking about Royal Mail.

You should therefore consult an experienced adviser, for example, at a Citizens Advice Bureau.

I don't need the CAB - I've got the CWU.

Just to flesh out my particular case a little - I am a Union member, and yet the guy who will benefiting from the 1 in 4 Saturdays (that was intended to benefit the 5 day week rota guys - not people who have applied for a job specifically working on a Saturday) is not a Union member.
I have had to, over the last several years, be in communication with my manager over harassment experienced by myself from the guy currently working the Friday/Saturday on my run. The most recent case was in early February.

And yet I am in a situation where my manager can, with 28 days notice, change my contract (through an initiative instigated by the CWU) to the benefit of a none union member bully.

Can't be right surely ?

[jetblack]

In theory, your employer cannot change a term in your contract without you agreeing to the change.

Has anyone got any more info about this "theory" - which I assume means law - especially in relation to Royal Mail. It is certainly what I have always understood to be the case.