Changes to Working Conditions - any advice out there? (UK)

[peter]

We have a new area manager who has been brought in with part of his remit being to 'reduce wage costs while still maintaining service levels' within the business.

I work in a (7-11) corner shop for 40 hrs a week, a job I have done now for 7 years with no significant changes of note. My 'Contract of Employment' does not specify any number of guarenteed hours per week, but it has always been 40ish (never less) since I started. Our new man has hit on the idea that wage costs can be reduced by taking on staff at 20 hours max per week and thus brining them down below the level where a national insurance contribution is deuctable from their wages (presumably this will be coupled with a pay reduction from the hourly rate so the firm gets to keep the 'saved' money and it just doesn't pass on to us).

My managers feeling is (and I agree with her) that the company will start by hoping that one or two of us (there are four employee's that could be effected by this) will leave by natural wastage and they can then employ two workers on half the number of hours to replace each one that goes, but failing that, they will at some point give us 'notice' that this will be occuring and that will be that.

Now I cannot begin to survive on the money I would earn from 20 hours a week so effectively I would be forced to look elsewhere for new employment - but in the current climate and given my age it is unlikely that I would easily find it. I have been told that a firm must give 90 days notice of a change of this nature and that given the length of time I have worked at my current number of hours that it constitutes an 'unwritten contract'. Also it appears that the reducing of Tax contributions would not constitute a 'reasonable reason' for changing our work practices in this manner. I have no doubt however that my employers would not 'dress up the changes' in these terms and if questioned would find many and varied other justifications in terms of 'improving the business eficciency' etc and that if they do go ahead as I expect them to do, then they will do so in full accordance with their contractual obligations to us as workers. But the end result will be the same - they will reduce our hours and incomes together with increasing their own profits.

Any comments or ideas Guys - all advice gratefilly recieved.

[aliantha]

Your new area manager isn't an American, by any chance, is he?

In the US, most people would simply update their resume. In the UK, you may have avenues of redress that don't exist here. You might first see about confirming that stuff you've been told, about the 90 days' notice and the "unwritten contract". Is there a government agency that oversees this kind of thing? You could start by giving them a call and/or checking out any FAQs on their website.

I'm sorry, peter.

[Shaun das Schaf]

Sorry Peter, I don't really have much advice, beyond what Ali mentioned above. We have a Fair Work Australia organization that we can call to check on any of our rights. Do you have something like this?

I know this isn't very helpful but here, have another one of these...

And remember, in a world of economic irrationalism, profit/constant unsustainable growth must always come before people.
It's important we have an inhuman system to manage a large part of our lives.
(In the abscence a sarcasm emoticon, I give you the multipurpose eyeroll: )

[Ananda]

That is really, shitty, Peter. Sorry. Only advice I have is move to sweden where employers can't do stuff like that.

[deer of the dawn]

That is crap, but common practice in the US, where firing anyone outright is risky business; they just make it so stinky to work for them that people quit until they get rid of the ones they were after. By then they've discovered it's nice to get people to work without benefits, so they start giving remaining employees more hours, just not enough so they have to give bennies.

If you don't have a Brit version of the Fair Work Bureau, perhaps you have a Legal Aid that you could go to as a group and ask a lawyer to review your situation? (Even letting it drop that some of the workers are seeing a lawyer might have an effect.)

[Ananda]

Is there a workers union for that type of jobb?

[I'm Murrin]

That is crap, but common practice in the US, where firing anyone outright is risky business; they just make it so stinky to work for them that people quit until they get rid of the ones they were after.

That's pretty much what's happening, isn't it? They're going to cut working hours and just let the people who won't work them quit.

I think the main thing is to look into whether they really can dramatically change your hours like that. They probably can't.

[wayfriend]

peter, I would sit down with my boss and ask him whether he is intending to cut your hours.

[High Lord Tolkien]

I used to be a retail manager at a few companies.
After 7 years you're probably the highest paid employee.
You leave and he/she could hire 3 newbies which would give the manager much more flexibility.

Retail is the butt end worst industry to be in!
Especially a small business.
The profit margins are so low that a 20cent an hour pay wage increase for a few employees can put you in the red.

I used to feel horrible only being able to give someone that I knew busted his ass all year a 15 cent raise.
Same with most managers who make more money (salaried) but work more hours so he's making less an hour than the cashier that started last week.

In retail, without exception, the higher your pay the bigger target you have on your back to be fired.
And that has NOTHING to do with how well you do your job.

But to be totally honest, and i know i'm going to insult you and everyone who is also in retail......you're so replaceable it isn't even funny.

Learn a skill that makes you more valuable.

[Iolanthe]

Peter, have you thought of asking advice from the Citizens Advice Bureau? I have a friend who volunteers at one here and this is the sort of thing they cover. If they don't already know, they will know how to find out for you.

Your situation sucks. My daughter was in a similar one, but she was able to leave and then was head-hunted! She is in the quality control dept of a large fruit/veg packing business at Spalding.

[Avatar]

What Iolanthe said. Them or DWP or something. Consult the labour act or whatever law governs employment too maybe.

--A

[peter]

Thanks for all the kind and helpful replies guys! No offence taken HLT - but have to say have tried that one already and it didn't work. Promise - I'm the highest qualified retail worker you have ever met. In the UK it can get like that - grads are as expendable here as anyone else.

As a footnote, yesterday (my birthday as well would you believe! ) the last customer I dealt with at 11.00 last night had previousely been banned for threatening staff. I told her she was barred and her response was as follows. "F*** off you four eyed c***, you fat f****** b******, look at the state of you you c***, I'll punch your f****** lights out you f****** c***!"

I'm not joking. I think it may be time to get the f*** out of Dodge anyway!

[Shaun das Schaf]

You've got it all wrong peter. I'm fluent in Drunken Slag and that outburst actually means, "Happy Birthday oh talented and highly appreciated worker. May your next year be full of respectful customers and abundant hours."
Make sure you give her a hug to thank her when next she comes in.

[lorin]

Perhaps you can go through the corporate office to see if they have something in another store or in the offices. Maybe this is not a company wide operational plan.

[Ananda]

Oh my, Peter, sound like you are working at chav central? Too bad you dont sell running suits and gold chains there- you could have a lot more pleasant times.

[Lefdmae Deemalr Effaeldm]

Not sure if I can say anything helpful here, perhaps you can talk to the people in charge of the changes, maybe tell the situation, people are not always at ease with such things and there may be either some way to avoid this, or something to make it easier, possibly they can know some other job you can take a half at. And, anyway, it may be a good idea to look for at least some job and generally a course of actions you could take in the worst case scenario - even if it turns out not needed, a backup scenario may help to calm down a bit.

And good luck to you

[peter]

You've got it all wrong peter. I'm fluent in Drunken Slag and that outburst actually means, "Happy Birthday oh talented and highly appreciated worker. May your next year be full of respectful customers and abundant hours."
Make sure you give her a hug to thank her when next she comes in.

I'll give her a hug alright Shaun!

The situation at work has become so .......sureal (an overworked expression I know but geuinely the only one that covers it) that I'm not even going to try to explain it! Thanks again guys for your kind words and fear not - I'm getting quite good at not sweating the small stuff!

[Iolanthe]

When my son was about 18 months, and in a pushchair, I was standing by a display of small baked bean tins, not even touching them, when one fell off the pile and landed just above his top lip! He had to have two stitches. Never occurred to me to sue or anything - this was in 1976/7.

Just read your blog and it reminded me. Oh, and once my dad was stood in a queue at the Co-op, and the lady behind told her small child to "eat that quick then we won't have to pay for it" !!! If I'd been there I would have shouted "ly" at her

[peter]

Bet it was an Heinz tin Iolanthe. I actually wrote to them asking why they are the only company not 'bevelling' their cans for safe stacking! I have lost three toenails in eight years due to Heinz Baked bean cans falling on them. You would not believe the edge of a can could do so much damage.

[Iolanthe]

Of course - always get Heinz - the cheap ones just don't taste the same.

He still bears the scar, by the way.