Union too busy to take to me

[Allwood]

Hi

I have joined a union because I was being discriminated at work, each time something happened to me and I found it undesirable I put it in writing the company that I worked and I also keep the union that I joined in the picture. I asked my union for a professional opinion but was told by the rep for the area the he would like to speak to me about the situation, although he had everything in writing he insisted that I should speak to him first. I provisionally made an appointment for 2 weeks time but today this has been changed to 4 weeks time, due to him going on holiday and his colleague is very busy. I made the appointment for 4 weeks but I feel I am being fobbed off by the union and it is coming across that they are not interested.

[cal37]

Ring the Area office, ask to speak to a full time official, now they might try and say the same but insist that you wish to see one and make clear you will call the head office if they don’t deal with this.

[Allwood]

Many thanks Cal - I have kept the union informed with correspondence that I have sent to my company and the union literature say that their members are allowed legal advice the moment they join, which is what I asked for, but the union chap says he want to speak to me first as that is they way of tacking things. Can I insist on a legal opinion from them. Or do I have to wait for this union representatives to get back from holiday. Each time I tried to make an appointment with them there is always some else they have to like going up to Manchester on business or on holiday, which I feel is not good enough.

[Weird Al Yankovic]

You say you joined a union as you were being discriminated at work?

This particular circumstance happened more than once at an employment I was at in the past and the union fobbed off people as the situation arose before becoming a union member.

[Allwood]

It is beginning to feel like that for me as well, but they should have put something in their literature stating this as it says that legal advice will be given on the day that you join the union. Shame that they are now reneging on this after I have joined.

[advisee]

You may well have a claim for negligence against the union. Lets worry about that later.

For now, can you give us some more details on the unfortunate treatment you are experiencing at work. There are some experienced people on here (inc cal and yankovic and others yet to post in this thread) who will I am sure be as good if not better than any union guy.

[supasta1]

Hi, i would give the union rep a chance, they are very good once you get to speak to them, the reps usually try to sort things out themselves and if they think it needs to go further they will arrange for you to speak to the legal team. my rep went to my work with me to speak to my managing director and didnt mess about, they let companys know that they wont be messed with. stick with them for now.

[Miss_Dior]

thinking of you...I knoW its so hard and frustrating...this forum seems absolutely the right place for us to be to support one another and share advise.

Good Luck

X

[Allwood]

supasta1 - I think it depends on who you get some are very consciouses but other are not committee enough and are only there for the money. It is the luck of the draw and it should not be that way at all, it is peoples jobs which can cause a lot of stress and you join a union as it is the only stick that the employee has with their employers.

Thank you Miss_Dior for your supportive words

[cal37]

Look you pay their wages, as a member you have a RIGHT to speak to a fulltime rep .Can’t you get the head offices phone number, is there a number on your membership card that gets you through to the legal advice dept?


If all else fails, PM me the union name and I’ll get you a phone number to call that will get a response.

[Surfer01]

Hmmmm! Sounds like the union we belong to. They have an area offcie in Tewkesbury and never return calls.

[Allwood]

I have got a response but not the outcome that I wanted but a response nevertheless as result of cal advice. I will post my difficulties later for advice as advisee suggested.

[Allwood]

Hi more help needed please - does one have to follow a company internal procedure as stated in their handbook before I can do anything else.

The company's OHA advised that my should provide a chair for me to sit on when needed however they would not comply with this so I ended up tripping over a box with an injury knee, I did not fall but it was very painful, the manager did not seem to care at all. A colleague help me up to the canteen with I was left there on my own as she had to get back to work, but would tell a manager what had happened. I was left there for a long time but I asked a person in the canteen to let me have something cold to put my injury, which she did but this help a little but not much. Another colleague came into the canteen and seen that I was in great paid and said that he would call a first aide person , and he came was very good but could not do much for me either. No manager came to see how I was, I was left there.

After the first aide person took details he asked if I should go home and I told him I would wait to see if the paid would get better, this was late December and over 6.pm. I told him I would go home but as I had a previous but I would need my crutch that I was using to get into work to help me get him he got the crutch for me and asked if I need to get a taxi I told him that I was not sure I had enough money on me to pay for a taxi but I would check the my card when he got my bag for me and my coat from my locker. When we were going to get into a left I met the commercial manager but she just ignored me without even asking how you are?

When we got to the bottom of the store, the first aide person left me and I had not money in my card to get a taxi home, so I left in the dark and hobbled out of that place but I do not know how I got home with pain but I did and contacted my doctor the next day.

Is this proper for an organisation to treat their staff?

My union said that I should put in a grievance for due care but I am not sure how to head this grievance any advice would be grateful.

[cal37]

Your Union is right, put in a grievance letter ASAP, they had a duty of care and they failed in that. In the letter give the details of what happened, dates, times and names. Say that you believe they failed in their duty of care and you wish the resolve this.

The company’s internal procedures should be at least the Statutory Disciplinary and Dismissal Procedures. However most will be more. Can you give more details on this?

[Miss_Dior]

Originally Posted by Surfer01

Hmmmm! Sounds like the union we belong to. They have an area offcie in Tewkesbury and never return calls.

not impressed with my union either now....I have been badly advised by my rep and now my et claim is out of time

[Allwood]

Thanks Cal, my union rep has gone on holiday, and it was only when I sent a email asking if it would be OK for me to contact their head office for a legal opinion that I got a call from him stating that I should put in another grievance under duty of care, I was also told that he would sit in with me at the grievance.

This will be my third grievance to have put into the company the first one was because I could not get my late hrs changed because I was followed into my home by a stranger which terrified me management again told me if I was that afraid to work late then I should look for another job nearer home. After a protracted grievance to no avail therefore I was forced to take upon myself to take the hrs that was OK for me to get home safety at night, I waited to see if the company would dismiss me for it but they gave me the hrs that was good for me but very reluctantly. The second grievance was due to discriminations regarding my holiday as I wanted to take 4 days leave to see a relative that was in a care home with dementia in the home she had several falls and broken her collar bone amounts other things. I wanted to take her out of the home to live with me for a while and I also put in for 3 months unpaid leave, the company has lifestyle options form 3 moths to 9 months for staff handbook and indeed they advertise this on their website however all I was not allowed to take was 2 months, the company said that I could only taken 2 months but first I was told I could leave the company and maybe I would be taken back again. I told the HR manager that was not an option for me. Also for the days leave I had to provide proof that why I wanted to take the leave which I did and even then I had problems getting the leave that I had applied for, I should mention that I gave the company more ample notice for my holiday leave stating that it was for a family commitment. Unfortunately, while I was rushing around while I was on leave I had an accident and injured my knee that was 6 months ago. After sending in certificate to the company stating what had happened my company kept telling me that they had not received my certificate and I was to keep phoning them everyday until they told me that they had received my certificate, which I did do (also I had certificate of postage for the certificate) however after a week and they said that they not received my certificate I sent them a photocopy of the original certificate together with a letter outlining all that I had been put though by them just to get annual leave this I sent by recorded delivery and I got a call from a manager stating that I they wanted to see me for an interview I advise the manager on the phone that I would go for the interview but I would not be able to travel on public transport and would the company paid for a taxi for me to get to them, I was told on the phone that would be OK by the manager who assured me that it was just for an informal chat with her alone to see how they could aid me to get back to work. I told that was OK and we made arrangement to meet at their store, however, t I followed this up with a letter to manager. After I got to the company with great difficulty, I was met by a totally different manager and a person from the store head office who took selective notes at the interview. I was totally exhausted after that long interview and not one of them even asked me if I wanted them to call a taxi for me to get back home so I had go outside on a very busy road to hail a cab to back home.

I was called in again for another interview and this time it was just the manager that had originally contacted for the first interview that interview me. She told me that they would like me to see the OHA in order to support me. I advised that would be OK to the manager. With the interview with OHA I was advised that he would writ to the manager requesting that I would need a chair to sit one as and when necessary. (I have tried to get a copy of that letter from the company but nothing has been forthcoming as yet).

As I could not get to see my relative in the care home after several letters to Health Executive I finally got my relative moved to another care home which is a bit better but I have not been able to see my relative as yet in the new home due to what had taken place at work and the accident I had, which meant that I had problems standing and walking.

The best way to get to see my relative on a regular basis was to change my hrs and after extensive physio and I was able to get about a bit better. As I desperately wanted to see my relative I made phone personnel and asked if I could come and see someone about getting my hrs changed/reduced HR told me that I would have to contact the manager for this purpose, which I did it was the same manger that asked me for proof of why I need to take annual lave and who also phone me at home to coming to the store for an interview with them and it was her that advised me to their OHA for support. When I went into the store about a week before my medical certificate expired to see the manager that I had phoned for this purpose. However when I got to the store this manger was off and the commercial manger got personnel to see me with another from another floor to discuss my change of hrs. We agreed the hours that I needed to be change which was suitable for me and this was accepted by all 3 of us, but no notes were taken of that meeting. It was also emphasised to me that the hrs changes would only apply if I went back to work when my current medical certificate expired. My mind went back to the terrible time I had previously in getting my hrs changed and I also wanted the alternative 3 days weekend to see my relative, I therefore advised them at the meeting that I would get back to work to how I could cope the following week and I said this in the acknowledge that I would be able to sit as and when necessary as instructed by the company’s OHA. I did not go back to see my GP, I know if I had I would not be advised to back to work.

However when I went back to work it was totally different, I was not give a chair and had to stand long periods with great difficulty. Personnel and the manger from another store back tracked on what we had agreed with my hrs changed. I feel that this was because I had asked for one of my lengthy outlying the discrimination by the company and I requested it to be taken as a grievance, which did not go down too well the personnel.

As I was standing such a lot and if want to take any pain killing drugs I had to go up to the 3rd floor to get them and about a week before the grievance hearing, I was asked to go to another floor to work which I did there was a large box on the floor which I was told to sort out management know I could not bend down because of my injury and to sort out that box I would have to bend down or get down on my knees. I was in great pain and needed to take a tablet and as I was walking out to go to take the tablets I tripped up on the box that was on the floor which left me in excruciating pain. Fortunately, I blocked myself from falling but it is a pain that I do not want to go through again. Sorry for it being so long.

I think that I should have posted this first as my last posting follows on from here…..