Grounds for complaint

[Gryff]

Hi I wondered if anyone could tell me whether I have reasonable grounds to initiate a formal complaint.

 

I work for a very large national/multi national company for the past 9 odd years. Recently I became aware of vacancies available for team manager positions, although not directly told (I was off when it was anounced in a team meeting).

 

Having notified via email my interest I was then replied to that I was not going to be invited to be interviewed as I needed more exposure to Deputy Manager duties and to the management team.

 

This is complete hogwash as I my history in the company is as follows:

Started Sept 99

April 03 - July 04 Deputy Team Manager

July 04 - Feb 05 Maternity cover Team Manager

May 06 - Dec 07 Lean/Six Sigma Project work (secondment)

 

Any areas in between are moving Depts and learning new areas of the business, Dec 07 to current taken off project work by said person and put back in a handling team (step down - not even sidewise move). However, have extra duties responsible for CSR leader of volunteering and fundraising for local charities which has high profile with all staff and management team.

 

Said person has returned to dept and is returning to the old boys network if your face fits and I get the feeling mine doesn't. I fed up of him making up job titles and cherrypicking his brown nosed mates.

 

None of these postions have been advertised internally or externally, 13 people have applied and only 4 have been selected for interviews.

 

I know this sounds like sour grapes and it prob is and I should be grateful for having a job in this current climate.

 

Sorry this is so long winded but I wanted to provide as much info as poss.

 

Hope someone can help before I put the cat amongst the pigeons.

[jack1966]

e-mail them and outline the jobs that you have held and say 'nicely' that you hope that you are not overlooked for the position and thank them for the oppurtunity as you quite clearly fit the criteria

 

:grin:

 

good luck anyway

[Gryff]

Hi

 

Thank very much for the prompt response.

 

I did reply stating that I was disapointed in not being selected and pointed out my previous history but have not had a response and nor do I expect one.

 

I do have the ear of someone higher who has been supportive of me hence the extra duties. I am probably answering my own question but would it be usefull to have an off the record with this guy. He is this said persons direct manager.

 

I'm just nervous of besmirching (I'm sure its a word just not sure how to spell) my name and causing hooha.

 

Many thanks

[Sali]

Are you saying the job you would like is working for the guy who seems determined that you will not be selected for interview? If you leapfrog this guy and go directly to his manager, I wonder what your life will be like.

 

Yes, I know there are rules of ways that employees should be treated, but let's be honest we've all be in a position where we know the dirty is being done on us but we just can't prove it.

 

Are there no other opportunities outside of your current department?

 

Aren't office politics a fine thing!

[Gryff]

Hi Sali my you work late

 

My main gripe is that I have not been allowed to be considered for the position even though I clearly (sorry qwell the the head) have the credentials to qualify even to be given the chance to apply.

 

But with this guy it is not the fist time he has appointed someone or made a new appointment for his mates.

 

Politics .......................... Gis a Job ..............someone!!

 

Cheers Sali for the reply ...... just not sure if I sould go Jo public.

[Sali]

You work late too!

 

The old boy network is alive and kicking in every area of our lives.

 

Well, if I was in your position, because I'm stubborn and hate unfairness, yes I would probably take action. You'll be bitter if you do nothing, but equally bitter if you do and don't succeed....and possibly make an enemy in the process. Watch your back!

[Gryff]

Your right damned if I do damned if I don't.

 

Well I did speak to the boss man today and he sat on the fence, he agreed I was qualified to apply but doesn't have anything to do with the selection process. Also said that Deputy's only allowed to apply so that people who wereclose to the role on a daily basis were capable to step into the role.

 

I said I only wanted an open process, his reply was that the fact that 13 people had applied and 4 selected seemed fair.

 

He suggested I talked to said person, however, I have already expressed my disapointment and dont see it changing their cherrypicking ways. So I will expend my energy on find another appointment elsewhere.

 

Good thing was the conversation with the head of was he said it was off the record and would not be mentioned, and I trust him too.

 

So end of move on and move out....................why do you have to be a git or a brown noser to get on in life.

 

And remember people watch your backs, lets be careful out there.

 

Cheers peeps

 

[godpikachu]

it seems like you are stuck in the age old problem of call centre politics.

 

my mum had the same problem when she worked for one, she spent 3 years as a basic customer service advisor, then 4 years as a deputy team manager, but yet whenever any positions came up for a team manager, she was consistantly denied the right to apply for them, to which they cited "lck of experience" as the reason.

however with ALL of the jobs advertised, they were given to younger staff memebrs with considerably less experience than my mum, and mroe often than not the staff memebers left for other jobs within a few months of being awarded the position.

 

it was this that was the main factor, along with a few other things, that led my mum to get a job somewhere else, for considerably more pay and less hassle.

[Gryff]

Pikachu - sounds like your mum and I work at the same place.

 

So is it cowardice or self preservation?

 

This site is tops ...........thanks again peeps.+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

[Gryff]

Sorry cat on keyboard prob!!

[godpikachu]

lol, kittehs.

 

 

anyways, what you have described goes off in just about every call centre in the country, the only people who really get anywhere are the ones who brown nose, back stab and generally behave in a manner which is against all that is good and honest.

 

ive done my time in call centres, and i can honestly say i didnt enjoy any of it.

[Sali]

godpikachu - you haven't just described the world of call centres - you've described the world of work!

[orangutangy]

be careful - you need to decide if you can live with the unfairness of it all and move on or risk being considered a trouble maker

not saying you shouldn't fight for your rights just weigh up the long term benefits... I made a complaint similarly where I was totally in the right and got an apology so didnt go to full grievance - i told them it was important they know it was wrong

now I believe I was selected first for redundancy when the economic downturn came I was picked off...

 

Good luck, only you have to live with the decision

[godpikachu]

be careful - you need to decide if you can live with the unfairness of it all and move on or risk being considered a trouble maker

not saying you shouldn't fight for your rights just weigh up the long term benefits... I made a complaint similarly where I was totally in the right and got an apology so didnt go to full grievance - i told them it was important they know it was wrong

now I believe I was selected first for redundancy when the economic downturn came I was picked off...

 

Good luck, only you have to live with the decision

 

 

well, that in itself could be grounds for a claim of not following proper proceedure in the redundancy process.

[orangutangy]

I know Just they have been very careful with "following" procedure ticking all the boxes, paying lip service etc Hard to prove otherwise and very stressful to try but I know 100% there are other things going on, they have an answer for everything and major lawyers. I think that I complained counted against me (it was a serious matter), also other things

 

Just wanted the person who posted to think carefully about the implications of a grievance, not advising against

 

I have seen it time and time again, if they decide its time for you to go it happens and having made a grievance = trouble maker - they can often fabricate whatever to support a redundancy. I've been a good and valued employee and it's still happening (I believe unfair selection)

[godpikachu]

well, put it this way, if you are made redundant, but your job isnt, then you have a claim either way, because the one thing clever arses forget is that its not the person who gets made redundant, its the persons position.

 

So, no matter how "clever" they have been, or think they have been, or how much they can afford to pay their lawyers, the minute they employ anyone in your old job, then they have ****ed up big time, and any claim you make against them will be nigh on impossible for them to win.

[orangutangy]

Cheers ...they made my job redundant by absorbing my work into the people who were looking after it for me whilst on maternity cover...this was deliberate, other people protecting their positions... they are way too clever and scared of litigation to mess up but there are other things going on underneath all the rubbish they come out with. I am pressing for a good settlement, I found out that redundancy is actually a breach of contract and they (try and) pay you as a "damages" award. Court would be just too awful