Grievance Hearing

[LifeSuxSumtimes]

I was supposed to attend a grievance hearing last week, but my union rep advised me to not to attend.

 

She told me that she had seen the Chair of the Grievance Panel discussing my case with my former employer and 48 hours before the hearing and this collusion constituted a breach of the proceedings. The panel is supposed to be completely unbiased, and my rep told me that because there was proof that the procedure had not been followed properly, it was her opinion that the whole matter should be reassessed.

 

My rep then told my employer that perhaps it was time to start thinking about a possible deal. Apparently, they came back with an offer that was equal to four weeks's pay, redundancy monies the equivalent of four years and then a bonus of £400 to ensure my silence about what I've suffered at the hands of this very public establishment.

 

During the course of my employment I have been mocked and jeered at by management, my needs have been ignored by the overall manager, and my disability has been overlooked by my employers and not taken into consideration during an interview process. I was selected for redundancy and the news was broken to me by gossip from colleagues instead of by the management. I have raised grievances in respect of all these, but the management have either ignored my grievances or thrown them out. I was passed a copy of an email from a colleague where the manager states that he is "reluctant to act".

 

I'm sorry, but I don't want to deal. I have spent hours typing up correspondence, preparing for meetings, stressing out. My health is shot to hell as I suffer with depression. I am on the maximum dose possible of my current medication and I am still losing it with my husband and the children. I really beleive that my employers are responsible for my current ill health and I am not the only one suffering. My children suffer with my mood swings, my husband feels neglected and unwanted and I loathe myself for being such a pushover for so long.

 

My union rep has advised me that unless I deal she may not be able to represent me for much longer. Under her advice, I forfeited any right to appeal their decision to make my role redundant, and I now consider this helped my employers more than me.

 

I want my employers to pay for the amount of time I've had to spend going over paperwork in respect of the grievances I raised and I would like some recognition of the fact that what's happened to me was not my fault and that they accept that responsibility. My union rep advised me that they have learned from this experience, but I seriously doubt it because from my perspective, they're going to carry on regardless and I won't be able to make any form of claim against them if I accept my rep's advice.

 

I think I need further help on these issues. Anyone?

[papasmurf1cx]

Hi ............. try and keep it together. My wife and I have just gone through a 3 year grievance and ET case with a NHS trust. The union were worse than useless. We found having recourse to legal protection insurance a godsend. have you that insurance policy? It is normally attached to home contents insurance. If you have it may be time to ditch the union and get the employment lawyers in.

 

What kind of organisation is your employer, PLC, Government dept, private?

[LifeSuxSumtimes]

We have home contents insurance, and fortunately this covers us for £100k of employment legal help.

 

My employers are local government.

[papasmurf1cx]

That's great news. Perhaps you should now phone up for a chat with the insurers and then once they have given advice put in an application for a solicitor to take the case on.

[LifeSuxSumtimes]

The solicitors have said that they cannot help until I have lost my job or been made redundant. However, I still have not received my notice of redundancy from my employers, even though my redundancy should take effect from the 2nd September.

[honeybee13]

Hello there. Your case sounds terrible and I really hope you can fight effectively and get some kind of justice and recompense for you and your family. I also hope you find some peace of mind soon; maybe not working there any more will help and you will be able concentrate on being nice to yourself. Then it will probably rub off on your family and everyone will feel a bit better. Keep posting here and we'll do whatever we can.

 

My best, HB x