More contract help please

waynehayes

Hi. I recently posted this thread http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=1425421
regarding a new contract being drawn up at work.
Basically, our new lne manager is renewing our contracts (Mine is 5 and a half years old). Everything is fine, apart from holiday entitlement. I work as a groundsman at a school. Most of our holidya entitlement is required to be taken in line with a fixed schedule - i.e. half terms and so on. My original contract states that we have 10 days to be taken at any time during the summer shutdown. However, this has never been enforced and I have been able to take my 10 days whenever I wanted to. All previous managers have agreed to this over the 5.5 years, though it has never been written down.
2 Years ago, we were given 5 concessionary days, which could be taken at any time of the year, this meant I had 10 days summer holidays plus 5 free days to take whenever I wanted.
Our new manager is now saying that if our original 10 days were taken outside the summer holidays, we would lose our 5 concessionary days. This has never been mentioned by anyone before. I have the minutes from the meeting which introduced the 5 extra days and there is no mention there either. We are given a holday sheet every year, which includes holidays dates, and this does not mention losing days either.
Basically, what I need to know more about is verbal changes to contracts - is there a time period when verbal changes come into effect? My new manager reckons 5 years!
Are there anything legal which I could print off to show him?
Also, if I refuse to sign the new contract, does he need to give me any notice before it can be imposed on me?
Thanks in advance, sorry if my post is a bit confusing.

Zazen999

Even if you don't sign it, but continue working - you are I believe deemed to have accepted the new conditions.

Others may come along with knowledge of school type contracts, but in this day and age with jobs so scarce - do you really want to rock the boat over when you take some of your leave? You said that you had 10 days in the summer hols plus 5 days anytime - so what's actually changed?

waynehayes

Sorry, I probably didn't make myself clear. The 10 days that were supposed to be in the summer hols, we were being allowed to take anytime. Now I'm being told that if I continue to do that, I will lose the extra 5 days. And being allowed to take annual leave outside of the school holidays can save a fortune when we are a family of 4 booking a holiday.

ohreally

Remind him your current working conditions have been agreed with management and form part of your terms and conditions. If he wishes to change them he must use consultative machinery with the recognised trade unions - he can't simply impose his will unchallenged.

waynehayes

I'm not in a union.