Dream job possible being taken away. Desperate for advice!

*Orangina

Hi, I did post on another website but had a message to post on here as well so here goes, hope this is okay!
Apologies for the length but thought it would make sense to put all the details down.

After 2 years of acting in a job I love I'm starting to crack a bit and was hoping for a bit of advice. Yes I really appreciate I have work and many don't but I am very anxious about my situation and am not sure what to do.

A brief history of my work employment at Company and my problem:
Offered permanent position with company in April 2009 - with 3 weeks to start date
June 2009 - started new job- Position 1 reporting to Manager 1
June 2009 - week 2 - advised position no longer exists and that was I was being moved to Position 2 with manager 2 due to a re-org taking place
July 2009 - 3 weeks later full details revealed on re-org advising Position 2 no longer exisits and that I would be displaced in a months time but will go through options of applying for vacancies, but and this is where it starts to get complicated:
there were 2 positions 2 & 3 of which they thought 3 was getting displaced (and not mine) which was owned by someone not capable of doing the job and they were hoping to move that person into something more suitable. position 2 and 3 are effectively the same, with different title. So they move that person to a more suitable role, put me into Position 4 so that I owned a substantive post but was acting in Position 3.
It get's a bit complicated, sorry!

So then between then and now I have been acting in Position 3 which is a higher grade but not receiving anything extra - although to be fair the money is not the issue.
The person owning Position 3 has been moved from short period secondment to secondment to constantly being off sick sometimes up to 3 months mainly because they have been poorly managed.

Unfortunately I can't do my substantive position 4 as I do not have the relevant qualifications and skills to do the work and that was always known but I was put into it so they could keep me employed and put in the acting position whilst dealing with the other person.

The problem I have now is that after a year of moving place to place and constant sick the person is due back to work but the post they were acting in has now been advertised and filled. I was told not to apply for that position as it was promised to someone else but then they turned it down and since has been offered to the next best applicant - arghhhhhh believe me I wish I applied for it now!

So there is nothing for that person to come back into except for what I have been acting in for two years and done a bloody good job off.

As a sweetener about 4 months ago I was promised an additional payment due to my work performance but to date it still hasn't been paid despite my line manager said ok, chased it up, it will definately be there next month.
There are all sorts of promises made to me , all verbally by people in senior positions but again nothing seems to happen. I'm not bothered about the payment or a payincrease - yes it would be nice but what I actually want and have been promised numerous times is an actual position I am capable of doing.

I am really stressed over this and am worrying constantly about what's going to happen. I love my job and what I have made of it and I have all sorts of emails, letters demonstrating how well I am doing and how much I have developed it and I can't bear to think it will be taken off me to end up with no job as I really cannot do my substantive post.

I spoke to a union rep but all they seems to want me to do is take out a grievance about the money which to be honest I don't think is the real issue and I do question their motives a bit with the industry I work in!

I'm getting myself in a state as the person is due back in two weeks with nothing else to go into.
Can anyone advise me please as I'm right at the end of my tether over this.

SarEl

I am not sure that we can help you. Unfortunately this is not your substantive post, whilst it is the other persons. This is management issue, and it would appear that your mangement are wet tissues. They need to resolve this problem, and they show no signs of doing so. So apart from a grievance I cannot really think of any solution - and I am not convinced that that is a solution either, but perhaps the only remianing thing that you can do if discussion has no effect.

*Orangina

I know, just can't stand the thought of having to take out a grievance. I really love my job and after years and years of temping was so thrilled I was offered something permanent.
I don't understand how they managed to put me in an actual position that I clearly cannot do and never had done but was done as they have a set amount of certain positions and did this so they could keep me employed acting in the same role. I'm so anxious!

SarEl

I can toally appreciate that. This is an utter failure of management, but I am afraid that I don't know what else to advise since legally you don't have a position to argue. I can't imagine a worse position to be in. But it seems that it is either discussion with management; or grievance; or wait and see. Sorry - I wish I had something better to offer.

*Orangina

I apprieciate your honesty SarEl. You're dead right, they've been rubbish over sorting this out. Problem is they have failed in every position put into but I don't think any real support was ever given.. I am told things about this person that I really shouldn't and all it does is worry me more when they don't do what they say they are going to do.
I get on really well with my managers but am losing faith totally in the company I work for but then being fair they haven't managed this well at all. A lot of my colleagues are really supportive and appauled by this as unfortunately the other person is unfortunately branded as someone who won't work and is always off but then that's none of my business and I really don't want to get dragged into a slagging match against them as it's not their fault what has been promised to me.
Never felt this desperate before and it is totally taking over my life where I am constantly worrying which is ridiculous as apart from work I have a very good life.

SarEl

Hmm - one of the other threads just happened to remind me of something a friend did some years ago. Nowhere near as bad as your management, but she felt "unappreciated" even though she loved the job, the workplace and the convenience (it was five minutes from home). So she "accidentally" left some job adverts cut from the paper for her kind of role, all paying a bit more than she was on, on her desk. Not really obviously but just obviously enough that people would notice when she wasn't there or were talking to her. And when anybody asked if she was looking for another job she just shrugged and said that she liked the place but she "just wanted to know what might be out there". It didn't take long for the penny to drop and she got a lot more appreciated! I know it isn't about the money for you, although nobody sniffs at money - but if your employers are as keen to keep you as they appear to be, albeit doing nothing to make it happen, perhaps it is a strategy you could employ? You have nothing to loose, and whilst looking at the ads you might even find another dream job!

pinkshoes

Another vote for perhaps dropping hints that you're looking for another job.

I'd even go as far as applying for another, as getting an interview might boost your confidence, and you never know, you might actually find your dream job elsewhere...!

*Orangina

Hi thanks for replying. was honest in a meeting with managers but will have to wait.
have contacted rep with update so will have to wait and see.
am a bit annoyed right now