Joining a union and probation period?

MrsCorleone

Hey everyone.

I have recently found myself a new full time job and have been at the company for almost two months now. I have no problems with the job at all and wish to continue working there for as long as possible but things I have seen happening in the company since I've been working there makes me a bit worried about the job security and so I wish to join a union just in case. The sector is retail.

I was just wondering, will a union be able to help you as much if something happens at work whilst you are still on your probation period?

The thing is, every new starter in the company is placed on a probation period of six months. Now, from what I've heard (and what I was told by the trainer on my first day) that if you're off sick (even with a doctors note) or late in those six months, then you probably won't get kept on and if you do, your probation period will be extended by another three months. There are people in our store who have been there for a year or over and are still on probation as they have kept getting theirs extended.

Another thing that worries me is that they can fire you without notice if you are still on probation, which is why I think they keep extending everybody's contracts. In the two months that I have been there, three people have already been fired, all of whom were still on probation and were fired on the day or at the end of their shift.

It says nothing about this in the work handbook and I don't even have a copy of my contract. I haven't been off and don't plan to be off once since I've started working there. I have been five minutes late once and that was due to delay in public transport. Even if I don't put another foot wrong in my remaining four months probation, I think they will use the lateness as a reason for extending it, or even worse, firing me! I'm really worried about the security of this job, people seem to be getting sacked here, there and everywhere. The staff turnover is so high in the company. I think this sort of thing only happens in our store also and not the company as a whole.

So is it worth joining a union even if I'm still going to be on my probation period for quite a while now it will seem? And if they do sack me (not that I will give them any reason to but it seems they're firing people over anything. It's literally been for lateness or absence in the other cases and it wasn't even excessive), will I be able to take any legal action with the union, again, if I'm on probation?

I'm thinking of joining Usdaw if I do join one. Anybody have any experiences with them?

Thanks for any help you can give me. I've been looking for a job for months and the last thing I want is to be unemployed again.

Torry_Quine

The probation period is somewhat of a red herring as you can be sacked within the first two years for any non-discrimination reason.

However it is still a good idea to join a union

Print_Screen

As far as I am aware a probation period has no bearing in law as to whether a company can get rid of you for no reason, except discriminatory within the first 2 years.

In other words the clock starts on the 2 years as soon as you start despite what the probation period states.
Otherwise I could start a company and say the probation period is 3 years and get rid of you with a weeks notice after 3 years.

Join a union now. You still have time, nothing major has happened to you yet so they will accept you. Joining after the fact will be more difficult as the union will be defending your interests after it has been implemented and with you paying no subs.

Some will still do it but it is harder to find them especially a specialised one for your industry,

LittleVoice

MrsCorleone wrote: »

Hey everyone.

I have recently found myself a new full time job and have been at the company for almost two months now. I have no problems with the job at all and wish to continue working there for as long as possible but things I have seen happening in the company since I've been working there makes me a bit worried about the job security and so I wish to join a union just in case. The sector is retail.

I was just wondering, will a union be able to help you as much if something happens at work whilst you are still on your probation period?

The thing is, every new starter in the company is placed on a probation period of six months. Now, from what I've heard (and what I was told by the trainer on my first day) that if you're off sick (even with a doctors note) or late in those six months, then you probably won't get kept on and if you do, your probation period will be extended by another three months. There are people in our store who have been there for a year or over and are still on probation as they have kept getting theirs extended.

Another thing that worries me is that they can fire you without notice if you are still on probation - the law says they cannot do this once the employee has been there one month (so called probation periods do not affect this), which is why I think they keep extending everybody's contracts (so that would have no effect in law on the right to notice after one month's employment). In the two months that I have been there, three people have already been fired, all of whom were still on probation and were fired on the day or at the end of their shift. (By statute, they would have been entitled to one week's notice (and therefore be paid for it) together with holiday accrued up to the end of the notice period but not taken.)

It says nothing about this in the work handbook and I don't even have a copy of my contract. (They have to provide written particulars within two months of your beginning your employment with them - but this does not have to be a signed document.) I haven't been off and don't plan to be off once since I've started working there. I have been five minutes late once and that was due to delay in public transport. Even if I don't put another foot wrong in my remaining four months probation, I think they will use the lateness as a reason for extending it, or even worse, firing me! I'm really worried about the security of this job, people seem to be getting sacked here, there and everywhere. The staff turnover is so high in the company. I think this sort of thing only happens in our store also and not the company as a whole.

So is it worth joining a union even if I'm still going to be on my probation period for quite a while now it will seem? And if they do sack me (not that I will give them any reason to but it seems they're firing people over anything. It's literally been for lateness or absence in the other cases and it wasn't even excessive), will I be able to take any legal action with the union, again, if I'm on probation?

I'm thinking of joining Usdaw if I do join one. Anybody have any experiences with them?

Thanks for any help you can give me. I've been looking for a job for months and the last thing I want is to be unemployed again.

Join a Union as, with this employer, you could need all the help you can get.

Do the written particulars you have received (including the staff handback which may be contractual) indicate any benefit of moving on from probation?

By the way, if they kept extending people on a probationary basis until they had completed two years' continuous employment, they would have to give two weeks' notice if they wanted to terminate that person's employment.

Diabolical_Rem

A union adds a much safer sensation to your work experience, so I'd recommend it. Retail is a cut-throat industry and that probation period you describe sounds like it's exploited to its fullest extent to thin the ranks and keep people from moving up the ranks until it's needed.

You haven't done anything wrong, so there should be nothing difficult about joining. Join and let them know the situation and ask what you can do to increase your chances of not being arbitrarily let go within the probation period.

Cutzee

I can only speak about my own experience with a union (Unison) who were hopeless. I paid £18 a month for the privilege too, money I could really do with now! They were basically in the pockets of HR/the management, making deals behind closed doors, and had no interest in fighting your corner even though that's what you were paying them to do. Complete waste of money in my personal opinion!