Sick pay while suspended

paulineb_2

Southend1 wrote: »

If even one person joins a union as a result of my posts here I will be happy knowing that's one more employee with protection from the worst of the exploitative behaviour that we see on these forums day in day out.

I come to these forums for stimulating discussion and in the hope that occasionally someone finds something I have to say interesting or useful.

Union reps are one of the largest and most overlooked groups of volunteers in the UK. They do it because they have a genuine desire to help others, not for financial reward.

Some union reps aren't volunteers, some are paid full time by the union they work for

I actually wish the people I saw had a genuine desire to help me. I might not have suffered so much in the workplace. Part of the problem can be that some union reps are also employed by the same employer as the person complaining and therefore don't want to rock the boat.

I also know people in other jobs who have had terrible, unprofessional service from union members.

Im sure there are fantastic union reps out there, but not everyone is.

monty-doggy

I do have fight because your post really annoyed me. I am not a liar or a work of fiction.
I'm having a crappy time of everything.
I even had my handbag stolen on Friday night while I was out buying the damn coffee machine.

I probably could write a book about all the rubbish that's been thrown my way and right now I just can't deal with any more without breaking down.

Southend1

paulineb wrote: »

Some union reps aren't volunteers, some are paid full time by the union they work for

I actually wish the people I saw had a genuine desire to help me. I might not have suffered so much in the workplace. Part of the problem can be that some union reps are also employed by the same employer as the person complaining and therefore don't want to rock the boat.

I also know people in other jobs who have had terrible, unprofessional service from union members.

Im sure there are fantastic union reps out there, but not everyone is.

True, unions employ full time officials and branches sometimes have one or two paid staff but the majority of workplace reps are unpaid volunteers. A lot of their work is carried out in their own time.

I'm sorry you didn't have a good experience with your rep.

Most reps aren't scared of upsetting the boss if necessary, though some are more timid than others.

To give the other side of the story, a big part of a rep's role is managing the expectations of members who come to their rep often very emotionally charged, demanding legal action etc. Really the biggest part of the role of the workplace rep or steward is about empowering and supporting members either to resolve issues themselves or to access professional legal assistance where necessary.

paulineb_2

monty-doggy wrote: »

I do have fight because your post really annoyed me. I am not a liar or a work of fiction.
I'm having a crappy time of everything.
I even had my handbag stolen on Friday night while I was out buying the damn coffee machine.

I probably could write a book about all the rubbish that's been thrown my way and right now I just can't deal with any more without breaking down.

I could write several books, believe me. All I can say is, you get through it.

Its a year tomorrow since I parted ways with my last employer, not technically, but that was the last shift I worked.

I went into work one day to be told, come in tomorrow to be sacked (no reason given) and I wasn't allowed a rep in with me.

I didn't go in. It caused me massive anxiety, having had the year from hell in 2012 and I wasn't putting myself through any more of that.

I wasn't the first person she did it to that year, but I did make a massive fuss, that company didn't recognise unions.

This time last year I was at the end of my tether. I ended up on anti depressants for only the second time in my life. I wasn't sleeping, I was in a terrible state. I also had counselling.

But the bottom line is, its only a bloody job. Your health matters more and yes, theres also terrible injustice when you feel hard done by, but some employers aren't decent, mine wasn't.

You have to find some fight from somewhere, take support where you can take it and stop it making you ill and that's much easier said than done.

If you let them ruin your life, they've won. Bullyonline was a great internet resource for me about 10 years ago when I was in yet another awful job, theres support out there, even if only to reassure you that other people go through it as well and come out the other side stronger.

monty-doggy

Thank you. I didn't think it fair to say something is fishy because I've been a user of these forums, if anything posting on other subjects has helped give me a sense of normality. Life goes on just because I may lose my job doesn't mean I can't still shop around for Xmas gifts.
I'm not a liar and I don't appreciate having to justify my actions on here, to prove I'm telling the truth!

Southend1

Southend1 wrote: »

True, unions employ full time officials and branches sometimes have one or two paid staff but the majority of workplace reps are unpaid volunteers. A lot of their work is carried out in their own time.

I'm sorry you didn't have a good experience with your rep.

Most reps aren't scared of upsetting the boss if necessary, though some are more timid than others.

To give the other side of the story, a big part of a rep's role is managing the expectations of members who come to their rep often very emotionally charged, demanding legal action etc. Really the biggest part of the role of the workplace rep or steward is about empowering and supporting members either to resolve issues themselves or to access professional legal assistance where necessary.

Just thought I should add that it actually costs me for the privilege of representing my colleagues, because I pay my subs just like they do! :rotfl:

Southend1

paulineb wrote: »

I could write several books, believe me. All I can say is, you get through it.

Its a year tomorrow since I parted ways with my last employer, not technically, but that was the last shift I worked.

I went into work one day to be told, come in tomorrow to be sacked (no reason given) and I wasn't allowed a rep in with me.

I didn't go in. It caused me massive anxiety, having had the year from hell in 2012 and I wasn't putting myself through any more of that.

I wasn't the first person she did it to that year, but I did make a massive fuss, that company didn't recognise unions.

This time last year I was at the end of my tether. I ended up on anti depressants for only the second time in my life. I wasn't sleeping, I was in a terrible state. I also had counselling.

But the bottom line is, its only a bloody job. Your health matters more and yes, theres also terrible injustice when you feel hard done by, but some employers aren't decent, mine wasn't.

You have to find some fight from somewhere, take support where you can take it and stop it making you ill and that's much easier said than done.

If you let them ruin your life, they've won. Bullyonline was a great internet resource for me about 10 years ago when I was in yet another awful job, theres support out there, even if only to reassure you that other people go through it as well and come out the other side stronger.

You're allowed a union rep in a disciplinary hearing, even where there is no recognised union.

Agreed, bullyonline is a fantastic resource, it was a great help for me personally and I have also recommended it to colleagues experiencing bullying behaviour at work.

paulineb_2

Southend1 wrote: »

You're allowed a union rep in a disciplinary hearing, even where there is no recognised union.

Agreed, bullyonline is a fantastic resource, it was a great help for me personally and I have also recommended it to colleagues experiencing bullying behaviour at work.

You may well be, but one of my previous employers wouldn't let anyone into a meeting (not a disciplinary hearing, but an important one that ended up very hostile).

If they say no, what can you do, force them?

The problem is, sometimes you are dealing with companies and people who know nothing about employment law.

My last employer didn't know anything about working time directives, nor holiday pay, so she sure as hell didn't know how to discipline anyone properly if that's the right word either.

Some employers don't even follow their own disciplinary policies either. My boss rewrote great big chunks of the grievance and disciplinary procedures (basically I didn't do anything, but my face didn't fit and she wanted me out), to deny me my rights. As I said previously, I was told I had to come into the meeting on my own, I refused, they then told me I could have a work colleague, it was such a small team I said no as it wouldn't have been appropriate and in the end I was off ill and they had the meeting in my absence anyway. But if my boss had had her way Id have been in that meeting on my own with her and her area manager.

When I complained to the area manager, they said because I had less than 12 months service, they could adapt the policies as they saw fit

What I did get was the holiday pay I was owed, because I made it very clear that if they didn't pay me what I was due, Id take it further.

It can get very wearing when you know more about employment law than your employer, its not really a good sign. Its good to have some knowledge, but when people just say, no you cant have a union rep in meeting, a friend or a work colleague only and you don't think its appropriate to have a work colleague for various reasons, then pushing for a union rep to come in is tough.

Southend1

paulineb wrote: »

You may well be, but one of my previous employers wouldn't let anyone into a meeting (not a disciplinary hearing, but an important one that ended up very hostile).

If they say no, what can you do, force them?

The problem is, sometimes you are dealing with companies and people who know nothing about employment law.

My last employer didn't know anything about working time directives, nor holiday pay, so she sure as hell didn't know how to discipline anyone properly if that's the right word either.

Some employers don't even follow their own disciplinary policies either. My boss rewrote great big chunks of the grievance and disciplinary procedures (basically I didn't do anything, but my face didn't fit and she wanted me out), to deny me my rights. As I said previously, I was told I had to come into the meeting on my own, I refused, they then told me I could have a work colleague, it was such a small team I said no as it wouldn't have been appropriate and in the end I was off ill and they had the meeting in my absence anyway. But if my boss had had her way Id have been in that meeting on my own with her and her area manager.

When I complained to the area manager, they said because I had less than 12 months service, they could adapt the policies as they saw fit

What I did get was the holiday pay I was owed, because I made it very clear that if they didn't pay me what I was due, Id take it further.

It can get very wearing when you know more about employment law than your employer, its not really a good sign. Its good to have some knowledge, but when people just say, no you cant have a union rep in meeting, a friend or a work colleague only and you don't think its appropriate to have a work colleague for various reasons, then pushing for a union rep to come in is tough.

Sounds awful, sorry to hear you had to go through all that

monty-doggy

Pauline, did you say you have been dismissed from a job? How did you explain it to a new employer? That's my biggest fear.