Can I be made to move to another department?

In our workplace managers are trying to move around all the staff at one particular grade so that they will be doing different tasks at the same grade and with no additional/loss of pay they have given us three weeks notice of this change to fall in line with newly promoted staff.

Our terms of reference (employment contract) have been negotiated and approved by the trade unions and is worded in a fashion that seems to allow this. however not all staff have seen this nor signed up to them. Can they now move staff that have been doing the same job for 8+ years or can the union intercede to keep things as they are??

Is it classed as harassment if they enforce moves on staff that do not wish to move even though they are not being asked to take on any additional duties/responsibilities?

Comments

  • miduck
    miduck Posts: 1,800 Forumite
    No, it is not harassment.

    What did your union say when you asked them this question? Have you seen your terms of reference?
  • DevCoder
    DevCoder Posts: 3,361
    First Anniversary First Post Combo Breaker
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    It's called key person management, they do now want one (or a couple) of people being the only ones who know how to do the job, in the event of a business continuity issue then if , god forbid, these people were unable to work then the business would be in dire straights.

    No company should ever have single key person process and should encourage process diversification.
  • miduck wrote: »
    No, it is not harassment.

    What did your union say when you asked them this question? Have you seen your terms of reference?
    Yes I have seen the terms of reference and the union has not come back with an answer, hopefully tomorrow morning. I personally take no issue from it and have been subject to many moves in my career and have no doubt I will be again.

    I would think that if the union has signed off on the TOR on behalf of the workforce then they would be unlikely to get involved with the objections of one or two individuals, although i know a representative will probably have to be involved in negotiation of an in house solution.
  • krisdorey wrote: »
    It's called key person management, they do now want one (or a couple) of people being the only ones who know how to do the job, in the event of a business continuity issue then if , god forbid, these people were unable to work then the business would be in dire straights.

    No company should ever have single key person process and should encourage process diversification.
    Thanks, krisdorey. You have hit the proverbial nail on the head and the rational behind what is trying to be accomplished. Unfortunately, it is one of those situations where a minority wish to dig in, without considering the development track of their peers.

    I do not believe that in any way, have individuals been targeted for specific moves for any other reason but to encourage diversity and avoid skill fade within the business.
  • zzzLazyDaisy
    zzzLazyDaisy Posts: 12,497
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    Collective agreements are deemed to be incorporated into the employees' individual contracts, regardless of whether they belong to the union or not. In plain English - a negotiated agreement with the union binds everyone. So yes, the employer is entitled to action this agreement, as it is now included in the contract of employment.
    I'm a retired employment solicitor. Hopefully some of my comments might be useful, but they are only my opinion and not intended as legal advice.
  • Wywth
    Wywth Posts: 5,079 Forumite
    wilson6023 wrote: »
    In our workplace managers are trying to move around all the staff at one particular grade so that they will be doing different tasks at the same grade and with no additional/loss of pay they have given us three weeks notice of this change to fall in line with newly promoted staff.

    Our terms of reference (employment contract) have been negotiated and approved by the trade unions and is worded in a fashion that seems to allow this. however not all staff have seen this nor signed up to them. Can they now move staff that have been doing the same job for 8+ years or can the union intercede to keep things as they are??

    Is it classed as harassment if they enforce moves on staff that do not wish to move even though they are not being asked to take on any additional duties/responsibilities?

    Join the union and, in future, you will have a say :)
  • antrobus
    antrobus Posts: 17,386 Forumite
    Wywth wrote: »
    Join the union and, in future, you will have a say :)

    What makes you think the OP hasn't joined a union?
  • shocky_2
    shocky_2 Posts: 189 Forumite
    Employees have to follow reasonable directions of their management. It is clearly reasonable for management to want well-trained employees that can do more than one thing - you can't expect to have exactly the same role forever and ever. I don't think people who refuse to change roles have a leg to stand on here.
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