Cable Forum - View Single Post - Employment contract/redundancy/unfair dismissal question

Charlie_Bubble · 19-01-2009, 13:24

I work for a Limited UK company owned by a large multinational company. Due to the current financial climate they are closing down our UK office and moving the UK company into the Main PLC building. Now we are in a consultation period and I have been told that as my work journey is now 2 miles shorter I have no option but to work at the new location. I would have no problem with that if it were not for the fact that they have also decided that the UK IT department (Only the IT dept, all other depts will still be UK) will now no longer work for the UK company, but the owning PLC company.

The desktop support team have already moved across to the PLC and have had to sign a new contract. They were given no option but to sign. They were told that if they didn't sign, they had no job.

I work in the Development team. Ok, it's called the development team, but we also do support for our UK systems. We are going to move under the PLC Development manager. It's unclear yet as to whether we will still be doing support, or will be doing purely development work. We have been told that we will not change contract for 3 to 6 months. The manager we are moving to work under has a 'reputation'. Nobody I know eithe rhere or at the PLc has a good word to say about him. A couple of people have quit on the spot due to his attitude and he has had contractors sacked on the spot for not working outside their contracted hours. He is known to expect people to work extra hours for no extra benefit.

We are expected to continue on the our existing pay and conditions, but under the PLC. The issue I have is that we will now no longer be allowed to work from home and I know for a fact that the others PLC developers are on much better terms and conditions, ie higher grades, which means better company cars and at least £10k more a year. I do not feel happy about moving across her and having to work in the office every day and be expected to work longer than my contracted hours for less money and perks than those sat next to me doing the same job.

If they try to make me change contract and give me no option, either sign or leave, am I being made redundant or am I being unfairly dismissed?

19-01-2009, 13:24	#1
Charlie_Bubble cf.mega poster Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Woking Age: 41 Posts: 2,266	Employment contract/redundancy/unfair dismissal question I work for a Limited UK company owned by a large multinational company. Due to the current financial climate they are closing down our UK office and moving the UK company into the Main PLC building. Now we are in a consultation period and I have been told that as my work journey is now 2 miles shorter I have no option but to work at the new location. I would have no problem with that if it were not for the fact that they have also decided that the UK IT department (Only the IT dept, all other depts will still be UK) will now no longer work for the UK company, but the owning PLC company. The desktop support team have already moved across to the PLC and have had to sign a new contract. They were given no option but to sign. They were told that if they didn't sign, they had no job. I work in the Development team. Ok, it's called the development team, but we also do support for our UK systems. We are going to move under the PLC Development manager. It's unclear yet as to whether we will still be doing support, or will be doing purely development work. We have been told that we will not change contract for 3 to 6 months. The manager we are moving to work under has a 'reputation'. Nobody I know eithe rhere or at the PLc has a good word to say about him. A couple of people have quit on the spot due to his attitude and he has had contractors sacked on the spot for not working outside their contracted hours. He is known to expect people to work extra hours for no extra benefit. We are expected to continue on the our existing pay and conditions, but under the PLC. The issue I have is that we will now no longer be allowed to work from home and I know for a fact that the others PLC developers are on much better terms and conditions, ie higher grades, which means better company cars and at least £10k more a year. I do not feel happy about moving across her and having to work in the office every day and be expected to work longer than my contracted hours for less money and perks than those sat next to me doing the same job. If they try to make me change contract and give me no option, either sign or leave, am I being made redundant or am I being unfairly dismissed?