Problems at Work

Former Member

Hi guys... could anybody please help... I work for a tiny company, Husband and wife boss and 4 shopfloor workers including myself... We have a list of grievencies but no-one to approach.
Our stated hours of work are 8.45 - 5.15 our bosses are late every day ie 10 or 15 mins somedays we then have to clock in and they pay us from the time it says on the clock card.

We have to clock in after lunch break ( but not clock out first funnily )but if the bosses decide they want to go out we are locked out of the building in the cold and rain.. Again if the bosses are late back they dock more money.
We are not always provided basic hygeine... " the Toilet " if toilet paper runs out we have to use paper towels, if they run out we have to use old ones out the bin, the toilets are not cleaned so they stink of urine, if the handwash runs out we get given scabby old soap, if that runs out ...... Tough...

Also... save the best till last..... When we are finishing a shift if we are late cleaning up the boss clocks us out while we're still on the shop floor then proudly announces it as you go to through their office....
Sorry for the rant but this is my daily grind.... ( well the short version lol )...
Any help or advice would be mega...........

Former Member

You spoke to ACAS?

Former Member

Hi Rkhee37 and first of all, welcome to TheSite.org :wave:

It sounds like you're having a tough time at work and that your employers are not treating you as you'd expect to be treated in a job, which is a horrible thing to have to deal with on a day to day basis.

As Melian said, ACAS could be helpful for you here. They have a useful and practical factsheet (you can find it here) which gives you all the steps you can take to resolve any work problems.

- Page 3 has lots of helplines and websites which you could have a look at.

- Page 6 gives you advice on how to raise a grievance with your employer.

Have you spoken to your other colleagues about how your managers are treating you all? The first step mentioned on the ACAS factsheet is to sit down with your employer and tell them that you're not happy with the way you're being treated but yes, that can be scary! So if there are a few of you who are feeling the same, it may be a lot easier for you to voice your concerns.

You might also like to have a look at our article on bullying at work. Bullying can take on many forms and isn't always obvious, so this article gives you some advice on how to recognise it and what to do if you and your colleagues DO feel you're being bullied by your boss.

I hope this helps. Do let us know how it goes and don't hesitate to come back if you need any more support, or just a place to vent your frustrations - that's what we're here for!!

Cat

Former Member

Before you raise a grievance, you need to think about what you want as an outcome.

Firstly, you all need to stick together. If you don't, you'll find that whoever makes a stink will be sacked and the rest of the staff will be too frightened to stand up for the sacked one. This would be unfair dismissal, sure, but if you are unfairly dismissed the legal protection is sketchy at best. Even if you can make a claim at the Employment Tribunal, which depends on how long you've worked there, it is notoriously difficult to get small employers to cough up the ordered compensation.

You might be left without a job and without a hope in hell of getting compensation for it. You'll know better than I how likely it is that the employer will do a runner in the night; if they do do a runner, there goes your compensation and your job.

The other thing, of course, is proving it. You need to keep a diary of when it happens and when you are unfairly docked pay, but you need to make sure that you all raise the same grievance at the same time for it to get anywhere.

ACAS are good for initial advice. If you're on a low income you can get employment law advice from Community Legal Advice, a Government advice line, on 0845 345 4345; unlike ACAS they can help you make a claim to the ET.