Question: Last year a group of people nationally had their grades lifted to entry level management with an increase in a few allowances and pay. We were merely told this was going to happen and had no prior knowledge about it. I enquired with HR as to how/why this was done and got told that I should just accept it ‘cause that’s the way it is.

This year June, we received notification that we would get back pay until April this year on the level we were currently at. In July however, we received a letter stating that all ICT staff were incorrectly placed on the level and that the money we received during this time would be deducted over a 2 year period and our grades would be dropped which would effectively mean a cut in pay as well.

I enquired with my union who after a few e-mails confirmed that they had signed the agreement on my behalf. The problem I have is that the unions never once communicated this to me nor did they communicate to the local union representatives. When I questioned who had made the mistake and if they would be held accountable, I was told that it was not a person but a process that was used. Now I question the process as not only ICT staff levels were raised but also other grades within the company.

We are basically being told that we were mistakenly put on the grade and now have to pay back the money that we received and that we “got lucky” to have been placed on the grade in the first place. I feel the way the matter was/is handled is incorrect and that if I cannot fight management on this decision then at least I should be able to fight the union who are supposed to represent my interests at all times and clearly did not.

Answer:

All unions must act in the best interests of all their members and need a mandate from its members to enter into mutual agreements with company. However in my experience this is seldom the case and unions are motivated by money not best interest. My suggestion is to approach your shopsteward and get the contact details for the unions general secretary. Then send a letter to him/her stating that you were never aware or party to the agreements and feel that the union has misrepresented its members causing you financial losses to something you never agreed to.

Demand an immediate written response and state that you are now wanting to raise a complaint with the Registrar of Unions on this matter. The registrar of unions deals with union malpractice and can have dire consequences for a union so they will be concerned if you mention this. Advise me once you have a reply from your union and to what effect. Start a “paper trail” and keep copies of all correspondence.

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