I work part time and my cotract says so but our company we worked has been taken over by another company . The contracts we have are supposed to be the same but this new company are wanting to change them . can they do this and make us work full time ?
What you have described is covered by the Transfer of Undertaking regulations - one of the most complex pieces of Employment Law devised by man - well it had to be devised by a man to be so complicated!!
I suggest you look at the Acas website www.acas.org.uk or phone the helpline 0845 47 47 47
They really need a union to help them. TUPE is indeed complicated , but there to protect us all from new owners changing things as they wish. I am still under TUPE after 10 years.
Of course any benefits given by the new owners such as a pension scheme etc may mean that those who were TUPE'd out would not be allowed to have the same benefits.
My company was recently taken over; although I had a very good pension with my old ocmpany, the new company didnt offer pensions! I fought this and they had to back down as only recently a new law came in stating that they must honour any existing pension that are in place...and I am not in a union so that has no bearing on it! Good luck!