help

[thebam]

Hello everyone i really need some advice.I have been working for a delivery company now for 5 years, in the warehouse stacking pallets and driving a forktruck (general duties).On my shift (backshift) there are two managers and three ops on the floor so its quite a small knit workforce.One of the ops is constantly favoured and gets away with things you would never believe! he is always with one of the two managers and has became very close to him.Through this the man in question was allowed a relaxed working life while me and the other employee continued to do all the work, even on some occasions he would sit on a table and watch us.So obviously not being able to take much more of this i approached the managers with a new rota system of working that enabled the three of us to work equally on three different areas of the job on a weekly basis, which was eventually agreed on.Now since then i have been treated horribly, i find myself alone when the others are all huddled in a group, jobs are left and once again this person gets away with any hard physical labour.Manager shouting things like "your making that job look like a two man job when you should be doing it on your own".Recently i was abscent from work and filed a doctors certificate for a chest infection as i have rather nasty asthma, the managers were talking to the other employees about my sickness and have been quoted as saying "that rota system he came up with is scrapped" and more hurtfully "he is only abscent when other employees are abscent" i have also learned that one of the two managers has a "i predict when people will be abscent from work list" and unfortunately for him is constantly wrong.Truth is i know this to some may sound petty i dont know, but i feel sick to the stomach knowing that the people i work with are talking about me and treating certain individuals differently from me.

[Fish the Mod]

First of all, sorry you have to work with some idiots. If it's any consulation, you're not the only one. First of all, how do you value the job? can you find work elsewhere? What stops a lot of people is the comfort zone but you will be surprised how easy it is to settle into a new company.
Managers do not like smart arses, it show them up and a good manager tends to keep a gap between staff but yet can have a good relationship. Do you have one boss who you can talk to , explain that managers are discussing personal details of your illness and there is a data proctection law they are breaking and you wouldnt want to take the matter further. Question the managers qualifications, do they attend refresher courses, fashion changes so does managing staff. Some supervisors need allies to cover up the fact that they are unsure in thier role and this helps avoid confrontation. My advice is speak one to one at the very highest or the managers invovled but only as said before, one to one with no audience, you may just find they are not as loud then.

[thebam]

Thank you so much for your reply.Today i approached my operations manager who is above my other two managers, for my back to work interview.I was made to feel like i was doing something wrong, he had a photocopy of my doctors cert and was questioning the handwriting saying "what does this say was wrong with you? i cant read it clearly".This aggrivated me and apon telling him my main problem at the moment being this manager whom is making me feel like this was made out the bad one.I gave an example of this favoured employee walking through the depot smoking in front of the two managers to which he replied "that doesnt do you any favours tom, as your in the health and safety commitee" (which at that time i wasnt).Truthfully i was trembling with nerves so i calmly told him i was leaving here to go straight to the doctors as i feel i can no longer handle this treatment and the way this is being handled made me feel like i was being bullied by them.The doctor was very supportive and offered me some medication to calm my nerves but id rather try to get through this with no drugs.Ilater recieved a call from the depots general manager who said he had sent a letter in the post inviting me to a meeting on wed, with him and the manager who conducted my back to work.I agreed verbally i would attend this meeting but i must admit i am terrified, i think they will run rings around me.I see no other option but to actively seek alternative employment, i will see what happens on wed.Thanks for taking the time......regards.....Tom.

[Kat213]

Good luck on Wednesday, but bear in mind if you are forced to seek alternative employment due to the attitude or behaviour of these people, it may amount to constructive dismissal. Consult your local Citizens Advice Bureau if it comes to that, but remember there are relatively short time limits for bringing such claims.

Good Luck!

[pagjay]

Does your company have a union you could go to, Maybe you could have someone from them to sit in with you as a witness and to give you advise after. If not may you should recored the meeting with a dicktor phone. (sorry very bad at spelling) then if any thing was to happend or go wrong you have a recording of that meeting.

[Fish the Mod]

Kat is right mate, if your job is making you feel ill then you could have a legal claim. First of all can you bring someone with you for the meeting?,If you are not in the right frame of mind, you may not take it all in. The company sound they couldn't give a ****. If you cannot take anyone with you then seek advice for C.A.B as kath mentioned before hand and dont be shy in telling them ( dont lose your temper) what you intend to do.
Tell them' Unless the sitution improves, I will have to take the matter further, my doctor has offered to write on my behalf and though I love my job, my health has to come first."
A friend of mine just got a pay out of from coco cola, not long ago his wife lost a baby and he couldnot return to work for months. Coke done everything right as regards to letters, warnings and so on. I went to to meeting with him and said' your laywers will tell you that you have done most things right, but I know cases like this are won and lost on a minor technical points, have you been a 100% right?. The next day he was paid off.
Tribunials will always favour the employee so again without being cocky explain this in a soft tone.

[charlie2007]

good luck, I was also in a position like you, but a bigger company i took another post to cover maternity leave in the offices and when this ended I refused to go back to my old job, I went off sick for 6 weeks with stress, they soon gave me another job when I told them I was leaving for construtive dismissal