Verbal agreement vs written contract.

[BarryTheCat]

I started work in a store over 6 years ago in one role. The written contract was for 10 hours a week although I did much more. During that time I have had several roles within the store but no new written contract to reflect this. The role I'm in now I have done for almost 2 years but, before taking on the role, I had a meeting with the deputy manager in which he offered me the role, we set out the times and days I would work which were 30 hours over 5 days, and I agreed to take the role on that basis. Again, there was no new written contract to reflect this.

Fast forward to now and my hours have been cut in half without warning so the store can take on new staff in other areas of the store. The thing is, I've worked those areas of the store and I could have been redeployed to those areas instead of my hours being cut and new staff coming in.

Does the verbal agreement supersede the written contract?

If it does, what can I do about the verbal agreement being breached?

[ULA]

I presume you have payslips that can confirm that over the last 2 years you have been working 35 hours per week?

You say your hours have been cut in half without warning you will need to be more specific as to how this was communicated to you, when was it communicated and when was / is it to be implemented from?

[BarryTheCat]

I presume you have payslips that can confirm that over the last 2 years you have been working 35 hours per week?

You say your hours have been cut in half without warning you will need to be more specific as to how this was communicated to you, when was it communicated and when was / is it to be implemented from?

Yes I have payslips that show Ive been working the hours and copies of the rotas which show a change in role and the days and hours I worked, which were the same days and same hours for last two years.

I found out about the hours being cut when the rota went up. I queried it and was told that the company didnt have the hours to give everyone their hours. So at the time it wasnt just me losing hours. They said it was temporary. That was in january. In march my hours still hadnt gone back up because they still claimed they didnt have them yet they took on 4 new staff.

As far as the company is concerned, staff are only guaranteed 10 hours a week because thats what their contracts state.

EDIT:

Other staff who lost hours have since had those hours made up by moving them around to different departments on the odd day, but not me.

[ULA]

Firstly does your original contract state that you are only guaranteed 10 hours a week?

Have you spoken to management or HR on the fact that they have recruited in new staff, given other staff who also lost hours the opportunity to make up the hours by working in other department and why you have not been offered the same. If you have not done so then I suggest that should be the first thing for you to do.

[BarryTheCat]

Firstly does your original contract state that you are only guaranteed 10 hours a week?

Have you spoken to management or HR on the fact that they have recruited in new staff, given other staff who also lost hours the opportunity to make up the hours by working in other department and why you have not been offered the same. If you have not done so then I suggest that should be the first thing for you to do.

Yes the written contract I signed over 6 years ago guarantees 10 hours per week. Ive spoken to management who said I'm never in work when they offer the hours out. The reason im never in work is because they cut my hours. The rotas are done 2 weeks in advance so they could easily ask me when I am in if i want the hours.

I found out from another manager that they are trying to push certain people out by reducing their hours because they are not pulling their weight. They thought advertising for more staff might give them the motivation to improve. When that didnt work they had to follow through and take on new staff to show that they were serious. The problem is that its affecting me more than the staff they are targeting. I was told that im not being targeted, but it feels like i am as i have the most hours cut.


EDIT:

Originally, the budget for my role was separate from the staff wage budget because they had a separate security budget, then they got rid of security guard and put me on as a greeter on main door using the security budget. At some point in the last 8 months the security budget got merged with staff wage budget, which I was never told about until now. Then the staff wage budget got cut.

All managers are salaried and do over 40 hours a week, which comes out of staff wage budget. Everyone else has a 10 hour contract, including supervisors. The supervisors get a minimum 24 hours a week, which leaves the rest of the budget to be divided amongst the rest of the staff.

Im the only one there who had a separate agreement regarding the days and hours of work, albeit a verbal agreement.