Various Issues With Employer

[Spellkaster]

I wanted to ask for some advice for my husband.

My husband works in a factory.

The building is massive.

As of late his employer has started turning off the heating during cold weather.

His boss is saying that the heating will only go on between the hours of 6AM until 9AM.

Nobody apart from the supervisors are allowed to touch the heating without his permission.

Today, where he is it was 13 degrees.

The boss is also saying that if anyone goes off sick for 10 consecutive days, he will refuse to pay for bank holidays.

Is this also legal!?

There is also talk of the employer putting up cameras on the shop floor to watch staff. Surely that comes under privacy laws!?

We are concerned that by turning off the heating in cold weather, this will affect the health of the workers on the shop floor.

Also, the boss is not approachable. His attitude is "If you don't like it there's the door".

He also won't recognise unions and threatens to sack anyone who joins one.

[Sangie595]

Re: Various Issues With Employer

Asked and answered on another site.

[Spellkaster]

Re: Various Issues With Employer

Another issue with the boss has come up today.

Because he has turned the heating off in cold weather people having been making themselves hot drink in the canteen.

The boss has said that you are not allowed to make hot drinks at least 30 minutes before any break.

Is this legal considering he's turned off the heating!?

[MIKE770]

Re: Various Issues With Employer

report to health and safety - as minimum temperatures in working environment exist,

[Spellkaster]

Re: Various Issues With Employer

You can only report it if it goes below 13 degrees.

However its the fact he's refusing to let people make themselves hot drinks when he's turned the heating off is the problem.

[Sangie595]

Re: Various Issues With Employer

The "minimum temperatures" are also guidance of sorts. This is another of the "reasonable" type of things. The "minimum" that is right in one place may be totally unsuitable in another. 16 degrees is considered the norm, with 13 for factories where there is physical activity. Some people would find 13 high if they were active. Many would find 16 freezing if sat at a desk all day.

And calling HSE didn't prevent the employer from sacking people. Just because he doesn't know who did it doesn't mean he won't make an example of some of them.

As I said elsewhere, nothing makes a bad employer a good one. They simply don't care. So you can unionise or find another job. And if you unionise it doesn't mean you win - employers like this are not breaking the law, are adept at staying just inside it, and don't care what it takes to win. You need a certain type of courage to go up against these sorts - and I wouldn't blame anyone for not having that type.