Three years ago the firm I work for moved to larger premises and, with discussion, our working hours were changed. Now we’ve been given a letter saying our working hours will change again, and this will happen from next week. We’ve been asked to sign and return the letter without any further discussion. Are they allowed to do this?
You don’t have to sign, or work the new hours, unless there’s a flexibility clause in your contract. A change such as this should be a matter for negotiation: you are entitled to ask for something in return for complying with your employer’s demands. I suggest you approach this collectively, or through your trade union. If you were sacked for refusing to alter your hours of work you may be able to claim unfair dismissal.