can they do that?

[artistmary]

Two weeks ago I found out that my Manager is leaving the company and both my Manager and my Director told me to go for the job. last week I was told that the job I was being put forward to was going to be a Deputy Managers role instead because that job was now being made redundant (because we are merging with another company and they already had managers there. I still went for the job because it was a lot more money and the interview was a few days ago and it went very well.
However, yesterday I was told that the Deputy role I went for didn't exist anymore (baring in mind I was interviewed for it) and that they were going to offer me a senior role to the one I am doing now with just a slight pay rise. When I read the job description I found out that it was the exact same one as my managers - but they just called the job something else.
My question is can they interview me for a role, and then say to me that job doesn't exist anymore even though the job description is exactly the same? And can I argue my case? Or is there nothing I can do about it? Please help!

[Mrs_Pegasus]

I think they can do what they are doing although it may impact on staff morale if others are aware of the situation and have lower confidence in how they are treating their staff.

They havent broken any law as such unless its against written policy they may have in place.

If you are in a union I would contact them but bear in mind that if it is a cost cutting exercise they are doing and therefore helping to keep staff costs down and keep more people in employment then you may well find the post being made redundant further down the line.

It would appear that they are not a very ethical company to work for if they are expecting you to do the managers job on a lower salary and I would refuse to take the job and start looking elsewhere to work for a company that does look after its employees.

[buildersmate]

I agree with Mrs P - no law broken but a stupid thing for an employer to do, which demotivates staff.

[cascarelli]

I'm not sure about this. It's not the job title that matters but what the job actually is - i.e. they can't make a manager or deputy manager redundant and then rsimply eplace the role with one with another title.

If you're 100% sure that the job descriptions are exactly the same then I'd be inclined to query it. Have you got written job descriptions of the manager/deputy managers role and the one you've been offered?

[artistmary]

Hi
Thank you all for your advice.

In reference to the job description, I have seen my managers job description in the past and it is exactly the same.
I am a hundred percent sure they gave me the same job description because in the actual job description they gave me they forgot to replace the managers title with the senior job title they gave me.

I'm scared to not take it incase they just bring someone else above me!

[cascarelli]

Maybe you should question it, not in a moaning way but say you're interested in this new position and are always keen to better yourself etc etc but can they tell you the difference between this job and the one you were interviewed for previously. I 'd say it was a fair question, if you phrase it right.