Sharing rooms when working away

[donetello1]

Just been advised we will now be expected to share rooms when working away from home.This is more or less two to three days every week.They both smoke and make frequent trips in and out to do this,plus the smell on them from it.I would like to have some privacy to do what I want after being with the other person all day.What laws if any are there on this subject.If I refuse can they terminate me.Up until now we have had single rooms.Thanks for any replys.

[baza]

what does it say in your contract about working away?

[woofgang]

what work do you do?

[bednobs]

i wonder if they would expect it if you were male/female mix?

[bednobs]

although you'll be in lauded company http://www.telegraph....-over-hotel-room.html

[jg96]

The company I used to work for as a Service Engineer tried this on if it was a two man or more job usually was away on my own. We got together and point blank refused nothing more was said about it although we had always previously booked our own rooms

[Svejk]

We nearly always shared rooms when working away.
But, I must say, you don't sound like you'd be suited to sharing.

[boxtops]

All you can do is ask the company - but I can understand the request, a double room costs them less than two singles.

[donetello1]

Sevice engineer,and alot of times it can be a two man job.I have in past jobs shared rooms,but found sharing a pain,you cant do or watch what you want, if you want privacy to call home or your mate does its akward.Not to mention tham in and out for a smoke and the smell when they return,snoring etc.

[donetello1]

Baza
nothing at all is mentioned in the contract about working away.Does not mention it as part of our duties.

[baza]

it appears that working away is outside your contract so therefore, your employer should negotiate any change to what has become known as spanish practice. I would suggest you all get together and inform your employer as to what is and is not acceptable.

[buildersmate]

Oh dear. I do wish folks who know little about employment law won't attempt to answer these.
Check out the term 'implied term of contract', Baza

[donetello1]

Hi buildersmate
Can you shed your views on the subject,if you have a few minutes spare.Much appreciated.
The only line i can see is-
You are expected to be flexible in the duties you carry out and the company reserves the right to vary your dutieas from time to time as it thinks fit.you maybe therefore required during the course of your employment to work in a different department and/or carry out any other duties which are reasonable and within your capabilities should the company consider this to be in the interest of its business.

[buildersmate]

Yes, that is typical of clauses that employers use as a 'cover all'.

I guess you've been working for this organisation for at least 12 months? (and have thus gained some valuable employment protection rights in terms of unfair dismissal). That's the first thing. If not you are on sticky ground.

After that, if you (and others) have been working away in this manner for a while then it could be claimed that it is an implied term of your employment that if you do it, single room accommodation is provided. There's no hard and fast rule about this, but if it has been custom and practice for, say 2 years, that would typically be enough.

I would approach your employer in a straightforward way along the lines of 'look, I don't smoke and I don't live in a dormitory at home, and you are now expecting me to change the way we have been working for x years to this. My workmates smoke and I am not keen on the smell. Why do we need to change?' Expect an answer that is perhaps something to do with costs.

If that doesn't immediately get you a result, you could try the implied term tack. Something along the lines 'well we've been doing it this way for x years, doesn't that sound like that it has become an implied term of my contract? That should fox them / send them scurrying back to the legal advisors.

At the end of the day, if a company really wants to effect a change and is determined enough, it can do so by giving notice of the change and tell you in writing that it is doing so, but this doesn't sound like a huge deal in terms of savings for them. It is probably a try-on; not untypical in these times.

Do you get a pay uplift for working away or just out of pocket expenses / allowance?

[owdhamer]

My first trip away on my own from work was to Donegal,the house was a hovel i booked out and came back home. The boss and i had a long talk and after I always had decent digs but there were plenty of jobs in the sixties. As I have advised before take it,or be out of a job, the last firm to try it on one breakfast between two actually paid exes on 16 pints of miller light

[donetello1]

Cheers all for your time,buildersmate been working here since August 2010,and have always had seperate rooms,mainly Premier Inns as the company decided to have thier business account cards for us to use.I know they are not the cheapest and breakfasts are stupid prices.But that was thier choice.We are quite happy to stop anywhere as long as they are clean,I dont live in a pigsty at home so dont see why I should when working away for thier benefit.owdhamer yes weve all stopped in some dives,normally been booked by work over the internet,with the hotel/accomedation using 20 year old pictures.You ring up and say this place is a dump they say"It looked great on thier website".

[donetello1]

By cheers for your time,I meant everyone who has taken the time to post an answer,Thanks all.

[buildersmate]

I would follow up your proposed approach and see what outcome you can agree. Many employers are reasonable, and if they can see that you are not just asserting a right for the sake of it just to put their costs up and you can come up up an alternative, it stands a good chance of success.

[donetello1]

If I sign a revised contract due to being moved wihin the company to save someone being made redundant,does this affect any payment in future,if it does not work out and they still have to make me redundant.Someone mentioned they could just pay me from the date of the new job/contract signing date.

[donetello1]

Bump