Overtime

[Salvatore]

Florida.
I work for a large corporation as an hourly employee with a union contract. The contract calls for the company to offer overtime according to the overtime list posted every two weeks. It is to be offered in the inverse order of overtime worked. My supervisor continously bypasses me. I have filed and won grievances and have complained to his boss and the corporate ethics department. Some bypasses call for a four-hour penalty pay, others do not. So I either lose the opportunity to work overtime, or I get paid for four-hours but lose 12 hours of overtime. I am really tired of this and tired of continuously having to file grievances. No one seems to care. It is obvious my supervisor is doing this on purpose to favor those he likes. This is no way to do business. I feel like they are stealing my money. My question is: Can I sue him personally for acting outside of company policy or the company in Small Claims Court for the pay I am losing? It seems like a simple breach of contract issue. My union contract doesn't state the four-hour penalty is the sole remedy, and, as stated, this penalty doesn't apply to all situations.

 

[loku]

Loss of overtime

From the facts you give, the company would be liable to you for breach of contract, so you could sue them in Small Claims court as you said.

 

[Salvatore]

Thanks for offering your opinion. I will give small claims court a try. I have nothing to lose. I am in the dog house as it is, and they cannot fire me. Even though my union is a bit "wimpy," it does give me the ability to speak out without fear of losing my job. I certainly would have been fired by now with my big mouth. I do not know how anyone can work without a union. I could never bring myself to be so subserviant, especially in Florida where employers tend to think they are still on the plantation.