First of all management is a joke- would sit huddled together in the middle of the floor gossiping, doing zero work wheras standard workers were unable to have a word with their mate beside them without being talked down to like a child. Bar very few exceptions, they were incompetent and spiteful. One of my former teammates was offered a much higher paid job relevant to his degree and our manager attempted to convince him to refuse in order to stay in the team, as she didn't want a new start in the team as his replacement as it could affect her chances of a bonus, which our team managed to get her regularly.
Intimidation was used on my team several times by this manager- on one occasion she confronted several of us and said 'who do you think Ops will believe me or you?' when in the wrong over a blunder she made.
Payslips often came out only a day before payment, almost always underpaying staff. This was no doubt done on purpose to prevent staff collecting their payments in full.
Annual leave was a mess. No one in the building could give a straight answer for how much could be carried over into the next year as I intended to go on a short break in January. I had roughly 30 hours left at the end of December, which dropped to 12 in the new year. I confronted management for months regarding this and they passed it off as not their problem. I had literally discussed this with them beforehand and was assured I would be able to carry all hours over and if I couldn't I would receive payment. Needless to say I never got either.
Sick lines are ridiculous in there also, two sick days within six months and you are in risk of losing your job, depending on how much the manager likes you of course. On one occasion I was so ill I couldn't leave my bed, but when I called in sick I was told that there was nothing wrong with me and to come in. Insane, the guys in ops are doctors in their spare time too!
Workers are overqualified and underpaid. It is disheartening to be managed by someone who lacks the education and experience needed for the job, but it is about who you know in there which guarantees the job for the most part. There was one manager in there that could barely string a sentence together who 'managed' a team with a number of college graduates- stuck in the place as they were awaiting jobs in their field.
