The business of our old company was purchased by a new company and all staff transferred to the new company. We were told that our terms and conditions of employment would remain unchanged. Now we have received new contracts to sign the terms and conditions are not the same. The basics are the same ie hours, holidays, remuneration etc but attached to the terms and conditions and specifically included in the contract is an employee handbook from the parent company, which contains terms and conditions that would put us in breach of contract if we signed it now.

As this handbook is a change in the original conditions do we have to sign the contract?

(The main problem is that the handbook has been produced (it appears) for weekly paid construction staff and we are professional managers – the handbook includes e.g. a clause for “lay-off”).
Kath D