Rights while in full-time education?

Hi everyone!!

Ok, so I've worked since I was 16 (coming up on 23 now) with the same company which shall remain nameless for now (don't want to get my books for bringing them into disrepute :wink:

...). ANYWAY, for all but 1 year between courses, I have been a student employed part-time, giving all the availability I could and this has never been a problem.

The company is currently going through processes of "redundancies and letting people go" if their availability doesn't suit the specific store they are working in. My store has went through the initial process, but any changes will be looked at on an individual basis.

NOW - my point is, I am returning to uni in a few weeks, and 2 colleagues have started/are starting college this week and next. I'm currently on holiday this week, but the other 2 have been told their reduced availability (due to being in education) means they may be let go.

Can anyone help me out on where I stand with this? This employer is supposedly an employee's company, and there FOR the community. So I don't understand how they can be saying this when, as far as I'm concerned, education is a human right. The current manager is a known bully, so I don't know if this is just another tactic to stress us out, as It's how she works ...

ANY advice at all will my much appreciated!! :confused: