This past year I've (m29) been plagued with illness after illness (mostly headcolds), which has resulted in 5 periods of absence in the last 12 months. I work in airline industry, and the company absence policy dictates 4 or more absences in a year leads to a Level 1 (of 3) meeting which I've attended already, and have been put on an improvement notice of 6 months (since Feb). I've had to take yet another absence due to a stomach bug/gastritis/food poisoning of some kind. Due to this I'll now have to attend another absence review meeting where the 6 month notice will be extended.
This is all stressing me out, and whilst I understand it's all following policy, I feel as if I'm being punished for events beyond my control, and extending the notice an extra 6 months, it feels like I'll just be stuck in a cycle of review meetings and escalating further up the levels of sickness absences.
Are there any ways to negotiate an out, or is this just how it goes? Any others with similar experiences?
TIA
Extra context:
UK 🇬🇧
Time in the company, 15 months.
Its a flying based role.
I am a union member, and have involved them, to which they've said its normal and nothing to worry about.
None of the illnesses I've caught, to the best of my knowledge, we're caught at work.
I've not got any ongoing illnesses, or anything else to indicate something else is causing these illnesses.