unfair pay any advice?

james360 · 8 April 2008 at 11:19AM

Hi everyone!

I work in retail on a part time contract (14 hrs per week)
Some time ago I found out that a colleague was getting more pay than me, he was getting £4.85 per hour when I was getting £4.70 and we were the same age but I had worked for the company a lot longer.

When I first found out I approached the manager and he simply said "you shouldnt discuss your wages"since then he has always been getting more pay, when the yearly wage rises come around his wages always stay above mine. At the last wage rise it went up to £4.82 and he got £4.97 and another colleague who is younger is also getting more pay. It sounds like the company completely hate me! its not a big difference in wages but I feel discriminated against.

Has anyone else experienced similar problems and what have you done to rectify them?

thanks in advance

dmg24 · 8 April 2008 at 11:21AM

Is there any reason why you should be discriminated against? If not, it sounds like they negotiated/ were offered a different pay rate when they started. Unless they are doing it for discriminatory reasons, this is quite legal.

Conor_3 · 8 April 2008 at 12:53PM

Seconded. There is no automatic right to getting the same pay as others. Perhaps they have qualifications and skills you're not aware of? Also if they're fulltime, they're likely to get paid more as well.

Zazen999 · 8 April 2008 at 1:31PM

Hi
Unless your company has a policy that everyone gets paid the same, regardless of anything - then someone has to get paid the most and also the least.

It's not discrimination but negotiation at the start.

Unless you are different in some way and for some reason covered by discrimination law; then unfortunately it will be difficult to bring a case.

Nomad25 · 8 April 2008 at 1:46PM

National Minimum Wages are dependent on age/per hour: Age 22+ £5.52, 18-21 yrs £4.60 and 16-17 yrs £3.40, could age be the cause the disparity?

JimmyTheWig · 8 April 2008 at 2:08PM

You should all join a union. They may be able to help you with a pay claim.

james360 · 10 April 2008 at 5:46PM

thanks for all of your replies, you have a lot of good points and when I spoke to my manager again he confirmed that there is no legal right to get paid the same as others. Im still annoyed but someone has to get paid the least I suppose!

t_r · 10 April 2008 at 7:17PM

hi james can tell me if you are over 21,

I guess you are male

What does it say about pay in your contract

Is your colleauge full time and you part time

It is possible for you to be discriminated against.

james360 · 10 April 2008 at 8:10PM

Hi tr

I am over 21 and male. Im not sure what to look at in the contract but it mentions about the rate of pay, and duties that are linked with your position, thats all thats mentioned in the 'renumeration' section.

My colleague is part time on a 14 hour per week contract the same as me. When I first found out he was getting paid more than me he was also 21.

t_r · 10 April 2008 at 8:35PM

I asked the wrong question re your age lol the reason I asked was to see if you are entitled to National minimum wage if you are 22yrs your employer should be paying it.see http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/nmw/#dev
From what you have posted I don't think you have got much of a claim about the variation in pay and is it worth risking you job for £2.10 a week sometimes you have to grin and bear it. have a looky here as well http://www.acas.gov.uk

ohreally · 12 April 2008 at 12:33AM

Find a female comparator and look at bringing an equal pay claim. If your in a union you may wish to discuss with your rep the possibility of the union conducting an equal pay audit, there is more than one way to skin a cat.

unfair pay any advice?

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