Advice Needed - New starter salary considerably more than other staff

rachelj121

Hi,

I am hoping someone can provide some advice for me and some of my colleagues.

We have a general fax machine in the office which is very rarely used. About half an hour ago a colleague was checking for a fax she was expecting she came across a one from a letting agent to our HR Dept. The fax is regarding a new application for tenancy and is asking them to confirm that this person referred to is employed at our company. The name on the fax is for a new starter who will be joining us next week. As part of the fax it askes to confirm the new starters salary is £18,500.

The problem is that for the job she is coming to do most of the existing team who have been here for several years with a wealth of experiance and skills are on considerably less - some as little as £14,000. We have always be told to expect new starters to be brought in on higher wages but this far exceeds any expectations for a starting salary!!!

To be fair, we do not know what her experiances and previous employment have been however the most experianced staff here are still way out on salary.

As you can imagine, the few people that have now 'happened' to have seen this on the fax machine, including myself, are outraged, feel very let down and demotivated. Obviously loyalty does not count as it used to but where do we go from here? We don't just want to sit there and accept it but how can we take this further, where do we stand, are there any legal issues or obligations?

We just need any advice to start us off really so whatever you can share on would be truly appreciated.

Many thanks,
Rachel :mad:

unemployedJCP

If you are an HR department can't you check up on the specifics?

cte1111

unemployedJCP wrote: »

If you are an HR department can't you check up on the specifics?

I think they aren't in the HR department, but received a fax intended for the HR department so all read it.

rachelj121

cte1111 wrote: »

I think they aren't in the HR department, but received a fax intended for the HR department so all read it.

Hi, thats correct.
I am a Project Co-ordinator in the main office of our building.
The fax was for our HR Dept but we only have one fax machine which is based in the main office.

In terms of 'all reading it' - it is just a select few friends who have seen it and are all keeping it to us while we are trying to get some advice on the best course of action. We do not want a mass riot on our hands...!

ckerrd

The letting agency are asking for confirmation of the salary - maybe they will not get it as the new start may not be on that salary.

Even if they are this is for whatever reason the salary that the company has to pay to recruit someone.

They may have a wealth of experience which will enable them to do more, hence the higher figure. What exactly is the new job, does it differ from yours?
Is there a salary scale for your type of work and does this figure fall within it?
Do you have any Union representation?

rachelj121

ckerrd wrote: »

The letting agency are asking for confirmation of the salary - maybe they will not get it as the new start may not be on that salary.

Even if they are this is for whatever reason the salary that the company has to pay to recruit someone.

They may have a wealth of experience which will enable them to do more, hence the higher figure. What exactly is the new job, does it differ from yours?
Is there a salary scale for your type of work and does this figure fall within it?
Do you have any Union representation?

We have all agreed that we do not know what the new starters experiance is so are initially going to see what she is like what she is like when she starts (get a general feel for her). The job is exactly the same as the rest of the team I work is which is approx 20. We work for a printing company and all have high profile accounts - I could understand if say my account was small, only bringing in xxxx amount of revenue etc but it is not the case.

Our Manager is very secretive about pay scales but this does fall over the top band.

We are not members of a union so I am hoping there may be some good advice here.

I would like to make it clear though that during these difficult times we are grateful that we have our jobs but it has always been an upward battle to get a payrise in the past (I have been here 8+ years) and like most companies we have accepted the fact that an annual payrise was not possible and so we just find it incredible that given the economic climate this salary is being offered to someone new while we are continuously 'fobbed off'

Andy_L

It's possible that the letting agent has put the wrong number down or been misinformed.

Apart from that it's as Usually Angry says, they can pay someone what they like as long as they aren't discriminating on grounds of sex/race etc

viktory

All my sympathies are with the new starter, poor girl is really up against up and won't have a clue why.

Personally, I think all of you should mind your own business - and what other people earn is not your business.

poppy_f1

maybe the new starter has lied about how mch they are going to be earning

or if they are earning that amount well done to tthem for negotiating it

Evie82

I bet the new starter has exagerrated her wage to the loan company to get more credit!

ohreally

rachelj121 wrote: »

We are not members of a union

Perhaps it's time to rectify the situation, become orgainised and collectively join a union!

http://www.worksmart.org.uk/unionfinder/choose.php?pg=index