Cutting my hourly rate

Darna

Hope I've posted this in the right section

The company I work for has told two employees they are being made redundant today as times are hard and the remaining 5 have to take a pay cut.

Does anyone know when they can start reducing my wages, would it be straight away, or do they have to give a notice period?

Also I won't be agreeing to the pay cut as I have found out today that 4 of us are to take a pay cut, but the remaining chap has been given a pay rise!!!

I will work under dispute as they are breaching my contract and will be taking it further if they end my contract and start a new one with the lower wage-(The wage is poor anyway) and use unlawful deduction of my wages with a tribunal

A couple of the other men are thinking of taking the pay cut as they are scared have been told if they don't then basically they will get told to leave, surely that's blackmail

That's another thing, I've never had a contract.. Is that legal?

All I have is a piece of paper stating my annual salary and hours of work

Thanks

Southend1

They must consult before cutting your pay. If you continue to work after your pay has been cut you would likely be deemed to have accepted new terms. Are you a union member? Is a union recognised by your employer?

Darna

They have consulted us today about cutting pay

I won't be accepting the new terms-

Start working on the new terms but making it clear to the employer (preferably in writing) that they are working ‘under protest’. This means that the employee does not agree with the changes but is only working them because they are forced to. In the meantime try and resolve the issue either by informal discussions or by raising a formal grievance. At the same time, the employee can bring in a claim for breach of contract in the civil courts or, if the changes relate to a reduction in pay, a claim for unlawful deduction of wages in an employment tribunal.

None of us have a union

Southend1

Darna wrote: »

They have consulted us today about cutting pay

I won't be accepting the new terms-

Start working on the new terms but making it clear to the employer (preferably in writing) that they are working ‘under protest’. This means that the employee does not agree with the changes but is only working them because they are forced to. In the meantime try and resolve the issue either by informal discussions or by raising a formal grievance. At the same time, the employee can bring in a claim for breach of contract in the civil courts or, if the changes relate to a reduction in pay, a claim for unlawful deduction of wages in an employment tribunal.

None of us have a union

Where does the paragraph about working under protest come from?

It is likely to be too late to join a union as most won't help with problems which arose before becoming a member. However it is worth checking.

Darna

Hi

It was online from a solicitor but the CAB also mentioning working under protest

Southend1

Darna wrote: »

Hi

It was online from a solicitor but the CAB also mentioning working under protest

Ok. I would be wary of this as my understanding was that if you continue to work you can be seen to have accepted the new terms. Best seek individual advice through a union or an employment solicitor.

Ultimately if your employer wants to cut your pay and there's no recognised union then I think you are unlikely to win this one.

Have you thought about coming up with alternative (better) proposals to present to management? Maybe a period of short time working for all staff, say a few months, just until business improves. You get a pay cut in the short term but keep the hourly rate. You could build in an element of clawback through overtime working once business picks up

Darna

Thanks, I've just been thinking actually of asking them if I could reduce my hours to match the pay cut

So like you say keep the hourly rate but reduce my working hours until things pick up