O/T Payroll / wage advice

Be very careful replying like that as it could be construed as unreasonable behaviour in terms of your contract stipulations.
It’s one thing your Manager knowing it’s another them having it in writing.

 

They can pay anyone a lesser rate than colleagues. if a new starter for example. Happens all the time. Yorkshire water are a prime example. And unions have very little say. The older staff on protected earnings. (i feckin hate it)

Re overtime
This is on the government website.

'There are limits to working overtime
Your contract of employment should include the conditions for working overtime. You only have to work overtime if your contract says so. Even if it does you can't usually be forced to work more than an average of 48 hours per week.'

The European directive on working hrs are there to protect employees.
Eg Max 13hrs work in 24 hrs. A minimum 11hr break (unbroken rest period in 24hrs.)
24 hrs break in 7 days. Can be commuted to 48hrs in 14 days.
Many other items.
All these can be negotiated and some trades have obvious leeway. Emergency services. Rig workers etc. Some companies try to force or pressurise employees to sign out of the directives. (Cnuts)

If you were not issued with a new contract. (Had to have been agreed btw) I'd challenge em. Terms and conditions can only normally be changed through negotiations. They could plead a case to alter for business reasons. (But they would have to put together a nailed on case.)

All this can be fought by unions. But would not stop an individual challenging em. It has been done and precedents can be set.

It's easy for any of us to say fight the B'stds. (As I would and did) But not everyone has the strength of character. So it would be difficult to go it alone in those circumstances. Unions do have a use. Whether people think so or not.

Thankfully they never tried it on with us. The maintenance dept. On business reasons (but I think they didn't dare because of strong union membership)

European workers rights under the time directive. Will certainly be a target for this government to ride roughshod over workers rights. Making their own laws to suit.

If you can get hold of a copy of the rights under Tupe and one on the European time directive. They will come in handy.