Short-timing and Underpayment

[asdaman]

Hi!

I've not posted on this forum for a while now sorry!

 

In my time I have worked for 3 major corporations:

 

JD Wetherspoon - Pub Chain

ASDA - Driver

Sainsbury's - Driver

 

(yea crap work history hey!?)

 

Every time I have worked for corporations I found that my pay was short timed from what it should have been.

 

At Wetherspoon I used to work till 3 or 4 am and the manager the next day would only pay us till 1. When you got your payslip you would then work out the hours you were short and by the time they would sort it or say you weren't or were short it would be the following week and again you were short and it would then never get sorted and you would just accept you weren't getting paid.

 

At Asda they would do the same however all drivers started early (CLOCKED IN) thinking you were getting paid and for months having had the management said "You will be paid for when you come in" and we all found out in the end we WERE NOT being paid.

 

At Sainsbury's they would openly do the same and all drivers would come in for there shift early and know they would not get paid for it just because if they didn't..deliveries wouldn't get out on time. Also if you were contracted to finish at for example 11pm and you returned at 11pm because you were late (because of an impossible route system) you would know that if you had to unload your van for half an hour you would also not be paid! I also witnessed a member of staff decide they wouldn't pay someone till a certain time because they had got late..NOT knowing what the situation was or anything!!!

 

They had a system in all of these places where people could edit what people had worked. Surely that is like taking money from someones wallet or bank... If you clock in and out you should be paid for that..no questions asked.

 

What does everyone else think and does anyone have any experience of this? It should be made illegal to modify peoples hours!!!

[Pusillanimous]

You need to look at your employment contract carefully regarding hours, pay and clocking in. Once you have verified you are wrongfully being shortchanged, take it up with your manager, with your employment contract to back you up (this is legally binding). Unlawful deduction of wages can be an actionable claim.

[markl1987]

I used to be a manager at Wetherspoons and at every single pub I worked at there was always a problem with the wages and end of shift pay time etc, so many managers pay until the time that everything "should" be done by, not account for weekends when its packed and a huge mess at the end of shift etc

 

Having gone from Bar Associate to deputy manager with 'spoons I sympathised with the staff when this happened and always made it my duty to check over the wages weekly and ensure that they were paid correctly each time. Its not an excuse that should be used but managers with 'spoons are usually under huge pressure to keep wages expenditure to a minimum and I know of many managers who still dont pay until the end of shift because they can get away with it, the number of staff that dont really check or complain about it is minimal and not usually an issue.

 

I cant speak for your experience at asda or sainsburys but what you had happen at 'spoons was unacceptable, When I knew of it happening and someone would come to me I advised them to note down the shift they were working and the actual start and finish times (which I would verify) and adjust accordingly, could you do a similar thing at your work? As said by Pusillanimous, check over your contract, working time regs etc

If you cant find a solution perhaps look at some union advice, but in all cases I would recommend keeping a log of what you actually worked for whatever out come you achieve so you have a record for yourself

 

Just as a side note as a drive do you have to monitor your hours of driving on a taco or similar? Starting early/finishing late could put you over your driving limits

[asdaman]

It is no longer a problem for me as fortunately I don't work for the companies any more. The reason I bring it up is because my girlfriend has the same issue and I want to see if other people have had this issue.

 

I understood that managers had tight deadlines on wages and that its really not their fault with pressure from the top..but they get a bonus and incentive to cut hours to make money from themselves and I don't think it is right.

 

Lets say a manager cut 3 hours from someone every week.. after tax that's probably £15 a week taken from their pocket..even though they SHOULD have had that money if they were at work for 3 extra hours. That is surely theft? Not just a work issue but actual theft?

 

Why is it that anyone can change what someone has already worked?

Things have to change because if it was EVERY Wetherspoon then it must be every corporation.

[markl1987]

I know that 'spoons have a clocking in and out system now using finger prints so I would imagine that they have tightened up on the issues and people are paid a little better now but I know they can change the times at the end of the week for whatever reason

 

We did get a fairly decent bonus for wages but that was after a year with a rubbish budget, but yeh there is almost an incentive to short pay people there. I never liked it especially as it happened to me when I was an associate

 

I'd like to think it has changed and isnt like that anymore but I doubt it

[honeybee13]

san_d and Emmzzi, I have hidden a few post so they can be reviewed by the site team. If deemed appropriate or relevant, they will be restored.

[MARTIN3030]

Nope,these are not the sort of posts we expect to see.The CAG is a public forum where all ages visit.

Also they are not really essential to the subject at hand,that is to say that this can be debated without the finer details that were posted.

 

Thanks for your understanding-this is not a telling off btw,just a gentle reminder of expectations.

[Emmzzi]

Noted Martin, thank you!

[markl1987]

san_d and Emmzzi, I have hidden a few post so they can be reviewed by the site team. If deemed appropriate or relevant, they will be restored.

 

Was pretty shocked to see what was on here after my comments, Glad you have hidden them HB

Thank you

[MARTIN3030]

She is pretty good at hiding things.....we are still looking for the Coffee in the CAG canteen !

[honeybee13]

And the biscuits.

 

HB

[citizenB]

She is pretty good at hiding things.....we are still looking for the Coffee in the CAG canteen !

 

And the biscuits.

 

HB

 

 

Yes, I noticed the chocolate digestives had disappeared !!

[asdaman]

Ooo..what did I miss?!

[MARTIN3030]

Not as much as us !