47 NAT

I'm looking to pick your brains for a friend of mine.

Basically he started work for a company 3 weeks ago. His role is a senior foreman and pay is £10 per hour. Last week he was off ill due to an old injury but had visited the Dr's, got the sick note, etc, kept the company up to date with what's what, etc....

Anyway yesterday he got a text asking if he'll be fit for work on Tuesday and replied saying yes. When he checked his email later that day he got an email saying that due to feedback from other workers (and bearing in mind most of them were pi55ed off as he was on a higher rate of pay, most are on £8-9ph) that his pay will be reduced to £8.50 per hour and his role will now be labourer/foreman.

Are they allowed to do this?

Brit_in_Japan

They are clearly sending him a message, does he really want to work there? Reducing his pay would be grounds for constructive dismissal IMHO and he could sue them.

47 NAT

It does seem that way!

He's actually showed me the email they sent him and his new role they want him to take will be a labourer as they claim he won't be up to speed for the job for at least 2 months. This is the feedback they claim to have from other workers. They took him on as he's done the job before elsewhere for 2 1/2 years

Some how the other workers found out how much he was on which IMO is neither here nor there as they negotiated their own pay ...Its not his fault there on less!

A memo was sent out to all staff apart from him saying his role is a senior foreman (although his contract says foreman) and because of that he his pay reflected it. He has the memo.

Nice company to work for hey?

pimmo2000

iTrader: (6)

No they cant reduce his wages.. but thats not what their doing ! they are offering him a new position and I would imagine it will be a case of take it or leave it which is perfectly legal.

3 weeks means he has not real legal right to fight it either ! Less than a year and your nothing .. sadly

yellow sti6

iTrader: (1)

has he got a contract with them ??
it sounds like they are depromoting him .
i would of thought they would have to have given him a verbal written warnings before they could do anything ??
formans wages should be higher than others under him.

pimmo2000

iTrader: (6)

The contract will have a bedding in period .. 3 months / 6 months .. something that allows them to bin you off.

As I said unless you agree to it, they can't force a wage reduction.

john_s

iTrader: (1)

As he's worked for them for less than 12 months, they can terminate his employment for pretty much any reason (except discrimination) and there's not a lot he can do about it. I suspect if he pushed the point about his rate, he'll get a P45.

Doesn't really sound like the kind of company you'd want to be working for.