Shafted for pay...
Discussion
I have been having a little trouble in work lately, with regards to my pay.
I work in a supermarket. I shall avoid naming and shaming, mainly because you already know who I work for before I say the name. I work in the accelerated variant of this chain.
In an accelerated supermarket, due to the size and nature of the store, the pay is calculated by the manager or duty manager, dependant on who is available at the time. An individuals pay is deduced with the aid of a calculator, the overtime sheet that is posted on the announcements board in the staff room and the employees clock in cards.
Six to eight months ago I was underpaid. Really quite obviously, which gave me cause to kick up a bit of a stink to get to the bottom of the problem. The result being that the duty manager who was doing the wages, as the manager was on holiday, had "cut a few hours off the top" of mine and a few others pay to level out the budget for the month.
Not very clever knocking a few off the top of my pay (almost 25 hours!!) I earn next to f
k all, so I notice if I get less than I am expecting.
To go any further I must explain a little more of the situation. The manager at the time of the first incident left about two months ago. For the first month, the duty manager has been doing the wages. The second month, the new manager had the dubious pleasure of calculating my wage.
Everything has seemed fine, money wise, until this month. In which there are two pay dates, for some inexplicable reason. Also, there is some stipulation that the overtime pay for this pay period is for a different two weeks than the pay I am receiving for my contracted shifts or something along those lines that nobody hasing bothered to take 5 minutes to explain properly to me.
My problem may be caused by the strange situation described in the above paragraph
What do you guys think is going on?
Am I over reacting to what could be a simple mistake? Am I just being a dick?
It feels as though lopping a couple of hours off the top to rectify an imbalance in the budget is trained into the management, even though I know that couldn't be true.
I have been told by previously mentioned management types that I am next in line (a couple of months) from a promotion, with a good look into a place into duty management training, which leads to a managers position.
I am now put in the position that I want to leave, as I don't feel that I can trust those bds, but have better prospects than I would anywhere else (I haven't really got much in the qualifications stakes).
What would you do? I realise that I am asking you to consider a multitude of problems, but I would be extremely grateful for any advice offered.
Bring on the grammar freaks!
I work in a supermarket. I shall avoid naming and shaming, mainly because you already know who I work for before I say the name. I work in the accelerated variant of this chain.
In an accelerated supermarket, due to the size and nature of the store, the pay is calculated by the manager or duty manager, dependant on who is available at the time. An individuals pay is deduced with the aid of a calculator, the overtime sheet that is posted on the announcements board in the staff room and the employees clock in cards.
Six to eight months ago I was underpaid. Really quite obviously, which gave me cause to kick up a bit of a stink to get to the bottom of the problem. The result being that the duty manager who was doing the wages, as the manager was on holiday, had "cut a few hours off the top" of mine and a few others pay to level out the budget for the month.
Not very clever knocking a few off the top of my pay (almost 25 hours!!) I earn next to f
k all, so I notice if I get less than I am expecting.To go any further I must explain a little more of the situation. The manager at the time of the first incident left about two months ago. For the first month, the duty manager has been doing the wages. The second month, the new manager had the dubious pleasure of calculating my wage.
Everything has seemed fine, money wise, until this month. In which there are two pay dates, for some inexplicable reason. Also, there is some stipulation that the overtime pay for this pay period is for a different two weeks than the pay I am receiving for my contracted shifts or something along those lines that nobody has
ing bothered to take 5 minutes to explain properly to me. My problem may be caused by the strange situation described in the above paragraph
What do you guys think is going on?
Am I over reacting to what could be a simple mistake? Am I just being a dick?
It feels as though lopping a couple of hours off the top to rectify an imbalance in the budget is trained into the management, even though I know that couldn't be true.
I have been told by previously mentioned management types that I am next in line (a couple of months) from a promotion, with a good look into a place into duty management training, which leads to a managers position.
I am now put in the position that I want to leave, as I don't feel that I can trust those b
ds, but have better prospects than I would anywhere else (I haven't really got much in the qualifications stakes).What would you do? I realise that I am asking you to consider a multitude of problems, but I would be extremely grateful for any advice offered.
Bring on the grammar freaks!
The Nur said:
I have been told by previously mentioned management types that I am next in line (a couple of months) from a promotion, with a good look into a place into duty management training, which leads to a managers position.
I am always sceptical when people say things like that - are they just stringing you along so you don't leave?Tesco pay in 4 week periods which fall out of synch with the months. I'd imagine theres 2 pay dates this month due to the end of the financial year falling mid way through a 4 week period. Im pretty sure Tesco used to pay overtime in arrears too so it was never quite in synch either.
john_p said:
The Nur said:
I have been told by previously mentioned management types that I am next in line (a couple of months) from a promotion, with a good look into a place into duty management training, which leads to a managers position.
I am always sceptical when people say things like that - are they just stringing you along so you don't leave?Understanding what you've been paid for, at least to my mind, is fairly fundamental as an employee. You need to raise this with whoever is responsible for what you're paid, which it sounds like is a duty manager. It's not in any way been accusatory at this point, it's merely looking to understand how the amount you've been paid is made up.
So essentially, before I kick up a fuss, I should corner my manager and request a full and detailed explanation?
Sounds fair, I have tried, but he is very rarely anywhere to be found. Even if he is around, my shifts (all overtime, only 12 hours of permanent shifts a week) generally fall during him being either extremely busy or just not there. This makes it difficult to get any real 1 on 1 time in.
I would leave but have bugger all real prospects anywhere else (not that I have any here).
Anybody got any jobs going in Swansea/South Wales?
Sounds fair, I have tried, but he is very rarely anywhere to be found. Even if he is around, my shifts (all overtime, only 12 hours of permanent shifts a week) generally fall during him being either extremely busy or just not there. This makes it difficult to get any real 1 on 1 time in.
I would leave but have bugger all real prospects anywhere else (not that I have any here).
Anybody got any jobs going in Swansea/South Wales?
Yes, your manager is the first port of call. If the manager is as you say, difficult to get hold of, then write him a letter stating your concerns about your pay and you need an explanation within reasonable time, not more than a fortnight. Obviously keep a copy of the letter, and if nothing happens in the 2 week period - then you send a formal grievance letter referencing your earlier request to the area manager and CC it to HR at Head Office.
Ok, here we go. After a lengthy discussion about the pay system with my manager (top bloke by the way), and trawling through the computer for a little while, it seems I have been under paid again.
Not by my current manager, but by the duty manager. Again.
It seems that once more, whilst the manager was away, she "lopped a bit off the top" to save her budget for the week.
However, the period I thought I was underpaid for, I was not, but I was for previous pay periods. The discrepancy was discovered in a pay period that I had thought had been assessed by the manager, not the duty manager. This is why I was not suspicious of my pay in this period.
Unfortunately, this appears to have exploded into a maelstrom of st. It seems that where my previous manager effectively bullied me into thinking that it wasnt such a big deal as I was getting re imbursed and the situation sorted anyway, the situation was swept under the carpet and ignored. Not even a bking was given to the DM at the time, so she continued along her merry way of corruption and deceit.
My manager has now taken a record of every shift I have worked over the previous 2 months as evidence of my mispayment and also as evidence of my DM's actions
Not only that, but a lot of members of staff (over 50%) have come forward to say that they believe that their pay has been miscalculated aswell.
This problem is not about me anymore, unfortunately, it seems as though a lot more people have been affected by the actions of this selfish, vile character.
I realise that this is now effectively out of my hands, but I would still like to ask the PH massive, their thoughts and opinions on the issue, and what they think I should do next? Should I wait and see what happens, should I continue to stick the boot in and demand the revision of my pay dating back 14 months (to when I started)?
I feel lost, betrayed and downtrodden that I have to go and continue to work for a company that allows such blatant corruption to continue unabated. Yet I have no options with regards to other methods of employment and am now firmly wedged between a rock and a hard place.
What should I do? What would you do? Opinions please!
Not by my current manager, but by the duty manager. Again.
It seems that once more, whilst the manager was away, she "lopped a bit off the top" to save her budget for the week.
However, the period I thought I was underpaid for, I was not, but I was for previous pay periods. The discrepancy was discovered in a pay period that I had thought had been assessed by the manager, not the duty manager. This is why I was not suspicious of my pay in this period.
Unfortunately, this appears to have exploded into a maelstrom of s
t. It seems that where my previous manager effectively bullied me into thinking that it wasnt such a big deal as I was getting re imbursed and the situation sorted anyway, the situation was swept under the carpet and ignored. Not even a bking was given to the DM at the time, so she continued along her merry way of corruption and deceit.My manager has now taken a record of every shift I have worked over the previous 2 months as evidence of my mispayment and also as evidence of my DM's actions
Not only that, but a lot of members of staff (over 50%) have come forward to say that they believe that their pay has been miscalculated aswell.
This problem is not about me anymore, unfortunately, it seems as though a lot more people have been affected by the actions of this selfish, vile character.
I realise that this is now effectively out of my hands, but I would still like to ask the PH massive, their thoughts and opinions on the issue, and what they think I should do next? Should I wait and see what happens, should I continue to stick the boot in and demand the revision of my pay dating back 14 months (to when I started)?
I feel lost, betrayed and downtrodden that I have to go and continue to work for a company that allows such blatant corruption to continue unabated. Yet I have no options with regards to other methods of employment and am now firmly wedged between a rock and a hard place.
What should I do? What would you do? Opinions please!
I'd stick with it. If your likely next in line for a promotion, as you said earlier. And the duty manager is about to become persona non grata. Then it looks like your in a pretty good place.
It looks like you have brought a serious issue to the attention of management, which could go either way for you, you'll eiher be branded a trouble maker, or you will be seen as someone who likes things done by the book. Seeing as your colleagues are now all in the same boat as you, and management are taking it seriously, it would appear that the latter could well be the case.
So hopefully you might move up a pay grade.
It looks like you have brought a serious issue to the attention of management, which could go either way for you, you'll eiher be branded a trouble maker, or you will be seen as someone who likes things done by the book. Seeing as your colleagues are now all in the same boat as you, and management are taking it seriously, it would appear that the latter could well be the case.
So hopefully you might move up a pay grade.
Give your manager time to sort it, dude. Looks like he realises the severity of the situation - the DM is going to have a lot of explaining to do. If you have no resolution in 14 days or so, ask the manager if it's progressing. Maybe kick up a fuss a month from now if still not sorted, but don't go in guns blazing straight away - give the guy chance to unravel this!
Cheers guys, things seem to be panning out ok now. I have asked a few other members of staff to do give details on their pay situation and compile their payslips and personal records of shifts for comparison by the new manager so we can hopefully get to the bottom of this whole ordeal. I shall be asking more staff to do this as and when I see them.
The sad thing is that it seems this has been going on for a lot longer than I know about. There are people paying mortgages with kids and stuff that have been relying on these people for money for years, who have more than likely been shortchanged out a couple of hundred pounds a year. I know its only a couple of hundred quid but at this end of the scale it can obviously make a huge difference to people.
There are countless other examples aswell when you consider the company employs 345,000 people in the U.K. (and god only knows how many corrupt members of the management team)
Also, the problem I face now is that the old "regime" still exists in certain members of staff of the store, the admin for example is a stone cold witch of a woman, our previous manager still has links to the store* and he also has the area manager on side aswell as he is in the process of development for another promotion.
To summarise, the people who have done wrong no longer work in my store, they have moved on. They still have connections though, connections that will definately favour them over anybody else. They also have connections to higher management, links that my current manager does not have, which may alter his persuasiveness upon the powers that be (who may also try to protect their own)
Apologies for the poorly written content of this message, I am trying to eat a pizza and get changed for work whilst typing this.
Once again, cheers for any and all replies. Any support is appreciated
ETA: criticism is appreciated aswell, I always like to know where I am going wrong
Also in response to your messages, I am going to play it cool from now on, but I am going to try and find out amongst other members of staff who has greivances and will try to get them aired so we can get some justice for the people who have been screwed
The sad thing is that it seems this has been going on for a lot longer than I know about. There are people paying mortgages with kids and stuff that have been relying on these people for money for years, who have more than likely been shortchanged out a couple of hundred pounds a year. I know its only a couple of hundred quid but at this end of the scale it can obviously make a huge difference to people.
There are countless other examples aswell when you consider the company employs 345,000 people in the U.K. (and god only knows how many corrupt members of the management team)
Also, the problem I face now is that the old "regime" still exists in certain members of staff of the store, the admin for example is a stone cold witch of a woman, our previous manager still has links to the store* and he also has the area manager on side aswell as he is in the process of development for another promotion.
To summarise, the people who have done wrong no longer work in my store, they have moved on. They still have connections though, connections that will definately favour them over anybody else. They also have connections to higher management, links that my current manager does not have, which may alter his persuasiveness upon the powers that be (who may also try to protect their own)
- He ditched his wife + kids to fk a team leader 20 years his junior, who as a result of their affair has been transferred to our store in her new capacity as duty manager. This prompted the trade of our old duty manager (the corrupted one) for his newly promoted duty manager, his "eyes and ears in the store" if you will. She will undoubtedly keep the accused informed on the developments as they occur.
Apologies for the poorly written content of this message, I am trying to eat a pizza and get changed for work whilst typing this.
Once again, cheers for any and all replies. Any support is appreciated
ETA: criticism is appreciated aswell, I always like to know where I am going wrong
Edited by The Nur on Friday 2nd April 18:26
Also in response to your messages, I am going to play it cool from now on, but I am going to try and find out amongst other members of staff who has greivances and will try to get them aired so we can get some justice for the people who have been screwed
Edited by The Nur on Friday 2nd April 18:30
Out of interest if it can be proven somebody has deliberately lopped money off wages what is the maximum punishment? I assume that it's a criminal offence, and what would be the consequences for the company in question if this had been brought up before and they hadn't dealt with it?
This happened to me when I started my first part time student job at a similar kind of shop. Pay was never right, and sometimes didn't come through.
I spoke to my manager about it on a weekly basis, she did nothing.
In the end, I rang head office (using the number from the website). They investigated, I got all my money through the next week, and my manager was sacked (she'd been involved in other discrepancies).
If the manager is the one cocking everything up (deliberately or not) talking to them isn't going to do much good. I would say go higher up the food chain, there's no excuse for not getting paid.
I spoke to my manager about it on a weekly basis, she did nothing.
In the end, I rang head office (using the number from the website). They investigated, I got all my money through the next week, and my manager was sacked (she'd been involved in other discrepancies).
If the manager is the one cocking everything up (deliberately or not) talking to them isn't going to do much good. I would say go higher up the food chain, there's no excuse for not getting paid.
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