workers rights

[PlumbersMate]

Went on to a site yesterday. Was advertised as £12 per hour, not great but was meant to be steady work for 6 weeks. Cracked it out all day for 10 hours, not exactly difficult work in terms of brainpower, just first fix hot and cold feeds using hep2o plastic, not even feeding pipes to exact positions just clipping it to slab to each room then leaving it there until walls are done.

Working with another lad and were absolutely flying, then comes to lunch time today and get call from agency saying that the firm cant afford to pay the agreed 12 per hour, can only pay 9 per hour!!! Can they do this? Legally? I finished up for the day but im not going back there for that rate. Could understand if it was slow going on site and not doing nothing, but was talking to 2 of the lads who are on the cards and for the amount we done, if we was on price we would have earnt £560 between us?!!!

sorry to ramble on but im gutted!!!

 

[SimonJohns]

you had a verbal contract but now youve got to prove it

i would say speak to your local CAB but i would of thought that it would be very hard to fight

 

[Alpha man]

Have you got other work?

Otherwise £9 ph is better than nowt, and slow down a bit and drag it out.

 

[stokecity]

have a word with the foreman for the company ur subbing to, be polite and ask wots going on, they mite not know, to be honest it wudnt be the first time an agency has pulled that 1

 

[bobby5156]

Go to the agency, you said you took the work at an advertised rate of £12 ph (do you have anything that says that), then the agency called to inform you of decrease in wages per hour.

To me that means you have proof (the agency) that you started work at an agreed rate of £12 ph and should be paid that !! Am I wrong?

 

[PlumbersMate]

only proof i have is the ad where i applied for the job, its still online!!! Dont know if that will count?

Know what youre saying when £9 is better than nothing, just feels like a right kick in the nuts! If they offered £9 in first place I wouldnt be so upset, just feel like ive been mugged off.

 

[Nostrum]

Print it out and send a copy with your invoice, either that or go back tomorrow and drill a load of holes in all the plastic you've put in. Tell them you thought it was a sprinkler system you were installing.

 

[scotty plumber]

If the ad is still online i would say that is good enough proof, good luck

 

[Plumbus]

Pay and Work Rights Helpline : Directgov - Directories

Agency worker employment rights : Directgov - Employment

 

[REDSAW]

go tomorrow and sit on ur rse all day then bill them £180.

 

[villa_tom]

Don't trust the agency's mate. They are the dirtiest, slyest most untrustworthy assbandits going, I got offered work by one the other week at 18 quid an hour, I declined and said I've just been offered the same work on the same contract at 23.5 an hour, they soon upped their rates to match. Just remember without you then the agency cannot function, stand your ground, you'll get your dough.
agencys are just living off the back of honest tradesmen and making an immoral living by screwing blokes over, but they seem to have alot of contracts sewn up. There's alot of brown envelopes full of fifties passed around IMHO

 

[scotty plumber]

How come there are hardly any plumbers job's out there but the agency's are screaming for plumber's?

 

[AWheating]

you may find that the agency has dropped your hourly rate but is still charging the same amount to the company. Why not speak to the company bosses and suggest you subby to them for the £12 an hour and they get rid of the agency? the angency is likely taking 15-25% of your wage anyway.

if that dont get anywhere then just work at £9 per hour speed rather than £12 per hour speed untill you find something better.

 

[PlumbersMate]

thanks for all the replies lads. so annoying as the agencies know that we are desperate for work, bang out of order, they do absolutely nothing and get paid for it, then charge me to even get my wages!!!

 

[Rossi46]

The answer is only rubbish plumbers work for agencies.

 

[Destroyer2813]

What site you on mate

 

[PlumbersMate]

What site you on mate

was one in camden mate

 

[AWheating]

The answer is only rubbish plumbers work for agencies.

this could be true of times when the economy is good and the trade has plenty of work. But currently there are alot of decent plumbers out of work who may consider agencies. After all we all need to do what it takes to pay the bills.

 

[GQuigley67]

The answer is only rubbish plumbers work for agencies.

have to disagree with this quote as i have worked for agencies before, but they are scum of the earth rat bags, charge something like £20-25 an hour for your services and pay you the lowest rate possible. I was on £105 a day and the joiner was on £120 spark £130(same agency) I pulled them up about my rate they said we can put it up to £11 as we had to go in late to get the work, then they have the cheek to instruct some other mob to pay your wages who charge you an admin fee of anything between £5-20 of your wage. Agency work is a last resort for me now but could be a god send for a new comer to the trade desperate for work experience.

 

[world9563]

whats the best agency out there to go with though

 

[WHPES]

The answer is only rubbish plumbers work for agencies.

Or desperate ones with bills to pay and no work on

 

[secret squirrel]

The answer is only rubbish plumbers work for agencies.

Your on a wind-up with this I'm glad no one has really bitten, although it'd be interesting reading..

 

[Rickster123]

Your on a wind-up with this I'm glad no one has really bitten, although it'd be interesting reading..

I nearly did but didn't want to get told off again! My bet would be he works for a company and has never had to worry where the next pay cheque is coming from. When needs must and all that...

 

[PlumbersMate]

fishing for a bite defo. lets hope the bloke never needs to lower himself to have to use one

 

[kirkgas]

thanks for all the replies lads. so annoying as the agencies know that we are desperate for work, bang out of order, they do absolutely nothing and get paid for it, then charge me to even get my wages!!!

i dont agree with what they are doing to you (if it is them thats doing it) but i dont agree that they do nothing for their money, they got the work and gave it to you, why dont you go and get the work yourself, they have went out and set up contracts with firms to supply labour when needed at short notice, why dont you go round and speak to the big guys and offer your services at a minutes notice and you will get the money