Advice needed please

Williamnomates

Myself and my colleagues have been asked to take a pay cut at work but I don't agree with it for the following reasons:

1. The company is not losing money, they made record profits last year.
2. There are numerous ways the company can save money apart from taking it from the staff but none have been implemented because of lack of initiative and poor management.
3. About half of the staff have already been made redundant but the managers in charge of those people have not - more money being unnecessarily wasted.

The company has officially said that they cannot force us to take the cut but they have advised us to do so for the good of the company. Unofficially however, I have been told that if I do not accept the pay cut they will look for a way to fire me.

Most of my colleagues agree (about 20 or so) that the pay cut is harsh but they will accept it because they are afraid of losing their jobs. I don't want to lose my job either but I don't like to be intimidated in to accepting a pay cut that I don't agree with. What can I do?

rover84

It is unfortunate that you have to take a pay cut in your job but you also have to look at the following points,
1. the company made profits last year,by how much and are they still profitable in the current year? what are the projections for the next 2-3years?
Profits can decrease very quickly depending on the industry
2. sounds like the company missed out on opportunities in your opinion but theres nothing that can be done bout that now. why dont you highlight any potential future iniatives to management?
3.if half of the staff have already been made redundant, the outlook doesnt seem great so the firm obviously very much need to cut costs

The other colleagues are probably sitting tight in the job because they might be older/less skilled than yourself and might be accepting the pay cut because they wont have the same ease of getting a job elsewhere

If you feel hard done by, voice it to the staff representative and discuss what can be done to resolve the issues

Rookie447

Hi there.
I would strongly advise you not to submit to the pay cut.
As long as you dont do anything out of line, they cant fire you.
If they make you redundant, then that will cost them.
Dont let them walk all over you.
especially since they made big profit last year.
Must be a really shtty company to be honest, but I would never submit to the pay cut, out of principle.
Dont let them bully you !

Nody

You first mistake was assuming that it would be fair; your second mistake was to assume that management would fire themself (don't worry they will be let go soon enough).

Oh and Rookie I guessed you never heard about The Reorganisation.

Nolanger

F**k them - they're only buying into this recession lark and chancing one on you. They're the kind of fools who tell people to cut back on what you spend - as if that will help the economic recovery.

Williamnomates

rover84 wrote: »

It is unfortunate that you have to take a pay cut in your job but you also have to look at the following points,
1. the company made profits last year,by how much and are they still profitable in the current year? what are the projections for the next 2-3years?
Profits can decrease very quickly depending on the industry
2. sounds like the company missed out on opportunities in your opinion but theres nothing that can be done bout that now. why dont you highlight any potential future iniatives to management?
3.if half of the staff have already been made redundant, the outlook doesnt seem great so the firm obviously very much need to cut costs

The other colleagues are probably sitting tight in the job because they might be older/less skilled than yourself and might be accepting the pay cut because they wont have the same ease of getting a job elsewhere

If you feel hard done by, voice it to the staff representative and discuss what can be done to resolve the issues

1. Yes the company is still profitable, there are other sites that are making large profits.
2. Those opportunities were highlighted at the time but were never backed. What makes you think that management will listen now?
3. The other staff were let go because the areas they worked in no longer exist. We still have other units that are operating as they have been for nearly 5 years.

Your assumption about my other colleagues is wrong, it's difficult for anyone to find a job right now no matter what their skills but the predominant reason they are taking the cut is they are afraid they will get fired.

I have discussed it as far as I can with my manager, thats why I'm looking for outside advice.

Williamnomates

Rookie447 wrote: »

Hi there.
I would strongly advise you not to submit to the pay cut.
As long as you dont do anything out of line, they cant fire you.
If they make you redundant, then that will cost them.
Dont let them walk all over you.
especially since they made big profit last year.
Must be a really shtty company to be honest, but I would never submit to the pay cut, out of principle.
Dont let them bully you !

The impression I got was that if there are only a few people that didn't accept the cut they will fire those people and take their chances in court. They've done this twice before (and lost both cases), but I would prefer not to have to go down this road. Know much about unfair dismissal cases? Cos I don't

trad

If you have a contract of employment and you salary is stipulated in it then it is a contract. If your employed decides to breach the contract (by reducing your salary) then the contract is null and void. This means all bets are off. If in your contract you are required to do something out of office hours (after hours support etc. ) point out to the employer that the contract has been breached and if he can change the terms, so can you.