pay cuts to apprentices

corollabob

Hey lads and lasses I was looking for a bit of help.
Im a third year apprentice construction plant fitter registered in October 2008 and currently in phase 5 on the job. Even though I really should be going up to fourth year wages next month I only got my rise to third year wages there 3 weeks ago and times are tough so I wasnt going to push my luck.
However now my employer wants to cut our wages by 10% so effectively when I should be on a fourth years wage Ill be back on a second years wage. And a second years wage is actually below the minimum wage.
So I was wondering does anybody know am I protected by a rate or the minimum wage even?
any help is very much appreciated

bassey

I'd get on to FAS but I'm not sure what the story is with them paying you below the year rate

eire2009

corollabob wrote: »

Hey lads and lasses I was looking for a bit of help.
I'm a third year apprentice construction plant fitter registered in October 2008 and currently in phase 5 on the job. Even though I really should be going up to fourth year wages next month I only got my rise to third year wages there 3 weeks ago and times are tough so I wasn't going to push my luck.
However now my employer wants to cut our wages by 10% so effectively when I should be on a fourth years wage Ill be back on a second years wage. And a second years wage is actually below the minimum wage.
So I was wondering does anybody know am I protected by a rate or the minimum wage even?
any help is very much appreciated

Your boss is robbing from you. Join your trade union its free for apprentices, work away at getting you trade as its hard enough to complete these days. When you part with the company then take action.

Keep all your payslips and get statements off the tax office of your gross net wage etc. All this money can be backdated and returned to you through the courts, your union will do this on your behalf for free. It takes about 2 years so once the company doesn't go into liquidation you`ll receive a nice sum.

The company also has to pay minimum wage during your probationary period as you are not an apprentice until your registered with fas. Which can also be backdated.

Your rates are set by fas and your union not your employer so he cant reduce them legally.

corollabob

Thanks very much for the replies lads they're very helpfull. And sorry for the late reply.
The only thing is that when i went to fas they told me they dont look after the setting of the wages. As well as that im not even sure which trade union would cover me as we are a small enough company and I know that nobody else in the place is a member of a union

eire2009

corollabob wrote: »

Thanks very much for the replies lads they're very helpfull. And sorry for the late reply.
The only thing is that when i went to fas they told me they dont look after the setting of the wages. As well as that im not even sure which trade union would cover me as we are a small enough company and I know that nobody else in the place is a member of a union

I was in the Teeu, you should check them out as they are not only for electrical trades, but also crafts aswell, I think your right about Fas not setting the but they should not be standing by watching the rates drop below the normal levels without any advice. Typical of Fas in general.

Send the Teeu an e-mail, its free for apprentices, they took a company to court for me under similar conditions and got the money I was due.

dev100

corollabob wrote: »

Thanks very much for the replies lads they're very helpfull. And sorry for the late reply.
The only thing is that when i went to fas they told me they dont look after the setting of the wages. As well as that im not even sure which trade union would cover me as we are a small enough company and I know that nobody else in the place is a member of a union

The only group who had their wages set by fas and state were the electrical trades

Small company syndrome Im afraid... I was an apprentice once myself . Money was fairly crap at the time. Nothing really you can if company is struggling. Is everyone taking a haircut including qualified lads? Be warned if you going thru legal channels small companies dont forget these things especially when you leave and need a decent reference. Thats always a major plus if you finishing your time and moving on....

eire2009

dev100 wrote: »

The only group who had their wages set by fas and state were the electrical trades

Small company syndrome Im afraid... I was an apprentice once myself . Money was fairly crap at the time. Nothing really you can if company is struggling. Is everyone taking a haircut including qualified lads? Be warned if you going thru legal channels small companies dont forget these things especially when you leave and need a decent reference. Thats always a major plus if you finishing your time and moving on....

If this is the case, you should have a contract stating your terms of employment. Any variation of this is a breach of. But getting a reference and finish your trade should be put first. If its a small company they may even keep you on after.

dev100

eire2009 wrote: »

If this is the case, you should have a contract stating your terms of employment. Any variation of this is a breach of. But getting a reference and finish your trade should be put first. If its a small company they may even keep you on after.

I had a contract of employment money was just rubbish is all .. We went to fas and college to earn money at the time:) Yes your any variation is a breach. I have seen in another job a couple of apprentices being laid off because the company pleaded inability to pay. If I was the OP only he knows if the company is struggling Id rather suffer on finish my time and move on. Not end up like the apprentices I worked with..

corollabob

I absolutely agree and I will put my time first pay cut or none its just difficult to live on such small wages. The company is struggling but the week after announcing pay cuts two of the directors went on holidays so how does that look to us? Everyone is taking the cut but I am the lowest paid employee by a large margin so i just wanted to see was there anything that could be done. Thanks for the replies lads