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Indirectly forced to work during covid19

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  • 17-04-2020 12:24pm
    #1
    LegacyUser
    Registered Users Posts: 166,026 ✭✭✭✭


    Our company had to close their normal business because of covid19 . Instead they are making all employees go to to work as retail staff since the quarantine started.
    We are doing the same dutyes as normal retails staff 5 days a week ,minimum wage.
    Not getting 10% bonus or any increase for working bank holiday as well. This is not ok because we work the same as them and I hear that our company is getting 2-3 times the wage from the retail company and we are getting paid minimum wage.
    We have been told that if we do not want to work we will lose the job and someone else will get it.
    I am asking what should we do ?Put our lifes in danger while not getting anything extra for working bank holidays life the normal workers? Most of our staff are not happy with this ,not because we are working in this times but because we are not paid ok when other people stay home and get 350 a week
    We ask the company why we do not get 1,5 for bank holiday and they said we just don't.

    Can something be done with this ? Can we make complain somewhere ?

    Thank you


Comments

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    #2
    Ireland1900
    Registered Users Posts: 2 ✭Ireland1900


    Why do you all stay working?
    Surely majority in numbers would get your bosses attention?
    Maybe the company is not so sustainable in these harsh times and they are as uncertain as everyone else?


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    #3
    mulbot
    Registered Users Posts: 1,829 ✭✭✭mulbot


    tropico442 wrote: »
    Our company had to close their normal business because of covid19 . Instead they are making all employees go to to work as retail staff since the quarantine started.
    We are doing the same dutyes as normal retails staff 5 days a week ,minimum wage.
    Not getting 10% bonus or any increase for working bank holiday as well. This is not ok because we work the same as them and I hear that our company is getting 2-3 times the wage from the retail company and we are getting paid minimum wage.
    We have been told that if we do not want to work we will lose the job and someone else will get it.
    I am asking what should we do ?Put our lifes in danger while not getting anything extra for working bank holidays life the normal workers? Most of our staff are not happy with this ,not because we are working in this times but because we are not paid ok when other people stay home and get 350 a week
    We ask the company why we do not get 1,5 for bank holiday and they said we just don't.

    Can something be done with this ? Can we make complain somewhere ?

    Thank you

    Other people don't "stay" at home. They have lost their jobs and have no option. If you haven't been let go and re-employed, can you not challenge the new conditions with your original contract?


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    #4
    Ireland1900
    Registered Users Posts: 2 ✭Ireland1900


    Are you on the Essential list of employees?


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    #5
    Wanderer19
    Registered Users Posts: 258 ✭✭Wanderer19


    tropico442 wrote: »
    Our company had to close their normal business because of covid19 . Instead they are making all employees go to to work as retail staff since the quarantine started.
    We are doing the same dutyes as normal retails staff 5 days a week ,minimum wage.
    Not getting 10% bonus or any increase for working bank holiday as well. This is not ok because we work the same as them and I hear that our company is getting 2-3 times the wage from the retail company and we are getting paid minimum wage.
    We have been told that if we do not want to work we will lose the job and someone else will get it.
    I am asking what should we do ?Put our lifes in danger while not getting anything extra for working bank holidays life the normal workers? Most of our staff are not happy with this ,not because we are working in this times but because we are not paid ok when other people stay home and get 350 a week
    We ask the company why we do not get 1,5 for bank holiday and they said we just don't.

    Can something be done with this ? Can we make complain somewhere ?

    Thank you
    If you're earning a specific amount and your employer has changed your role, then you are entitled to the same pay, regardless of what the work is.

    Bank hols - you're either entitled to double pay for the hours worked or paid time off, pro rata for your contract hours.

    It is fair, especially in the current crisis, for your employer to re-deploy into another department/section of the business.

    It's illegal to reduce your wages without your permission.


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    #6
    Wanderer19
    Registered Users Posts: 258 ✭✭Wanderer19


    tropico442 wrote: »
    I hear that our company is getting 2-3 times the wage from the retail company and we are getting paid minimum wage.
    We have been told that if we do not want to work we will lose the job and someone else will get it.
    I am asking what should we do ?Put our lifes in danger while not getting anything extra for working bank holidays life the normal workers? Most of our staff are not happy with this ,not because we are working in this times but because we are not paid ok when other people stay home and get 350 a week
    We ask the company why we do not get 1,5 for bank holiday and they said we just don't.

    Can something be done with this ? Can we make complain somewhere ?

    Thank you

    Does this mean your boss has 'given' the workforce to another company as retail staff?

    You can contact the WRC. Alternatively, consult with a solicitor, as a group, and ask them to write a letter stating your entitlements and the consequences of his actions should you not get your legal entitlements.

    Please be aware that there may be job losses for this - I'm not condoning your employers behaviour, but you need to consider all options.


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    #7
    Dav010
    Registered Users Posts: 14,300 ✭✭✭✭Dav010


    Wanderer19 wrote: »
    Does this mean your boss has 'given' the workforce to another company as retail staff?

    You can contact the WRC. Alternatively, consult with a solicitor, as a group, and ask them to write a letter stating your entitlements and the consequences of his actions should you not get your legal entitlements.

    Please be aware that there may be job losses for this - I'm not condoning your employers behaviour, but you need to consider all options.

    It will be interesting to see the WRC’s attitude to situations like this when normal service resumes. Will they be of the view that due to extraordinary circumstances and disruption to standard work practices, temporary reassignment of duties will be seen as an unavoidable consequence?. Employers are being asked to be flexible, will they expect employees to reciprocate this for as long as the disruption lasts? Certainly public servants are being redeployed in jobs, would the same not be acceptable in the private sector?


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    #8
    salonfire
    Registered Users Posts: 3,078 ✭✭✭salonfire


    tropico442 wrote: »
    Our company had to close their normal business because of covid19 . Instead they are making all employees go to to work as retail staff since the quarantine started.
    We are doing the same dutyes as normal retails staff 5 days a week ,minimum wage.
    Not getting 10% bonus or any increase for working bank holiday as well. This is not ok because we work the same as them and I hear that our company is getting 2-3 times the wage from the retail company and we are getting paid minimum wage.
    We have been told that if we do not want to work we will lose the job and someone else will get it.
    I am asking what should we do ?Put our lifes in danger while not getting anything extra for working bank holidays life the normal workers? Most of our staff are not happy with this ,not because we are working in this times but because we are not paid ok when other people stay home and get 350 a week
    We ask the company why we do not get 1,5 for bank holiday and they said we just don't.

    Can something be done with this ? Can we make complain somewhere ?

    Thank you

    It's not clear what is going on from this post tbh, however what your company is making is none of your concern. People who work for companies making billions in profits do not have their salary based on these billions.

    Also, there is nothing illegal paying people who do the same job different amounts and is actually very common.

    The employer also has the right to redeploy and reassign duties to staff.

    The employer has the right to reduce your salary - with your consent - but it's unclear if this is what happened here.

    If you do not consent, you can leave I guess. Into a world of shuttered businesses and dole queues.


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    #9
    Wanderer19
    Registered Users Posts: 258 ✭✭Wanderer19


    Dav010 wrote: »
    It will be interesting to see the WRC’s attitude to situations like this when normal service resumes. Will they be of the view that due to extraordinary circumstances and disruption to standard work practices, temporary reassignment of duties will be seen as an unavoidable consequence?. Employers are being asked to be flexible, will they expect employees to reciprocate this for as long as the disruption lasts? Certainly public servants are being redeployed in jobs, would the same not be acceptable in the private sector?
    I totally agree with you. I work for an essential service and half our staff have been re-deployed, and some of us may still end up elsewhere.

    However, The OP stated he doesn't mind the work, it's the conditions - the crisis shouldn't mean that people are taken advantage of either.

    Employers are taking advantage of the situation, that doesn't mean the employees are not flexible.


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