Lengthy hours, little pay, lousy conditions

The Guardian reports, striking in Britain has now reached an all-time low. Whilst the drop may imply a victory for partnership between capital and labour, in reality the labour market has weakened.

It recently came to light, the founder of Sports Direct, a billionaire, Mike Ashley admitted workers at its Derbyshire warehouse were paid below the minimum wage in very poor conditions. Statistically, 76 ambulances were called out in a span of only two years, meaning 3 or 4 every month.
This highlights how weak the workers in today’s labour market feel. Reasons for this are straight forward, which includes: being unaware of employment rights, fear of losing their jobs; especially since the Brexit on 23 June 2016, or dominance by the employers.

Dominance by employers is not limited to Sports Direct. Other businesses such as homecare workers were cheated by not being paid their eligible wage when travelling between visits. Although HM Revenue & Customs compliance officers endeavor to enforce the National Minimum (NMW) and National Living Wage (NLW), many businesses are yet to be investigated and revealed. Thus it is crucial to be aware of your basic rights as the world out there is not always blossomy.

Theresa May, on her first day as PM declared “the government I lead will be driven not by the interests of the privileged few, but by yours”. We shall now await the latest, and hopefully improved NMW rates in October 2016 and the NLW in April 2017.
Employees have many statutory rights which includes the NMW and good-s mutually acceptable working conditions.
If you’re an employee or an employer who is unsure of NMW rules or are not being treated with respect or require other employment law advice call our specialists now for a free 30 minutes’ consultation.
Written by Anu Kaur Soni – Employment Law Paralegal at Kalra Legal Group.

Current rates
These rates are for the National Living Wage and the National Minimum Wage from 1 April 2016.