Shift Allowance Question.

[Driver101]

A few of guys at work asked me about this, but I can't see anything online about it.

They work on a three shift system. Day, back and night shift. For their back and night shift they get an additional 33% shift allowance.

As of next week too many people are off on holiday and the company has decided to draw some workers on to day shift. A few guys have been told they will do four weeks of day shift.

The issue for the guys is they are losing out on a significant amount of money they would get if they were working on their planned shift. Also they haven't been given much notice to change shift.

The company are refusing to pay their shift allowance.

What is legal stance on this?

Is it simply they aren't working their shift and not entitled to their shift allowance?

Or does a company have to pay employees what they would have actually earned?

I can see it from both points of view. They aren't working the antisocial hours the shift allowance is compensation for. Equally the guys aren't happy knowing their wage packet is going to be significantly lighter with no notice to prepare.

[Rushjob]

What do their contracts say about this? Have they any union representation to assist?

[phumy]

Why/how are there too many people off, who manages the shift workers holidays or time off, seems someone/management has fked up?

[Driver101]

Rushjob said:

What do their contracts say about this? Have they any union representation to assist?

There isn't anything in the contact that covers it.

No Union in the factory that I'm aware of.

[Driver101]

phumy said:

Why/how are there too many people off, who manages the shift workers holidays or time off, seems someone/management has fked up?

It isn't a big place and they had pre-approved too many holidays in advance before the workload ramped up. A couple of others are off sick and they've been caught short with numbers.

[cossy400]

Does the contract have a bit in stating "changes due to needs of the business"

[Driver101]

cossy400 said:

Does the contract have a bit in stating "changes due to needs of the business"

There is a bit saying you might be required to work different shifts or rotas. There is nothing about notice required or what happens with allowances.

[Brainpox]

No doubt it’ll be a base salary/hourly rate plus a premium if unsocial hours worked. If no unsocial hours there’s no premium.

Pretty stty behaviour though. Mismanagement and sickness means everyone else loses out financially just so the boss can continue to make money. Long term it’ll kick them in the teeth. There won’t be any goodwill left.