AIBU? Or is my manager wrong?

[Shopgirl19]

I am 18 and work as a p/t sales assistant in a major High St store, when I went to the interview I was offered 8p/h, this was the same wage as my previous role in retail. Around 2 months later I received an email asking me to sign an e-contract which stated I would be paid 7.40p/h. As this was not the same as the original offer I refused to sign the contract and spoke with my Manager. The contract was repeatedly sent to my email address and I never signed it until I received a new one stating the correct pay. My manager spoke to the HR manager and they drew up a letter apologising for the incorrect pay and stated I would be paid 8p/h until I reach 21 and any o/t would be at 7.40 which I agreed to, both myself and my manager signed this.
This is the only document that I have signed.
I was called into the office last week and told HR had had multiple conferences about my pay and it has now been decided that in the next 4 weeks they will be taking it down to 7.40ph. I think the reason there was a confusion at the start was everyone but me in the store is 21+ and they have realised I am 18 and should be on minimum wage.
I have just joined a union but cant seek advice until 4 weeks into membership.
Any advice on where I stand would be appreciated.

Bombardier25966- So what’s the point in a contract then? People would never work or sign a contract again if they thought the terms of their employment could change at the drop of a hat? And they have to suck it up or leave?

Possibly consider commenting on posts that you have knowledge about rather than negativity

Ummmm. I’m a fully qualified HR professional with 20 year’s experience. Not often I’m educated by 18 year old shop workers.

Which bit of the HRA do you think applies here? And try using better resources than Wikipedia for your research. You have a better chance of finding the right answer.

And they have to suck it up or leave?

In the first two years of employment, yes.

People work because they need to pay bills, not because of their contract.

I'm not suggesting that it's fair, but it is reality.

Bombardier25966- So what’s the point in a contract then? People would never work or sign a contract again if they thought the terms of their employment could change at the drop of a hat? And they have to suck it up or leave?

People also make mistakes. The law allows them to resolve them when they need to.

I

Why is she bu for expecting the pay promised her??

I’m a fully qualified HR professional with 20 year’s experience

And not a lawyer. You're mistaken in your assertion that the agreed rate was not an express term of the contract: it very clearly was.

OP if I were in your shoes I’d write a short letter to HR and the manager explaining that you would not have accepted the job at £7.40 and as it was their mistake you expect them to honour the agreement rather than put you in financial difficulty, if they can’t honour the £8 then you expect them to pay you £8 for at least the next month to give you a chance to find a new job.

Don’t worry about job hopping, I changed my last job because my employer wasn’t paying the bonus they promised and at interviews everyone understood that you’d change jobs if you weren’t being paid what was agreed.

OP, it’s unfair, but they can amend the contract if they have made a mistake. My work did it to me after mistakenly paying me shift allowance incorrectly. Even though I had a signed contract, it was still wrong.

The human rights act won’t help you here.

Try not to get too offended by people, aibu is where some people come to be mean to others when they’ve had a shitty day

Don't listen to the posters telling you to be grateful for £7.40 or even £8 an hour. IKEA, John Lewis, and many other retailers pay the living wage (not minimum wage) to all employees regardless of age. That's currently £9 an hour outside London.

Do your research and move elsewhere.

An day I’m in uni mon-Friday 9-4 most days.
Not sure exactly what you mean here but if this job fits in with your uni hours and is convenient for you, I would probably keep it while also looking for something else.

(On a side note I think it is terrible that minimum wage is so much lower for an 18 year old. You are doing the same work as your colleagues who are paid more - not fair!)

I hated this in retail, paid differently the exact same job just because of age.
I didn't think many places did this anymore as my last few retail jobs paid everyone the same.
I'd leave and find another job.

And not a lawyer. You're mistaken in your assertion that the agreed rate was not an express term of the contract: it very clearly was.

But from an employment law perspective the OP has no rights to challenge the correction of that term. So it’s a moot point, legally.

Poutysprout doing her bit to make HR people look like arses.

"Ummmm. I’m a fully qualified HR professional with 20 year’s experience. Not often I’m educated by 18 year old shop workers. grin"

I could tell this.............HR sometimes attracts a "certain breed".
Ffs she's 18, and come here for a bit of advice go easy on her, no need to be so nasty and patronising.
OP someone up thread said take no notice of the un-helpful replies as people come on AIBU to vent after a shifty day and they're right!
I hope you get it sorted.

@joanmcc 😂

In the company I work for, over 18's are paid £8.25ph.

OP, from the little I know about contracts and HR, and it is a very little, as far as I am aware, a company can issue changes to contracts at any time in writing with a notice period as such and your choices are to accept the new terms, try to negotiate or don't accept which results in termination of employment.

I had a third party HR company for my work place and the times I contacted them regarding things like employee dismissal, the no real rights before two years of employment is the case. I was basically asked if the employee in question was black, disabled, pregnant, trans or anything that meant they could go for a discrimination case. If the employee didn't then the standard reply was they didn't have any rights so end employment. It was pretty shocking.

Whilst I don't think YABU and totally get why you want to stand your ground, I don't believe there is anything that can be done sadly.

Hi guys,

Thanks so much for your reply you’ve all been super lovely and helpful.
I’ve decided to negotiate set shifts for the new hourly wage as this is something that will decrease my travel costs and boost my morale rather than working both weekend days and evening shifts.

Again, thanks so much xx

You can always stay there til you find a job paying more if you want. At least for now you have a job with hours that work for you.