 |
Press Releases
Inside Out North East and Cumbria reveals Newcastle workers offered less than minimum wage
|
A ±«Óãtv investigation for tonight's Inside Out North East and Cumbria (7.30pm, Wednesday 17 September, ±«Óãtv One) finds that restaurants and takeaways in Newcastle are employing staff paid sometimes as
little as half the legally enforceable minimum wage.
Ìý
An undercover reporter set out to try to find work in takeaways in the centre of the city. In the space of a couple of hours she was told she could work in four outlets for cash.
Ìý
One offered a shift working through the night for just over £2 an hour. The minimum wage is currently £5.52 an hour.
Ìý
The reporter was asked to work "test" shifts without pay – and all the jobs offered were paid in cash without national insurance and tax deductions.
Ìý
The reporter posing as a waitress then went to work for a new restaurant, Red Mezze on Leazes Park Road, where she was paid just £4 an hour.
Ìý
The money was given cash in hand without records being kept. Staff shifts were cut short when the restaurant was not busy.
Ìý
The manager at Red Mezze told Inside Out that if the restaurant had "inadvertently infringed any legal requirement" they would rectify the position without delay.
Ìý
He also said staff wages were topped up with tips, although even with the tips the ±«Óãtv reporter was still not paid the minimum wage.
Ìý
Inside Out has shown tonight's programme to the TUC's Kevin Rowan who says: "One of the shocking things about this is how open and confident these employers are in offering what are clearly illegal terms and conditions.
Ìý
"You can tell by the way they're talking and their expressions that they have no fear about being prosecuted at all."
Ìý
There are just eight minimum wage inspectors to cover the whole of the North East of England.
Ìý
Pat MacFadden, the Minister with responsibility for enforcing the minimum wage legislation, told the programme that there are enough inspectors – but that the Government is working on imposing fines on employers who ignore the legislation.
Ìý
Pat MacFadden said: "There is a new bill going through Parliament at the moment which will introduce an automatic penalty for any employer who does not pay the minimum wage to their staff.
Ìý
"There is an extra three million pounds a year going into enforcing the national minimum wage over the next few years.
Ìý
"I've no doubt people will always say well three million is not enough and you should be spending more. But there is more going in."
Ìý
Notes to Editors
Ìý
Any use of material in this press release should credit Inside Out on ±«Óãtv One North East and Cumbria at 7.30pm on Wednesday 17 September 2008.
Ìý
HH2
Ìý
|
Printable version