Casual staff hit out at council over cash row
Girl in tears after opening her wage packet with only £8 for a month
At least 25 casual employees have been left out of pocket after their wage packets were slashed by South Ayrshire Council.
A cash row has erupted between the workers at South Ayrshire leisure centre facilities and their paymasters.
The casual staff, such as lifeguards, receptionists, pool attendants, cleaners and many other leisure centre workers, say their lockdown wage packets have been cut – without advance warning or explanation.
A source told how one leisure centre employee was shocked and upset when she was handed her monthly payslip that totalled just £8.
The council’s treatement has sparked fury among the workers.
One casual member of staff, who works at multiple locations within South Ayrshire, is demanding answers after they were paid just £20.
The 23-year-old fumed: “I used to get the average, based on my last three payslips, but things have changed.
“As of Friday, March 13, all the casual workers were expecting their wages, but it seems that just the full-time staff are continuing to get their wages. For us casuals, support’s been withdrawn.
“There’s been no notice; just simply a case of wake up, open your wage slip and get the shock of your life. It’s a real kick in the teeth.
“It may not have been much of an issue if the casual staff were pre-warned but nobody was told about this.
“I know that for a fact and it’s affecting people’s wellbeing, They are panicking and they’re upset.
“One girl I know was nearly in tears when she opened her payslip and it read £8 for the month. It just doesn’t sit right. It’s shocking.”
Another source said: “I was due to be paid on Friday, March 13 but my re-adjusted payslip won’t even cover a week’s shopping bill. Not by a long shot.”
Workers claim they have yet to hear from their paymasters – despite emailing them the day they were handed their payslips.
One employee said: “We just want an explanation and all our colleagues supported. It’s a tough time for them and they need their lives made that little bit easier.”
Janet Stewart, UNISON regional organiser who represents the affected members, said: “These workers are essentially on zero-hours contracts which UNISON has been campaigning against for some time.
“Zero-hours workers are often treated unfairly, sometimes going without holidays, sick pay and many don’t know from week to week what their shifts will be.
“UNISON has been made aware of the problems with these particular workers and we are representing UNISON members who are involved.”
Since the first UK lockdown was imposed a year ago, tens of thousands of full-time employees across the country were given payments made up through an 80 per cent contribution from the UK Government’s furlough scheme.
South Ayrshire Council’s casual workers were not part of that furlough scheme, with a spokesperson claiming they were paid “whatever they were rostered to work.”
However, the casual employees still insist there’s a big discrepancy in what they earned in February’s wage packet compared to this month’s – and this discrepancy has yet to be explained to them.
Ayr MSP John Scott said he has taken up the matter with the council and urged them to fully review the situation and reinstate the casual workers’ wages to their previous levels.
He added: “These casual workers, many of them young people, have been treated very poorly and it seems to be only a matter of simple fairness that they should continue to receive the same wages that they got over most of the past year, and certainly until their places of work are reopened.”
He added: “It’s been a tough enough year for people without being treated in this way.”
A council spokesperson said: “The council did not have staff on furlough.
“Instead, any staff who were unable to work because services were suspended were paid whatever they were rostered to work.
“If an individual member of staff feels that they should be due a payment then they should speak to their manager who will look into their request.”
My adjusted payslip wont even cover a week’s shopping bill