NATIONAL MINIMUM WAGE
1.5 million workers still being cheated out of minimum wage, says TUC
Nearly a decade after the national minimum wage was introduced, the TUC has calculated that at least 1.5 million workers are "still being cheated out of the NMW by dishonest employers".
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To try to help track down rogue employers who are deliberately avoiding paying their adult staff £5.73 an hour, the TUC has published an updated edition of its enforcement guide to the minimum wage.
“Enforcing the National Minimum Wage” is the third edition of the guide, which was first published in 2001, and sets out how unions and advice workers can make sure all workers are earning the NMW. The report points out that often all that is needed to make an employer start paying the NMW is for a union or an adviser to bring non-payment to their attention. But more unwilling employers will need the involvement of HM Revenue & Customs before they pay their workers the legal minimum.
A final word
“The Revenue and Customs teams responsible for enforcement are doing a good job and have already retrieved millions of pounds from employers failing to pay the minimum wage. But TUC research suggests that there are at least 1.5 million workers across the UK who are still losing out. This shows the need for continued public funding for the National Minimum Wage helpline which allows people to make a complaint about an employer they suspect is not paying the minimum wage.
There must be no hiding place for rogue bosses. Our guide aims to make it easier for unions and advice agencies to root them out and ensure everyone gets the wage to which they are legally entitled.” - TUC General Secretary Brendan Barber.
Want to know more?
Title: Enforcing the National Minimum Wage, TUC.
Availability: You can download the report in PDF format from the TUC web site at www.tuc.org.uk/extras/nmwenforcement.pdf.
With member unions representing over 6.5 million working people, the TUC campaigns for a fair deal at work and for social justice at home and abroad. To find out more visit www.tuc.org.uk.