Monday, May 08, 2006

Parking attendant wage is cut from £800 to 52p

Rochdale Observer
08th May 06

MOTHER-of-two Dawn Ashworth was left feeling physically sick after receiving a payslip saying she had only been paid 52p in her monthly wage.
The parking attendant from Rochdale, had been expecting to receive a wage of about £800. But she received a letter from her employers NCP two days before saying £582.28 was being taken from her wages – but she actually got less than a £1.
One of her colleagues Debbie Howard, also from Rochdale, had £480 docked from her wages, leaving her with just £400.
The Transport and General Workers’ Union claimed when they approached NCP on Ms Ashworth’s behalf NCP told their representative: "I’m not a registered charity. I’m not paying her."
Ms Ashworth said: "I thought I was going to be sick when I saw I had only been paid 52 pence. The union has had to lend me money so I can look after my two children.
"We had been suspended after being accused of bullying our assistant contract manager and I was accused of sending a vicious email. But the employees’ handbook said we should have been suspended on full pay.
"Debbie and I were due to go back to work at the beginning of April after the disciplinary hearing, when we were given a verbal warning which we are contesting. But we were so upset about what had happened that we were off sick. Even so, we still should have had three weeks’ full pay, according to the handbook.

"I’ve been so stressed out I don’t know what day of the week it is. I’ve been shouting at the children and they are really worried about me.
"NCP said it would give me the money on Thursday of last week, then a few days later they said if I was given money it would be a loan. I can’t believe they are saying they are going to lend me money I am entitled to."
Ms Howard said: "I’m at the end of my tether with NCP. Dawn and I haven’t been sleeping or eating properly because we’re so worried about what has happened."
The women were due to take their case again to NCP at a grievance procedure yesterday (Fri).
Tim Cowen of NCP said: "NCP always respects its staff's rights and will therefore never comment publicly on individual employees.
"However, we can confirm that two members of staff from our Rochdale operation are currently going through a disciplinary process and we are in discussions with them and their union representative on a separate matter regarding claims of deductions from pay.
"NCP are confident we have acted properly throughout."

Michael Byrne

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