# Minimum hourly wage



## snikpoh (Nov 19, 2007)

I wonder if someone knows the answer (I have Googled but it's not clear) - 

What should the minimum wage be for a 19 year old temporary worker? 

I have read that the new minimum wage (in 2019) is now 1050€ per month (paid 12 times per year). This, I think, equates to about 6,06€ per hour.

It's just that my son has just been asked to sign a contract where the actual figure isn't mentioned but states the salary will be "legal". When he queried, he was told it would be 300€ per month (gross) for a 15 hour week (equating to about 4,61€ per hour). The contract seems quite flaky in that it doesn't mention what he will be paid, when or how. Having worked for two weeks without the contract (boss was away on business), he was asked to cover some hours of another worker who was on holiday. He asked about how these would be paid and was told to take to take time off in lieu! Surely he should get paid for these as they equated to 20 hours?

Where can he go to find out the legal situation?


----------



## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

snikpoh said:


> I wonder if someone knows the answer (I have Googled but it's not clear) -
> 
> What should the minimum wage be for a 19 year old temporary worker?
> 
> ...


Try the local UGT or CCOO. They should be able to advise, even if he's not a member.


----------



## Isobella (Oct 16, 2014)

There is a tribunal and conciliation service (free) sort of a public gestor but I cannot remember what it is called. There was an office in Marbella as some years ago I gave my neighbours daughter a lift to go to see them. She claimed from her employer, a hairdresser and won, all free service.


----------



## Lynn R (Feb 21, 2014)

Alcalaina said:


> Try the local UGT or CCOO. They should be able to advise, even if he's not a member.


That would be very generous of them! I worked for a major trade union in the UK for 20 years, and we never gave free advice to anyone who wasn't a member.


----------



## Lynn R (Feb 21, 2014)

Isobella said:


> There is a tribunal and conciliation service (free) sort of a public gestor but I cannot remember what it is called. There was an office in Marbella as some years ago I gave my neighbours daughter a lift to go to see them. She claimed from her employer, a hairdresser and won, all free service.


Would it have been the Defensor del Pueblo, perhaps?

https://www.defensordelpueblo.es/

PS Probably not, I see they only deal with matters relating to public services.


----------



## Isobella (Oct 16, 2014)

Sorry my phone doesn't want to paste a para but if you scroll down right to the end of last section I mentions claims etc. Still doesn't say what it's name is.

https://www.lexology.com/library/detail.aspx?g=3b24274c-5ff1-491f-842e-7d3af082a6b2


----------



## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

Isobella said:


> Sorry my phone doesn't want to paste a para but if you scroll down right to the end of last section I mentions claims etc. Still doesn't say what it's name is.
> 
> https://www.lexology.com/library/detail.aspx?g=3b24274c-5ff1-491f-842e-7d3af082a6b2


 Perhaps INEM, now called SEPE?
Direcciones y teléfonos - Servicio Público de Empleo Estatal


----------



## Salonica (Feb 28, 2014)

It’s legal to pay overtime with time off. My son, whose present contract is 20hours/week is given vacation days when he works extra hours.


----------



## Megsmum (Sep 9, 2012)

Time off in lieu (TOIL) Some employers give you time off instead of paying for overtime. This is known as 'time off in lieu'. You agree the terms (for example, when it can be taken) with your employer.


This is U.K. but most of this legislation is E.U. based ?


----------



## snikpoh (Nov 19, 2007)

Salonica said:


> It’s legal to pay overtime with time off. My son, whose present contract is 20hours/week is given vacation days when he works extra hours.


The problem is that this is a temporary contract ending on 31st Jan - he will then get a new one (or so he's been told).

He is now owed 20 hours. At only 15 hours per week he may only work a couple more hours on this contract. If he takes his holiday (stated in contract as 30 days per year = 5 hours for this month), then he should have stopped by now.!!

What a bl**dy mess!


----------



## kalohi (May 6, 2012)

I can't tell you how many people I know here with a contract that states one thing while the reality is another. The most typical is a part time contract (with part time pay) while the worker is expected to work many more hours, even full time. Anyone who complains is let go or when their contract ends it isn't renewed. The businesses know that there are dozens of other people who are waiting to snatch up the vacant post, so they can get away with it. My daughter's boyfriend is working in such a situation now. And don't think that it's limited to unskilled jobs. He's a chemist, working in a lab. And even in my job (at a language academy) I'm expected to invigilate exams, attend parents' evenings and travel to training sessions - none of which is in my contract, and all of which is unpaid. It often adds up 6-8 hours of "volunteer" work a month.

Such is the world of work in Spain where there is such high unemployment.


----------



## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

Lynn R said:


> That would be very generous of them! I worked for a major trade union in the UK for 20 years, and we never gave free advice to anyone who wasn't a member.


Well, I think they do here. But only anecdotal, I haven't been there myself.


----------



## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

Alcalaina said:


> Well, I think they do here. But only anecdotal, I haven't been there myself.


I think they might give a first consultation free, but for any actual action you have to be a member. OH regularly has to take Comunidad de Madrid to court to get his full and rightful salary through CCOO and has the services of the lawyer because he's a member, but even in Madrid the laywer is not full time and is not always 100% on the ball. He lost one case, not because he was wrong, but the papers weren't presented on time and it had expired.


----------



## Megsmum (Sep 9, 2012)

RCN and Unison, in my trust, would always give advice. They may not represent someone in a case but would always offer advice and as much support as they could


----------



## Isobella (Oct 16, 2014)

Megsmum said:


> RCN and Unison, in my trust, would always give advice. They may not represent someone in a case but would always offer advice and as much support as they could


When I worked at the Low Pay Unit we worked closely with the Unions and someone from USDAW and TGWU were on our management committee. Attitudes varied from branch to branch. Some TU officials saw it as a chance to recruit, especially in rogue employers places. Others had the view that individuals had not bothered to join but come running when things went wrong. I was neutral. agreed with both sides POW. GMBW wasn't very flexible. 

I used to read a Spanish forum occasionally and saw a discussion on working hours with many saying it was the norm to be asked to stay late without pay.


----------



## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

Isobella said:


> I used to read a Spanish forum occasionally and saw a discussion on working hours with many saying it was the norm to be asked to stay late without pay.


It is totally the norm, but not that you are asked to stay late, just that it's part of your everyday schedule to stay 1 or 2 hours more than your contract stipulates and that's allowing for the improvement that I've seen over the years...


----------



## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

Does this help? Details of 2019 minimum wage, supplied by the UGT.










https://www.facebook.com/ugtandalucia/photos/a.359572720730059/2224999797520666/?type=3


----------



## snikpoh (Nov 19, 2007)

Alcalaina said:


> Does this help? Details of 2019 minimum wage, supplied by the UGT.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Those are the figures I quoted in my opening post. However, it doesn't mean that employers pay them.


----------

