I have a complaint about my rate of pay. How can I pursue it?

If you are a member of a recognised trade union it might be that your rate of pay will have been determined following negotiations between your union representatives and your employer.

Your rate of pay may, therefore, form part of a collective agreement between your union and your employer.

It is likely that the pay element of such a collective agreement will be incorporated in to your individual contract of employment and will, consequently, be legally binding between you and your employer.

In such circumstances you may want to talk to your union representative first of all about your rate of pay.

If your employer does not recognise a union it is likely that your pay will have been determined by the employer alone, in which case you may want to speak to your manager, informally at first, about your rate of pay and the reasons why it has been set as this level.

If you still feel that you are not being paid a correct rate and your manager refuses to deal with the issue, you could consider raising a formal grievance in accordance with your organisation's grievance procedure.

If this still does not resolve matters then you may want to consider bringing a tribunal claim. Seek advice before going down this route.