► Student Rights at Work

STUDENT RIGHTS AS WORKERS

Got a part time job? Going out into the workplace?

Why it’s important to know your rights at work and the benefits of joining a trade union – Alison Smith, VP Education and Welfare UPSU

More and more students take on part-time and even full time work as financial pressures increase owing to top up fees. Three in four students now have jobs to support themselves financially whilst studying.

 Students are Vulnerable Workers:

 Because many students are on short-term contracts and because there are so many students looking for jobs often in quite a concentrated area, you are more likely to be exploited by an employer. Employers know there is an abundance of people looking for and often needing part time work and therefore may be less worried about losing an employee.

 Also, as an employee, you may feel under pressure to prove yourself to your employer if you know there are lots of other students looking for work, and therefore you might end up working over time without pay or giving up days off. The pressure to maintain a job can cause a student to compromise their studies.

Because student membership of trade unions is generally very low, it is recognised that student workers are less aware of their working and employment rights, and are therefore students dispute treatment they may feel is unfair, or an unfair dismissal.

Know Your Rights:

 Knowing your legal rights as a worker will enable you to ensure your employer abides by these, and that you are getting the legal entitlement to breaks, time-off, health and safety and pay.

From your first day as an employee at work in any job you have the right to…

·         A break, when your working day is more than 6 hours.

·         A rest period of 11 hours off work, in every 24 hour working day.

·         A full day off once every seven consecutive working days.

·         A ceiling of 48 hours on the maximum average working week (though you can sign away this right – some employers will try to pressurise employees into doing this, and others may even ignore it).

·         A ceiling of an average of eight hours night work in every 24 hours.

·         A free health assessment for night workers.

·         Claim statutory sick pay if you have been off sick for four days in a row (as long as you are paying National Insurance contributions).

·         Claim breach of contract if your employer sacks you without giving you the agreed notice, or breaks some other terms in your contract of employment.

·         Emergency unpaid leave.

·         You should be given a written statement showing how much you earn and any deductions that will be made from pay on your first day of work. You are entitled to request this if it is not given.

Even if your employer does not give you a written contract, some kind of contract still exists in law as soon as you start work. It may be written, verbal, or implied. Just because you may not have signed a contract does NOT mean that these rights do not apply to you.

Why join a Trade Union?

KNOW YOUR RIGHTS

·  Find out the up to date legislation on your rights at work: Click here

· Concerned about your work? Come and speak to our advice team at UPSU or email  advice@su.plymouth.ac.uk or call 01752 232281

BENEFITS OF JOINING A TRADE UNION

As well as arming you with the facts about your rights as a worker, trade unions also:

·         Have collective bargaining power and can represent your case to employers on your behalf.

·         Last year won a record £330 million compensation for their members through legal action.

·         Are vital to negotiating better pay, conditions and rights for workers across Britain.

·         With a membership of around 6.5 billion workers collectively, trade unions have legitimate power which employers and government must listen to.

Find out more:

You can email Alison at vpedandwelfare@upsu.com to find out more, or visit www.morethanwork.net or www.worksmart.org.uk for up to date legislation on your rights at work, employment advice and work as a student.

What union can you join?

 General Unions:

UNITE:    General union for working students employed in any sector. (NB:

                Unite was formerly Amicus)

GMB:      General workers union.

Communications/ call centres:

CWU:      Communication Worker’s Union (call centres, postal workers and related   

                services, telecommunications, cable TV industry, Accenture HR   

                Services, the Alliance and Leicester and Girobank).

Public Sector:

UNISON:  For people working in public services, voluntary and private

                sectors. NB – Students on vocational courses in this sector can

                also join as students (e.g. health and social work students). 

PCS:       Public and Commercial Services Union.

Retail:   

USDAW:  Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers.

Teaching:

NUT: National Union of Teachers 

NASUWT: The National Association of Schoolmasters Union of Women Teachers 

UCU: University and College lecturers Union