Underpaid:

Skilled workers received too little pay for years

AK Vorarlberg is the first port of call for labor law issues.

(Bild: Mathis Fotografie)

The Vorarlberg Chamber of Labor has secured 14,000 euros in back pay for a construction worker. Unfortunately, this case is not an exception; time and again, employees are paid less than the collective.  

Mr. A. successfully completed an apprenticeship as a skilled construction worker abroad. He finally found a job in Vorarlberg that matched his qualifications. However, when he suspected inconsistencies in connection with his employment contract, the construction worker turned to the labor law experts at AK Vorarlberg. It soon emerged that, despite his expertise, the man had not been paid as a skilled worker for years, but as a semi-skilled worker. AK Vorarlberg then pointed out to the employer that his pay was below the collective agreement. The company carried out an internal audit - and in the end, Mr. A. was paid 14,000 euros in arrears.

"Unfortunately, this is not uncommon," reports AK expert Dr. Christian Maier. "However, employees are often unaware that they have been wrongly classified and are therefore at a financial disadvantage." It is therefore all the more important to check whether the classification is correct.

Christian Maier, labor law expert at AK Vorarlberg.

(Bild: Arbeiterkammer Vorarlberg)

The legal situation is clear: every employer is required to find out about the training status of their employees in order to prevent underpayment. "In order for employees to know how much they are entitled to as minimum wage, the employer must inform them which collective agreement applies to the employment relationship and how the employees are classified in the respective salary scheme." This notification must be made by means of an employment slip or employment contract.