AGXStarseed
Well-Known Member
(Not written by me)
Craig Robertson, 25, who has Asperger's, claims he was given three days work with one catch - he had to do it for free
Craig Roberton thought he had secured a job (Image: DAILY RECORD)
Craig Robertson was delighted when he thought he had got himself a job at B&M .
The 25-year-old, who has Asperger's , was given three days work with one catch - he had to do it for free.
But when the 15 hours of 'trial shifts' came to an end, the retailer allegedly dumped Craig with just an hour's warning.
Craig, from Wishaw, in Lanarkshire, Scotland, claims he was about to head into work when he says one of the manager's call him to tell him he wasn't needed.
Heartbroken Craig said: “As far I was aware, I was coming in to start working properly.
“I was down on the rota for that week to work on Sunday then the following Saturday afternoon.
“I was just getting ready to go out and they said they didn’t want me.
“I was extremely disappointed. I was under the impression that I’d got the job.
“They said I’d not shown the urgency required. If they had any concerns, they should have told me before, not just before I was going to start.”
Craig, who stacked shelves during his trial, told the Daily Record : “If it was really because I couldn’t do that work then fine. But they should have told me during the work trial. I was led to believe I had the job.”
After an interview on November 4, Craig took part in the three 'trial' shifts, which he said he knew were without pay.
He added there was another woman also doing free shifts at the same time.
Craig was diagnosed with Asperger’s, a form of autism that can affect how people interact with others, at 13.
He has been looking for work since leaving school seven years ago, is on employment benefit and has taken part in work placements and voluntary work.
Craig says he was called just an hour before his shift was due to start (Image: DAILY RECORD)
Labour MSP Neil Findlay was put in touch with the family through a relative in his Lothian constituency.
Craig’s mum Catrina said her son wants to hold down a job and appealed to employers to treat people fairly.
She said: “He’s desperate for a job – he’s shown he’s willing.
“He needs clear instruction but he has the capability and deserves a chance.”
Catrina approached B&M at the weekend for an explanation has not yet heard anything.
She said: “To say I was angry would be an understatement.”
SNP MP for Glasgow South, Stewart McDonald, is demanding a change.
The hospitality trade has already been named as a high-profile offender but big retailers are also accused of taking advantage of job seekers with long, unpaid so-called “interviews”.
In Scotland, campaign groups such as Better Than Zero have been targeting bosses who rely on unfair zero-hour contracts and use unpaid shifts.
And at Westminster, Mr McDonald, SNP MP for Glasgow South, is trying to ban trial shifts without pay.
He lodged a private member’s Bill this year and has secured support from other parties – except the Tories, who say they will give it “consideration”.
Mr McDonald said: “Unpaid trial shifts are common practice across the UK. However, they are also exploitative and take unfair advantage of people genuinely seeking work.
“On Black Friday , one of the busiest shopping days on the calendar, it’s increasingly more likely you’ll be served in a shop by someone working an unpaid trial shift.
“The run-up to Christmas is also a time when employers are more likely to take advantage of people genuinely seeking work.”
He claimed young people are working as many as 40 hours for free.
During research for his Bill, Mr McDonald heard how people were asked to cover busy evening shifts without pay, even after the employer had already decided to hire them.
Some people complained they had been asked to do a trial, then heard lots of others did the same – none of them getting a job.
Mr McDonald said: “The private member’s Bill I have brought forward has received the support of the STUC, NUS, and the Better than Zero campaign.
“It’s time this Tory Government and parties across the UK also stepped up to the mark. A fair day’s work deserves a fair day’s pay.
“All work should be paid fairly and properly, which is why the practice of exploitative, unpaid trial shifts must come to an end.”
At Holyrood, Labour, Greens and the Lib Dems have backed the SNP’s challenge to Prime Minister Theresa May.
The Scottish Tories said: “This is a thoughtful Bill which is worthy of careful consideration.
“Ruth Davidson will do just that and Mr McDonald will receive a response in due course.”
Labour MSP Neil Findlay has long campaigned against zero-hour contracts and unpaid shifts.
He said: “They are systematic within the retail and hospitality sector.
“People are being taken on for trials, kept for two or three days, free labour from them, and then told there’s no job.”
B&M has declined to comment.
Source: B&M 'ask man with Asperger's to work for free for 3 days - and then dump him'
Craig Robertson, 25, who has Asperger's, claims he was given three days work with one catch - he had to do it for free
Craig Roberton thought he had secured a job (Image: DAILY RECORD)
Craig Robertson was delighted when he thought he had got himself a job at B&M .
The 25-year-old, who has Asperger's , was given three days work with one catch - he had to do it for free.
But when the 15 hours of 'trial shifts' came to an end, the retailer allegedly dumped Craig with just an hour's warning.
Craig, from Wishaw, in Lanarkshire, Scotland, claims he was about to head into work when he says one of the manager's call him to tell him he wasn't needed.
Heartbroken Craig said: “As far I was aware, I was coming in to start working properly.
“I was down on the rota for that week to work on Sunday then the following Saturday afternoon.
“I was just getting ready to go out and they said they didn’t want me.
“I was extremely disappointed. I was under the impression that I’d got the job.
“They said I’d not shown the urgency required. If they had any concerns, they should have told me before, not just before I was going to start.”
Craig, who stacked shelves during his trial, told the Daily Record : “If it was really because I couldn’t do that work then fine. But they should have told me during the work trial. I was led to believe I had the job.”
After an interview on November 4, Craig took part in the three 'trial' shifts, which he said he knew were without pay.
He added there was another woman also doing free shifts at the same time.
Craig was diagnosed with Asperger’s, a form of autism that can affect how people interact with others, at 13.
He has been looking for work since leaving school seven years ago, is on employment benefit and has taken part in work placements and voluntary work.
Craig says he was called just an hour before his shift was due to start (Image: DAILY RECORD)
Labour MSP Neil Findlay was put in touch with the family through a relative in his Lothian constituency.
Craig’s mum Catrina said her son wants to hold down a job and appealed to employers to treat people fairly.
She said: “He’s desperate for a job – he’s shown he’s willing.
“He needs clear instruction but he has the capability and deserves a chance.”
Catrina approached B&M at the weekend for an explanation has not yet heard anything.
She said: “To say I was angry would be an understatement.”
SNP MP for Glasgow South, Stewart McDonald, is demanding a change.
The hospitality trade has already been named as a high-profile offender but big retailers are also accused of taking advantage of job seekers with long, unpaid so-called “interviews”.
In Scotland, campaign groups such as Better Than Zero have been targeting bosses who rely on unfair zero-hour contracts and use unpaid shifts.
And at Westminster, Mr McDonald, SNP MP for Glasgow South, is trying to ban trial shifts without pay.
He lodged a private member’s Bill this year and has secured support from other parties – except the Tories, who say they will give it “consideration”.
Mr McDonald said: “Unpaid trial shifts are common practice across the UK. However, they are also exploitative and take unfair advantage of people genuinely seeking work.
“On Black Friday , one of the busiest shopping days on the calendar, it’s increasingly more likely you’ll be served in a shop by someone working an unpaid trial shift.
“The run-up to Christmas is also a time when employers are more likely to take advantage of people genuinely seeking work.”
He claimed young people are working as many as 40 hours for free.
During research for his Bill, Mr McDonald heard how people were asked to cover busy evening shifts without pay, even after the employer had already decided to hire them.
Some people complained they had been asked to do a trial, then heard lots of others did the same – none of them getting a job.
Mr McDonald said: “The private member’s Bill I have brought forward has received the support of the STUC, NUS, and the Better than Zero campaign.
“It’s time this Tory Government and parties across the UK also stepped up to the mark. A fair day’s work deserves a fair day’s pay.
“All work should be paid fairly and properly, which is why the practice of exploitative, unpaid trial shifts must come to an end.”
At Holyrood, Labour, Greens and the Lib Dems have backed the SNP’s challenge to Prime Minister Theresa May.
The Scottish Tories said: “This is a thoughtful Bill which is worthy of careful consideration.
“Ruth Davidson will do just that and Mr McDonald will receive a response in due course.”
Labour MSP Neil Findlay has long campaigned against zero-hour contracts and unpaid shifts.
He said: “They are systematic within the retail and hospitality sector.
“People are being taken on for trials, kept for two or three days, free labour from them, and then told there’s no job.”
B&M has declined to comment.
Source: B&M 'ask man with Asperger's to work for free for 3 days - and then dump him'
