Anyone an expert on UK employment law?

My daughter works for a well known private art gallery in London owned by a millionaire art collector with a rather famous wife - no names of course. She's been there since October and still has no contract of employment. In response to the current economic climate, they've recently had their paid breaks withdrawn and their payroll department is a disgrace, underpaying, changing pay periods with no notice, paying late etc. This on top of paying staff the national minimum wage for keeping school parties from destroying the costly exhibits.

The problem is that every day, people come in and leave their c.v.s - there is kudos in just working for the place, and if Daddy is supporting you, why not work there for nothing? We think they are deliberately making life difficult so that staff move on quickly rather than complain, allowing them to take on 'interns' at no cost.

I don't want to go on and on, but is there anything that can be done about this, without labelling our Sprog as a trouble-maker never to be employed in that sector again - which is her chosen career?

Does she just have to girl-man the fuck up? Or do I have to go down there and bop the little twat on his nose and goose his misses on the norks?
(Che Grimsdale More fridge-magnet than babe-magnet, Fri 24 Apr 2009, 9:29, Reply)

Until she's been there for a year
There's precious little you can do.

The man is a tremendous penis btw, I've met him before. This doesn't surprise me in the slightest.
(username1, Fri 24 Apr 2009, 9:31, Reply)

Not an expert
But it does sound extremely dodgy and not at all above board.

The YouGov website may have some info on employment law. Or possibly ACAS. You could try there.
( Davros' Granddad booked a holiday, Fri 24 Apr 2009, 9:33, Reply)

Cheers guys
Really just wanted to vent my spleen a little. The poor Sprog is standing - Bambi-like - on her own two feet, but almost every month when her pay goes into her account, she rings us up in tears. Nothing for making a man feel helpless when someone's making his little girl cry and he's 200 miles away.
(Che Grimsdale More fridge-magnet than babe-magnet, Fri 24 Apr 2009, 9:46, Reply)

She could try
ingratiating herself into the family to the point where she gets invited round for dinner. Then when Nigella's not looking, piss in the soup before making an excuse to leave?
( Davros' Granddad booked a holiday, Fri 24 Apr 2009, 9:50, Reply)

DG
That's a lot easier for a bloke.
( The Light In Giftwrap won't play poker with the Skull Spark Joker, Fri 24 Apr 2009, 10:44, Reply)

Citizens' Advice Bureau?
Meanwhile, she should "accidentally" ruin a valuable piece of art from Saatchi's collection.

Oh - hang on. That's been done already.
( Enzyme is in ur [noun]z, [verb]in' ur [noun]z, Fri 24 Apr 2009, 10:57, Reply)

No contract
She doesnt actually work there. At least, thats what I'd say if i were him.
( I have run out of coke scum, subhuman scum, Fri 24 Apr 2009, 13:07, Reply)