Over worked and under paid, is it worth working?
This is my Monday morning thread about being employed, so if any of you here are in full time education then read on and listen to all the problems that a working life has offer!
The thing is, we need the money for food and bills and if you got them our little monsters! Many of the regular semi-skilled and unskilled jobs today really don’t cut the mustard, especially when the average wage is less than £6 an hour.
This works out at just less than £10,000 A year, so how can anyone be expected to live on that? I'm taking home just over a grand a month, which probably sounds like a fair amount to a student or someone who has just left school. But I can assure you that once your accommodation and bills have been paid, there isn’t really much left to live on let alone go out socialising.
Okay so you’re not earning a lot of money, but take a look at how much of your precious time is given up in pursuit of this meagre salary.
Most people in full time employment work an average of 40 hours a week. If you then add to that time spent commuting, say a couple of hours a day as most of us have to travel at least 3 miles to get to work. That brings the total to 50 hours a week (10 hours a day) of work-related time.
Let’s assume you start all this at 8am and get home some time between 5 and 6pm, and you plan to go to bed at a respectable time such as between 10 and 11pm. That only leaves you around 4 to 5 hours each night to eat, wash, enjoy your hobbies and actually live.
But wait a minute, what about that accommodation?
House prices have reached the point now whereby first time buyers have to have part ownership with the council because they’re unable to afford the house on their own. As buying a house of their own almost impossible, many youngsters stay at home living with their parents longer than they used to. Whilst they are there, they are earning more but they aren’t really saving for that rainy day. What they do spend doesn’t go as far as it used to.
As you can see it’s a bit of a vicious circle.
Add to all of the above the steady rise in the cost of living, the increased unemployment and the lack of new jobs. It’s really not difficult to see how miserable 'the working life’ can be.
Bottom line, we’re over worked and under paid so it should come as no surprise that some people decide to scrounge of the state!
Comments from visitors
I work in Mexico and get about $500 every two weeks (they say I am well paid) after food, comute etc I have about $50 left a month not bad eh? but no health insurance, private schooling is expensive, no travelling, no room to breath (from hand to mouth). So how many hours do I need to work for this great wage? Well I am contracted for 40 hours but lets add another 20 hours overtime - unpaid of course. They make me think I should feel lucky to have a job, they create fear amongst the employees. They pay less tax by claiming they only pay me $100 every two weeks the other money bonuses for arriving on time etc but this means less for any pension or government aid for buying a house. F**k working. Oh yeah its an American company (they wonder why Mexicans want to cross the border... we are not slaves or machines)
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I now know why I am overworked and underpaid. My employer does not care a bean what I do. It is more important to gett a good score in the customer satisfaction survey than to deliver a professional service. BAH. the world of work has lost its way.
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At my firm I feel like I am working for the losing side. No pay rise now for 6 years. Salary down 35 to 25 % in real value. Sick isn't it? Reason given to me: jobs have gone to cheaper countries; we are no longer "worth" the money, so the boss says.
Stop importing services from outside the EU. We are being robbed.
Stop importing services from outside the EU. We are being robbed.
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Downtrodden Worker - 28-Aug-11 18:59
Minimum wage is a joke that politicians and the wealthy elite find hilarious. Why should we work for 50 hours a week and still not be able to eat properly? When will us poor and oppressed realise that it is us who have the power? Guy Fawkes had the right idea. Bring forth the revolution.
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I work for a very large multi-national American corporation. How many here think that one's primary relationship with one's employer is a business relationship, a relationship in which the wage or salary paid should reflect your worth to the company you work for and the effort you put into that work? How many people here think it would be the duty of your employer to engage at least annually in a serious positive discussion what that worth was? How many people here believe that if you put a serious case to your immediate boss that you want a payrise for whatever reason that that case should be trreated seriously by the boss and given a formal and proper answer?
For three years now I have put a serious case to my immedite boss that I am worth more than they are paying me, far more, and that due to inflation my salary is worth less than what I was paid 10 years ago. Each time my boss has said that he has no authority to negotiate my salary. I ask him does his boss have that authority. He replies "No". And the boss above that? He replies "No". He says I must negotiate with a person 8 to 9 times higher in the hierarchy above him to negotiate my salary. That person does not work in the UK and does not know who I am am or what I am "worth"? In other words there is no one willing to discuss my business relationship.
Should I leave this firm as fast as possible? I have lost over 33% of the real value of my salary since joining this firm.
For three years now I have put a serious case to my immedite boss that I am worth more than they are paying me, far more, and that due to inflation my salary is worth less than what I was paid 10 years ago. Each time my boss has said that he has no authority to negotiate my salary. I ask him does his boss have that authority. He replies "No". And the boss above that? He replies "No". He says I must negotiate with a person 8 to 9 times higher in the hierarchy above him to negotiate my salary. That person does not work in the UK and does not know who I am am or what I am "worth"? In other words there is no one willing to discuss my business relationship.
Should I leave this firm as fast as possible? I have lost over 33% of the real value of my salary since joining this firm.
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I am Overworked and Underpaid - 30-May-10 18:48
Gaby, you took the gamble along with many others by going to uni, you got yourself qualified along with other millions of people hoping for a nice office type job with a footballers salary, if you had opted for a manual job you could now be a lot better off, trouble is that no-one wants to get their hands dirty these days, hence the reason this country is going down the pan.
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Manual worker - 3-May-10 20:38
I am absolutely utterly sick of my job in which I am paid £6ph and expected to work weekends and public holidays. I am supposed to get a day off in lieu for working weekends but have to grovel for this and am not allowed to choose the day I want off but instead have to accept the day my manager chooses to give me. On top of all this my manager is an idiot who can't speak or write proper English, is far too religious for me to comfortable around and shakes his leg constantly so that I am coming very close to commiting murder. The worst part of all of this is because of the recession I am supposed to feel grateful for having a job at all, rather than disappointed that 4 years in uni have amounted to this.
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People who "survive" in London and find "jobs" are illegal immigrants living in complete squalor, in a hostel, or sleeping rough, or on someone's couch, or broom cupboard ...
People who "survive" in London and find "jobs" are from those who have large extended families - the traditional British "nuclear" family of 2 parents and 2.4 children is dead, no longer economically viable.
Aristocrats or the families of sheikhs.
People who "survive" in London and find "jobs" are from those who have large extended families - the traditional British "nuclear" family of 2 parents and 2.4 children is dead, no longer economically viable.
Aristocrats or the families of sheikhs.
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Ghastly Gruesome Ghettoes - 29-Nov-09 14:04
Working man,
In my road a perfectly ordinary 2 bedroom ex-council walk up flat (no lift) costs £770 per month to rent privately. Would you believe that this part of London actually has the cheapest rents in town?
I don't know how some one earning £5.80 per hour minimum wage is supposed to pay that and council tax and still have money to live.
In my road a perfectly ordinary 2 bedroom ex-council walk up flat (no lift) costs £770 per month to rent privately. Would you believe that this part of London actually has the cheapest rents in town?
I don't know how some one earning £5.80 per hour minimum wage is supposed to pay that and council tax and still have money to live.
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Working man, yes this is a very corrupt country, and the ones that are "employed " but don't actually do any work, are raking in all the money to have a good life on the backs of the real workers,
About time that they raised the minimum wage, and reduced benefits, it might just prompt a few more people into work.
About time that they raised the minimum wage, and reduced benefits, it might just prompt a few more people into work.
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Gainsborough lad. - 29-Nov-09 00:19
Ive been working for around the minimum wage for over 15 years now. And I can tell you without a doubt that my standard of living has fallen so far since the day I left school that im beginning to wonder if there is any point actually trying to work any more. The poor in this country are getting poorer by the day and every job has become so stressful and oppressive for the employees that no one on a low wage has much chance of having a hapy life now. Id love to work my way out of poverty, and ive tried, ive so many NVQs and City and Guilds that I havent got a folder thats big enough to put them all in to, yet I still cannot find an employer who will pay me more than £6 an hour. When I left school I wanted to work, now I would rather spend my time instead trying to start a revolution to rid the country of the polititions that have made life for people in my psition such a misery.
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Ha Ha Ha! The minimum wage is here for one thing, for immigrants. If you are a full UK citizen on minimum wage you've been had. You're a sucker.
Actually young Brits will be drifting abroad for cleaning jobs in France and Germany. They will command premium rates there over Poles and Czechs, and Magyars.
Brits you are the new gypsies
Actually young Brits will be drifting abroad for cleaning jobs in France and Germany. They will command premium rates there over Poles and Czechs, and Magyars.
Brits you are the new gypsies
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I earn between 700 and 800 a month my job involves 24 hr sleep overs the figure I quote is net pay for this money I work as a support worker for adults with learning difficulties one who has challenging behaviour also and one who is incontinent etc I have paperwork galore as well as giving medication cooking meals as the people I support cannot do this for themselves safely I also support them to clean their home as they are unable to do this also in the community to shop for food and to appointments etc I am exhausted mainly mentally by the time I get a day off which is usually never 2 days off together. So I can see where you are coming from I dont have claim any benefits whatsoever. I am sure there are many more people in my position we are exploited although I class myself as a caring person or I would not have considered this work we still have to pay our bills.
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I'm a chef and only 17 but still well WELL overworked, I'm on £6 a hour but I have to do around 85 hours a week (that without the time it takes to get there) n yer I live about 3 miles away from my work but when ridding a bike up hill most the way this takes like 20 mins. I'm just not sure if I can do this for another 60 years I really need help really the only days I'm getting off is cos they have to cos I just can't work anymore it makes me feel ill help me
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France
As of July 2008, the minimum wage in France is set at €8.71 per hour. In July 2006, the minimum wage in France was set at €8.27 (~US$11.98) per hour. In 2004, 15% of the working population received the minimum wage. The minimum wage in France is updated every year in July by the government. By law, the increase cannot be lower than the inflation for the current year. In the recent years the increase was up to two times higher than the inflation (around 5% raise with an inflation around 2%).
Ireland
The Republic of Ireland's minimum wage was introduced in 2000, and is currently €8.65 an hour.
As of July 2008, the minimum wage in France is set at €8.71 per hour. In July 2006, the minimum wage in France was set at €8.27 (~US$11.98) per hour. In 2004, 15% of the working population received the minimum wage. The minimum wage in France is updated every year in July by the government. By law, the increase cannot be lower than the inflation for the current year. In the recent years the increase was up to two times higher than the inflation (around 5% raise with an inflation around 2%).
Ireland
The Republic of Ireland's minimum wage was introduced in 2000, and is currently €8.65 an hour.
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Better Deals Elsewhere - 15-Aug-09 23:49
Here we are again gripes over being underpaid ! How many companies will leave our country to go to the next, if they feel the government here will raise the minimum wage even further !!! However, we need government intervention in raising quality of work standards and workers rights, e.g. more unpaid but available breaks and more unpaid but available holiday leave, more staffing levels where necessary, and better monitoring of fairness and equality in the workplace. A fine example I will place to you is the nurse who may be struck off for working with the BBC and going undercover to highlight the mistreatment of patients in the NHS. She attempted to show the public, elderly campaigners and government health officials how mistreatment of staff, e.g. being over worked and over stretched can contribute to the neglect of patient needs. Auxillary staff and care assistants misuse of equipment is mainly due to having no time to adhere to health and safety reasoning and advice. Working conditions seriously need to be reviewed in this and other working sectors.
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Sure we're all over worked and under paid, but it's always been that way so stop your whinging and go out to get a real job!
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"Let’s assume you start all this at 8am and get home some time between 5 and 6pm, and you plan to go to bed at a respectable time such as between 10 and 11pm. That only leaves you around 4 to 5 hours each night to eat, wash, enjoy your hobbies and actually live. " The Gripe
I work until 9pm and then get up and do it all again the next day, 5 days out of 7, and because I'm under 22 I get a couple of quid less than others who have exactly the same responsibilities and work to do. Others is my department earn more than me a month for less hours!
I work until 9pm and then get up and do it all again the next day, 5 days out of 7, and because I'm under 22 I get a couple of quid less than others who have exactly the same responsibilities and work to do. Others is my department earn more than me a month for less hours!
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Young and skint! - 1-Mar-09 17:04
So true, most of us are overworked and underpaid.
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Well, I must have fallen foul of The Gripe's censorship there!
Tried to post the comment below with the fa**ot word properly spelled & it wouldn't come up. Changed it to the wrong spelling & it did!
(Maybe that is why Mock the Words spelled it wrong, but I don't think so!)
Censorship is right, although I have seen some disgusting drivel get posted & then removed so how does that happen?
And what happens if someone wants to talk about round tasty meat products?
Tried to post the comment below with the fa**ot word properly spelled & it wouldn't come up. Changed it to the wrong spelling & it did!
(Maybe that is why Mock the Words spelled it wrong, but I don't think so!)
Censorship is right, although I have seen some disgusting drivel get posted & then removed so how does that happen?
And what happens if someone wants to talk about round tasty meat products?
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