for wanting to be paid?

[slightlymad72]

A bit of background. I work with owls and birds of prey, I am not a sanctuary or rescue centre but because of association with a Bird of Prey business I am often called upon to help out with rescues and rehab, for these things I never ask for a penny. The Bird of prey also on occasion ask me to keep some of their birds at my home for rehabilitation and socialising, again I ask for no payment.

The Bird of Prey business also asks me to run static displays when they have double booked, something I am very willing to do, my 'wages' from doing these comes from the money we make on the day from the public handling the birds and purchasing some items which I sell. My 'wages' go directly back to the birds I rehabilitate, paying for feeding, vets and housing.

AIBU in asking for some money from the bird of prey business when doing these displays, they get paid approx £200 per day for these displays and I get nothing from it, not even out of pocket expenses, eg my fuel. The business itself incurs no expenses from these displays and therefore is making £200 clear profit.

Also at least half of the birds that are on display are my own and have nothing to do with the business and are taken to make up the numbers and offer something different to the public. What also complicates things for me is that the business is run by a member of my family.

So AIBU in asking for some money to cover my expenses and as an acknowledgement of the work I am doing for them?

Errr, no. YANBU. Why would you think you were? It's only reasonable to cover your own expenses at the very least - and they could have offered to give you an extra few quid as well just for your trouble.

Family businesses are always a sod though - but I think in this day and age, with fuel and everything costing so much, just point out that you can't afford to be out of pocket over it.

Fuel costs at a minimum!

Also, I am very at your job. I love to see these birds in action.

I didn't think I was being U but I have a nagging side of me that keeps whispering in my ear 'Its the FAMILY' (said in the godfather way

I have on numerous occasion pointed out that we are often barely covering expenses from the sales on the day, whilst they make a decent clear profit form us doing some of the work for them, the reply I keep getting is 'I am trying to run a business'. I have now taken to saying 'I will do it if you pay me', so they are asking less often, however its cropped up again due to them double booking and if they don't fulfill whats required of them they are very likely to lose the customer.

Then hold the gun to their heads over this and say you cannot afford to do it without payment and you will take it up front please, as you don't trust them to pay you afterwards.

They cannot run a business decently by hacking off their supporting personnel. If they need to cover a double booking with anyone else, they would have to fork out - so they can bloody well do so for you.
Cheeky sods.

And, to be frank, if they DO lose the customer over their incompetent double-booking, then it will kind of serve them right and perhaps teach them to manage their bookings better. Am actually quite about this on your behalf - I hate people taking the piss like this, especially when it's family.

Ok you are doing them a huge favour but having done it for free in the past (with them making a nice profit on your back) I assume they now resent having to pay for you.

Its not unreasonable in the least to ask for a sum to cover your out of pocket expenses like fuel etc. The other income you might get is uncertain and may not be enough to cover these costs. They should know that otherwise why do they charge for the displays?
Why cant the business pay you, they could put it through as a business cost eg as subcontractors expenses so they can write it off. Also if they are making £200 pure profit because you are swallowing the expenses that isnt fair.
I assume you don't need to do these events so you are doing them a favour, more so if it maintains their business goodwill and thats worth paying for in the long term too.
Just tell them you need £x to cover your petrol etc, and then its their choice whether or not to ask you to help them out.

i have been offered £25, which will barely cover fuel, so I have suggested £50, which I believe is decent figure to cover fuel and a small thankyou. The ball is now in his court, I am waiting for a reply.

the reply I keep getting is 'I am trying to run a business'

I would reply, "then run it professionally then, and see how you would get on without me"

You've said that you make money from public handling of the birds etc. And that this goes into caring for the birds you rehabilitate. So isn't this your payment?

Squeakytoy. Nail on head.

You're subsidising his fuck ups. He's taking the piss.

Squeaky I am very close to doing as you suggest. I do believe that he his getting the hint as I haven't heard from him since the £50 suggestion.

It is something that I enjoy doing and helping them out whilst the business was getting established was fine but now they are taking the piss and I think they need to learn.

From all of your replies I have confirmed to myself that I am not being unreasonable and from this moment I will be doing no more 'Favours' for free and I certainly will not be subsidising the business anymore.

repeat to self NO is a complete sentence

What Thumbwitch said. Couldn't have put it better