I've been weighing this one up in my mind all week.
Two issues really.
The after school cubs are run by school employees but as a private business. Both limited companies.
The Breakfast Club has just extended it's hours to run from 7.15 (previously 7.30) to facilitate several mothers who need the facility. So the price has been put up accordingly. You pay for the session, not the time used. I'm a bit miffed over this - I have no need of those extra 15 mins and it rankles that I have to pay for it because it benefits someone else. (FWIW £4 for 65 mins)
The After School club (different 'company' same emloyees) has just put up it's evening session by a £1 - not a great deal in the scheme of things I know (FWIW its £9 an evening now). I did point out that by and large the users of the club were local government employees and we were all in this together with a pay freeze >sarky< and was told it was to cover the rising rental costs of the facility by the school. All well and good EXCEPT the second lady that co-runs it told me she had struck a 5 year deal with the Head that they pay £300 per term all inclusive (rent, equipment, use of kitchen, heat, light , water etc) and that the Head was looking fora legal loophole to get out of that agreement.
One of the TAs is an employee of the evening business, and she told me they aren't getting a payrise, what with this 'all in it together pay freeze'. Neither have they ever had any employment contract, very poor working conditions in that they get paid MW, no sick pay etc.
The other issue I have is that they never issue receipts for payment - I prefer to work on a cash basis but now issue cheques in the company name - as wildly assumptive I'm sure they probably have two sets of books.
The two co-owners employ 2 TAs and have 40 children an evening, the breakfast club is larger than 40.
One side of me says: Yup, business, need, make your money etc etc it's their market not mine, where as the other side says I really feel as if I'm being held over a barrel because I need that wrap round care and it's not as if they are getting cordon bleu cuisine - infact I doubt their nuggets and fomage frais would pass any healthy eating guide.
I feel quite 'ripped off' and there is no one to complain to - the owners would just say, you need it? Ha! You pay for it or go elsewhere (impossible); the Head would say (rightly), not my company take it up with the owners.