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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think that lots of people don't understand just how many jobs pay minimum wage.

305 replies

TravellingSpoon · 04/10/2019 11:53

And how many jobs they would consider worthy of higher wages do not get them.

I am a support worker, and we were talking about this in our staff room this morning. Many of us have had similar experiences, people who cannot believe how little we get paid, or that we would do it for such a small amount of money. And we get 19p above the current minimum wage. Similarly with a couple of my colleagues who have backgrounds in nursery.

OP posts:
HeresMe · 04/10/2019 14:34

There is lots of jobs that pay minimum wage, and I don't think people realise how little it is.

Of course you see on some threads the high earners work incredibly hard and earn it, implying that minimum wage people are slackers.

HelenaDove · 04/10/2019 14:40

YANBU And there is also the implication from the usual suspects on here that minimum wage jobs are easier and are not stressful.

hyperkatinka · 04/10/2019 14:42

Yeah I had no idea that a min wage rise to £9.50 would affect 1 in 5 workers per the IFS analysis, you’re right most people don’t realise

EnglishRose13 · 04/10/2019 14:46

A few years ago a colleague was moaning about only getting paid minimum wage. I asked her if she new how much that was "about £10 per hour".

  1. it was nowhere near that
  2. she was earning more than that anyway!
EnglishRose13 · 04/10/2019 14:46

A few years ago a colleague was moaning about only getting paid minimum wage. I asked her if she knew how much that was "about £10 per hour".

  1. it was nowhere near that
  2. she was earning more than that anyway!
tttigress · 04/10/2019 14:48

What I actually find more surprising is that the minimum wage workers supervisor might only be on £1 or 50p more per hour. I would ask, what is the point being a supervisor at these levels of pay?

MuddlingMackem · 04/10/2019 15:13

I would ask, what is the point being a supervisor at these levels of pay?

Management experience for your CV in some cases I would think.

Lifeisabeach09 · 04/10/2019 15:14

YANBU.
Added to which the cost of living (especially in London and SE),this is why top ups from the State are required.
Can you imagine if everyone on minimum wage left these areas to move somewhere cheaper? (This is, often, advised on this forum)
There would be a massive vacuum of labour and resources. Healthcare services, as an example, would not be able to function.
Sorry, digressed slightly.

BuzzShitbagBobbly · 04/10/2019 15:19

I think I am more shocked at how many people don't have reliable work.

When I was a teenager, I got a p/t job at Tesco. I was given 4 fixed shifts, and that was that. I could do overtime if I wanted, but other than that I knew exactly when and where I was working and earning.

The frustration of never knowing whether you'll get 30hrs or 0hrs is unacceptable. Any place of work knows what staffing it needs, so why is it so hard to give people fixed hours accordingly?

Biker47 · 04/10/2019 15:38

Of course you see on some threads the high earners work incredibly hard and earn it, implying that minimum wage people are slackers.

Just because someone says they work hard for their higher wages, doesn't automatically make it an implied slight on people on minimum wages not working hard. Plenty of normal people can figure out that minimum wage workers, do work hard.

Original poster
TravellingSpoon · 04/10/2019 15:42

Yes that is unacceptable, and I agree there are too many people who don't know what they will be working from week to week. I know it works for some peoples circumstances ( we have some bank staff here) but not for everyone. You could never plan anything. I am grateful at least I know that the very minimum I am taking home, even if I do no overtime is X

OP posts:
dimsum123 · 04/10/2019 15:43

Totally agree. I'm on minimum wage. So an 8 hour day = £65 approx. I had parked slightly over the line when parking and had to pay a £55 fine. Yes it was my fault for the parking contravention but when a parking fine = a day's wages virtually something is very wrong in our society and economy.

NabooThatsWho · 04/10/2019 15:53

I’m a community care worker on 4p above minimum wage. It’s shite and not worth the stress so I’ll be leaving as soon as I can. Which is a shame as I’m good at my job and care about my clients.
Having responsibility for vulnerable people’s welfare for £8.25 Hmm

AllStarBySmashMouth · 04/10/2019 15:58

People also forgot the living wage and NMW are two different things, and that anyone under 25 earns less.

CandyLeBonBon · 04/10/2019 16:03

as

ConfusedAndStressed95 · 04/10/2019 16:04

I think some people also don't realise how difficult it can be to get a minimum wage job as well. I'm currently in that delightfully awkward bracket where I'm overqualified for a lot of minimum wage jobs but under qualified for anything more with not enough experience for either Sad

Toomboom · 04/10/2019 16:14

It is very difficult. People assume because I work full time I get paid well. When you are on minimum wage this just isn't so, it is very hard to make ends meet. My rent is around half my take home pay, let alone other bills.
My son is only on £6 something an hour! Even though he works alongside others who are older who get at least £2 an hour more. very unfair.

Waxonwaxoff0 · 04/10/2019 16:15

Agree. I work for employers who pay their staff well and I'm in a very junior role but I get paid more than minimum wage. I saw a sign in a shop window advertising for a store manager and the wage was less than what I earn.

Iggly · 04/10/2019 16:15

Yanbu

this book while old is still very relevant!

adaline · 04/10/2019 16:17

What I actually find more surprising is that the minimum wage workers supervisor might only be on £1 or 50p more per hour. I would ask, what is the point being a supervisor at these levels of pay?

@tttigress I wish it was as much as a pound!

When I was a supervisor in my current company I was paid 6 PENCE an hour more than everyone else! That's not even 50p a day.

The Deputy Manager wage is not a huge amount above that again. Lots of jobs pay a pittance, unfortunately!

missbattenburg · 04/10/2019 16:19

YANBU

Wages have been on a race to the bottom for several years now and even with a recent slight upturn, in real terms the are still slightly less than they were 10+ years ago.

When combined with the companies getting away with zero (or very low) hour contracts for jobs and people that would prefer stability the workplace is generally unfair on workers still.

Not that I can see it changing any time soon... Sad

Waxonwaxoff0 · 04/10/2019 16:23

It's even worse for young single people living independently.

I was living by myself at age 19, working a minimum wage job (back then it was £4.92 an hour). I brought home £170 a week. I was living in a shared house, rent was £100 a week, I was paying back credit card debt at £20 a week, and travel to and from work cost me £20 a week. So I had £30 a week left to buy food, toiletries, any socialising, clothes, etc.

I remember I broke my glasses and couldn't afford a new pair so I wore a pair of contact lenses for 6 months straight and developed a serious eye infection.

hidinginthenightgarden · 04/10/2019 16:24

DH got offered a job once as a store manager for £16k. I was shocked to be honest how little it was. They wanted him to work 6 days a week too with monday as his only day off Hmm.

He got lucky with a job not long after and is now on an okay wage (but below average wage still for the northwest) but hates his job. Unfortunatley he is stuck there because we cannot afford for him to take a pay cut. It's not all fun and games either way. Working until you drop is going to be a hard life for those of us who aren't likely to ever retire.

missbattenburg · 04/10/2019 16:24

Management experience for your CV in some cases I would think.

This is a cop out (imo). Companies peddling the line that they shouldn't have to pay someone fairly to do a more senior role because that person is gaining experience is tosh unless part of a specific training/development plan with goals, an end date and something tangible for the employee (qualifications, for e.g.).

We are all gaining experience all the time. Companies shouldn't be allowed to act like they are selling it. After all, by employing me (or whoever) they are also gaining experience - the experience of having one more employee. I don't ask them to pay me more because they are benefiting in that way.

Sorry, did not mean to specifically target this poster, more the principle that "management experience" is something you should work for free for.

Northernsoullover · 04/10/2019 16:25

My friend works in airport security. Screening bags for bombs and searching people. The pay is minimum wage.