MP Chris Brown - how incredibly cheeky?

[KitschBitch]

The above MP requested to be paid extra for childcare for parliament meeting tomorrow. Surely MP's get paid enough already?????

‘Goodwill’ will not protect you from redundancy. I’m lucky that I like my job and my organisation but even so the relationship is transactional. I work, they pay. They wouldn’t insult me by asking me to come in on Saturday and work at a loss.

This MP is making a stand for all employees. It’s jot just about him. It sends a signal that we shouldn’t accept a race to the bottom for employee rights.

It seems cheeky to you because it comes from an MP. I understand that.

But the sentiment i agree with. Too often employers expect workers to work an extra day, hey even an extra 2 hours, without considering childcare etc.

Because, Iggly, they get paid well enough already!

I completely agree. MPs get paid plenty, plus they have huge allowances and they can have other jobs as well.

Let’s not pretend they’re poor.

However, we should all aspire to have better standards and wages. Let’s all ask for better terms and conditions instead of lying down and accepting shit.

If he can ask for childcare costs, why not the rest of us?

I will add. I work in the public sector.

I’ve done the weekend and evenings work and it’s shit, it really is.

But why should we all put up with shit? Why don’t we all ask for better?

It’s very difficult doing it as an individual employee. I get that.

People have to group together and ask for better.

I think it was a bit clumsily worded; but I agree with PP that we as employees need to start pushing back and establishing boundaries. (And yes, an MP might be earning shed loads, but finding last minute weekend childcare in London wouldn’t exactly be cheap!)

Also if MPs take a stand, it might inspire the zero hours, minimum wage workers to speak up next time they’re asked to come in on their day off for a staff meeting or some unpaid training.

Yes, I agree that we should group together and ask for more, but doesn't mean that when someone who earns a huge amount more than most public sector employees makes a comment about working a weekend day, that the rest of us lowly workers cannot feel put out when we have to manage childcare and living on so much less, and have also not had decent payrises for many years.

@ KitschBitch it’s not about the money. Why are we only using money as the yard stick here?

It’s the principal. I have no doubt he can afford the childcare.

Just because you can afford it, it doesn’t mean you should be expected to fork out for it.

CB was arguing that the work place nursery at Westminster was not working on a Saturday. So MPs with young DC would find a Saturday sitting difficult and could they claim child care on expenses.

Poor sods. The fact that they have a work place nursery at all means they are very privileged. And they can claim so much on expenses. They are not just living on a basic (very generous) salary.

My view is that we should have comprehensive universal basic standards for everyone, regardless of ability to pay.

We should all expect decent childcare even if we are millionaires. Why, I hear you cry?

Because there will always be people in the middle, a cut off of those who can only just about afford it. They’ll then envy those who get it for free.

So let’s have better standards for everyone instead of being negative fuckers. We will all benefit.

I am not being negative, just pointing out that MP's have had the benefit of good, well-above average payrises in times of austerity whilst the rest of the public sector have had pay freezes.

Sick of this race to the bottom culture. It's not an unreasonable request at all from any employee.

I dont think the wage is relevant to be honest. MPs get paid more than average wage but it doesnt seem like a lot to me when you consider hours, the abuse they get, and being away from home.

When I've been asked to work outside my normal hours ive asked for childcare to be paid for. To be honest,for sng company when you look at the shit that goes theiigb expenses I think it would look like a reasonable request

How do you know he doesn’t have both parents in care homes and a big mortgage or recent loft conversion to pay for?

Yes, but should not all public sector employees have the same benefits?

Why is it relevant what they are paid? Why should anyone work outside what they've agreed to, what they've signed up for, etc. Its the principle. You're basically saying rich people should suck it up because they're rich and the less well off shouldn't. Where would you draw the line then? Say when you break even? Woukd you voluntarily soend one if your two days a week away from your children for a net gain of a tenner?

Tellmethetruth4 - how do you know that I don't care for parents, etc too?

Sour grapes do no one any good, OP.

He was raising a valid point. He wasn’t actually expecting to be paid.

Sorry to derail the thread but @peachycore have you looked into Chris Brown's history? Not a good role model for your daughter.

MP's have been asked to work 3 Saturdays in the past 70 yrs. There is a growing proportion of our population who are having to rely on foodbanks, earning massively under £79,000 p.a. and still having to manage childcare. I agree that we shouldn't have to work for nothing but clearly we are worlds apart on our opinions, and most likely, our experiences.

Yes, but should not all public sector employees have the same benefits?

What benefits do you think they have that a civil servant doesn't have?

Wellerr, not sour grapes, just an honest opinion.

Winter, I have already said huge payrises, nurseries, expenses account for second home. A while ago one MP tried to claim for having a moat cleaned...

Just the fact they are MPs will be enough to piss many off. Lots of parents work weekends and night shifts and sort their own childcare. And manage without expenses.

We can all see them 'working' on TV everyday and I don't know anyone who is impressed by any of it. They must know they come across to the voters who elect and pay for them as total pillocks.

Winter, I have already said huge payrises, nurseries, expenses account for second home. A while ago one MP tried to claim for having a moat cleaned...

The system was reformed in 2009. If you are going to spout - then please check your facts.

What they can claim is now heavily regulated. You cant get a hotel in central London for the £150 they are allowed on a Tuesday night!

To be honest most MP's work all Saturdays, as part of their 'salary' but in their constituency as opposed to sitting in Westminster. But being called into an unexpected work location for unprecedented reasons would usually lead most employers to think about the support they could/should give to employees.

Most MPs work very hard and what you see on tv in the chamber is a microsnapshot of the work they do across parliament and beyond.