Is my boss taking advantage?

[nonickno]

I manage a retail shop. My gross salary equates to £12.95 per hour. I do 40+ hours per week (and often more than I am paid for).
We have part time shop assistants on £15 per hour. I have been here longer than both. One of these is 'on the books' and receives a holiday allowance like me.
I'm not complaining about my salary (lucky to have a job in the current climate!) But - AIBU to think I should be paid more as I have more responsibility and have a more complex and stressful role?

No, your boss isn't taking advantage. The term 'taking advantage' infers an element of malice. People take the path of least resistance, and you are allowing it. I doubt that your boss gives any thought to it.

I would be tempted to have a non confrontational chat about salary, and to start looking at what else is available. In my experience, the best pay rises come when moving jobs.

Not sure about taking advantage but I'd be raising the subject with your line manager and / or looking for alternative roles

Are you sure that's their hourly rate? That seems a little high for retail

I think they are taking advantage - they must know how much you're all getting paid and are happy to accept your having more responsibility on a lower rate than the other staff and working overtime for free.

In theory you should be getting paid more than people with less responsibility than you. Do you have other benefits that boost your overall package above theirs, like extra holiday allowance, higher commission on sales etc?

Your boss has no incentive to change the situation - the work is getting done and they're not paying very much for it (or at least not as much as if you were also on £15/hr), esp if you factor in your unpaid overtime.

Time to work out what you want from your career/current job and have a conversation with them about getting paid according to your experience and responsibility.

Before you speak to them, it might be helpful to work out what people in other places are earning who do your role and have the same responsibilities, and the same for your junior colleagues. Also work out what else they might be able to give you instead of a pay increase if that's off the cards and you want to keep working there. And get your CV up to date so you're ready to apply for other jobs if it doesn't go your way.

Ask for a payrise. Managers are supposed to get more than the people they manage that's the whole point. Otherwise you just have all the responsibility and none of the financial reward.

Why haven't you said anything? When did you last get a raise? and finally, how do you know how much the others get paid?

Edited to say you're not "lucky" to have a job. There are more vacancies now then there have ever been in retail and hospitality. If anyone's "lucky" it's your employer! They're lucky to have you!

It's not right for managers to be paid less than their staff. You need to document all the non contracted hours you are doing, approach the boss and gently explain it's pushing your wages lower than the others and this is unfeasible.
They need to be told as they clearly don't care at this stage. Just say you'll leave the role and come back as a junior for more money if they can't get their head round it?

I don’t know about taking advantage, it’s definitely taking the piss.

Ask for a rise. Then quit

See, the problem with this is, she won't have the job if she quits, will she?

Well obviously. So she has to apply for another job first then quit but I thought that was bleedin obvious