To think minimum wage is dire. What hourly rate would you work for?

[ColdTantrum]

Been job hunting and shocked at some of the low wages I’ve come across in the UK.

Do you agree the minimum wage is shockingly low?

What’s the lowest hourly rate you would be willing to work for?

I'm on minimum wage. I have NVQs levels 2, 3 and 4. I am an SQP. I am an implanted. I have a degree and postgraduate qualifications, plus other qualifications relevant to the veterinary/animal care industry.

I deal with reception, phone calls, emails, clients, insurance, health clubs, paperwork and payments.

I deal with blood and urine samples and work the in-house machines. I deal with sending samples away.

I deal with animals - restraining and lifting heavy dogs, including XL bullies. I sometimes get nipped trying to muzzle dogs and often scratched by cats.

I occassionally assist in operations and ensure the instruments are sterile and fit for use and in their correct kits.

I handle medication - ordering stock for our pharmacy and for clients. I can prescribe some treatments and I get prescriptions ready for collection or postage. I have to do regular date checks on all medication.

I take animals home occasionally that have been brought in un-owned and need tlc. I contact rescue centres and the dog warden on a weekly basis.

I witness animal abuse and neglect and cruelty cases on a regular basis.

If you Google the job description it basically says "cleaning and laundry duties".

I could get an extra £2/3 per hour working in Lidl.

Well I’m a band 5 staff nurse and earn just over £15 an hour which works out at just under £12 an hour after tax. I work in intensive care and look after the sickest patients in my county, usually on multiple forms of life support. I think our £11.85 an hour shows you how well valued we are.

We deserve x5 plus per hour for the work you do and the mental strain it takes on dedicated staff members

I don't know how my sister does it
Some of the abuse she gets from patients makes me so angry

No i’m sorry but all ‘low skilled jobs’ are jobs that need to be done. There’s no ‘desperately’ about it. Why should people be paid shit for doing a job anyone can do. The truth is even though anyone can technically do a low skill job, not everyone has the mental resilience to dia low skill job day in day out… no progression, no satisfaction, no reward other than the bare minimum. I don’t consider it to be low skill nor to want to walk out, not to scream at another nasty customer, to get down and scrub a floor when your back is killing you, to take constant crap from people for a wage that doesn’t even cover a holiday. That’s a skill. And you want to pay these people less money to encourage people into jobs that you have decided we ‘desperately’ need people to do. You don’t need to assure me of anything thanks very much. You do know that your experience isn’t stone cold fact right? It was easier for you. You’re not the authority on what’s easy. I have plenty of experience on both sides and never once has it occurred to me that I’m the only truth.

Raising the tax threshold is more effective when your dealing in low pay

maybe a daft question but i never understand how society can justify footballers wages then pay essential service workers low ££ etc

Probably not minimum wage though

It’s because they generate money I think.

so like bigger fan base = more money for the club, then the club can spend eg millions to get x players etc ?

It’s because there’s more money there to fund it all.

The money in football is huge, sponsorships with brands like Nike etc, TV deals with Sky/BT etc, merchandise sales, ticket sales, all of that money comes in, and so all of that money can go back out in wages.

Our essential workers so things like NHS are funded by us, the government, and the only way they can bring more in is by increasing taxes which naturally isn’t popular amongst the public. Even though most people will agree that those people deserve to be paid better, most won’t want to see themselves paying more tax to fund it, especially if they themselves are on a low income.

Yes something like that. The better the players, the more games they win, the better the club does. So the best players are worth loads. Some with film stars - if they are an actor who can help draw audiences in the film makes more money.

much appricated and true points

Ideally I wouldnt get out of bed for less then several hundred K, but like most people I have to take what I can get.
Employers will pay as little as they feel they can get away with.

Only building social housing is pointless because they typically are strict as to who can qualify and housing is an issue across more than the lowest of income brackets.

We just need more homes full stop.

They restrict because the crisis has got so bad, previously the criteria was a lot more open but the criteria has had to become stricter because there's fewer homes....

The thing I always point out when people say they only earn a £1 or £2 above minimum wage is that a salary is not the only thing that matters in a job. Most minimum wage jobs offer basic holiday, no sick pay, unsocial hours, zero chance of WFH, no set hours, handbags checked, toilet breaks monitored etc. These things can make a big difference.

An admin employee in an office might earn the same as one in Lidl but they don't have to do a manual job, probably don't work evenings or weekends, have bank holidays off and a nice break at Xmas and can probably make a drink or use the toilet without having to ask permission.

I get sick pay, above average holidays, can WFH. But toilet and lunch breaks are monitored (standard in the industry) and antisocial hours once every month

This is exactly the problem. I understand why people in professional jobs get upset being paid the same as NMW workers. NMW is supposed to be entry level, no skills etc.

I get peed off though when these workers think that NMW should be paid less!! The problem is their jobs should be paying far more.

I moved around every 2 years practically from 2016 to increase my wage from 17k to 50K. There was no option of staying in the job even though I liked the colleagues. I need to be able to pay bills. I do keep an eye out on jobs and always appalled to see Managers jobs asking for lots of experience paying 25K. Just doing it cos they can get away with it. Awful.

Did you actually read my post? I pointed out that jobs that are currently considered low skill like hospitality and caring should be reclassified as having a higher skill rating than eg someone in an office typing up letters. As such those in hospitality and caring should receive more.

The issue beyond that is the minimum wage is relatively high. Which has in turn made paying fair wages to higher skilled staff with more responsibility difficult to budget for. As per my hospitality example above. An employer can only pay staff if customers come in. They won't come in as much or often if the main meal instead of being £15 becomes £25.

The same thing applies to all industries. Increase wages and whatever service or product they produce has to increase in price also.

I seem to remember supermarket workers etc being important enough during the pandemic, but only important enough for minimum wage. and expendable being exposed to an unknown pandemic Jobs may not require 'expertise' but that's exactly what customers want.
Go into a shop and ask for 'advice', from someone being paid peanuts. If they were experts, they would be that chef, decorator, electrican, plumber earning better wages.
Anyone working a full-time job should be able to afford rent/mortgage for their needs. Nobody working 40 hrs a week should need government top ups.

I feel this is as well. This is my pay bracket and I feel so underpaid. DP earns twice that.
My sister earns 300 K for a 4 day week. Before anyone says about her responsibility being high - so is mine!

Violins are playing for both of you

As long as it covered the bills then some for savings etc roughly 22-24k per year but obviously depends on the area and cost of Bill's etc

Regardless minimum wage should allow someone to rent a 1 bed and live a normal lifestyle, too many people working ft have to claim UC just to get by.