Overnight moderation on voluntary basis

[Butterymuffin]

Can MNHQ please explain why overnight moderation of the site is left to unpaid volunteers, and why they don't feel this work should be paid?

Please note that this is in no way intended as criticism of the Night Watch volunteers or anyone moderating overnight, or how they do that. That's not the issue here at all. I'm asking why MN as a business (and I understand it is a business; again, that's not the issue) isn't paying for this work to be done if they feel it's needed.

Would be interested to hear others' opinions. I know @Maryz for one had posted similar views on an earlier thread.

@TheRealBiscuitAddict - It’s probably not saving MNHQ much in reality, they’d just put the current paid day time mods on a variable shift pattern... who then would probably have to resign because they couldn’t do that for one reason or another...

On the bright side though, I’m sure it’s been a good few days since the last “I don’t like the way MN is run” whinge thread and they’re always good for a laugh.

I hate this let's get offended on somebody else's behalf and they're not even bothered

Don't worry anightwatcher you naive thing. You're clearly too busy being taken advantage of my MNHQ and whatever other patronising rubbish has been said on this thread. I bet you're glad everyone's here to tell you you're being exploited.

Tbh if it was paid I probably wouldn't do it. I'm not prepared to commit to doing X hours a week or have to be here on specific nights. Paying would also involve extra responsibilities. I would like to see us get a wee bit more features like being able to temporarily ban people - like spammers - until MNHQ look at their posts. A place for us to contact one another would be good too (just in case MNHQ are watching

I used to moderate a very large forum we weren't paid there either as such but the owner would do something every other Xmas. One year we got an iPad another time it was £200 gift vouchers. That was nice in as much as he made us feel appreciated. I think most forums rely on volunteers at some point it other

In fact I'd really expect an organisation such as Mumsnet to not rely on women's unpaid work. And to know better than to do so.
^I agree with this.

NerrSnerr

I've never seen someone get so ridiculously aggressive on a thread until now, well done Tippz that's a first.

Legally, all volunteers should have a role description and volunteer agreement. Using the police force as an example is, as said above, silly as they are a public sector organisation, who have all of the legal requirements in place. I'm afraid I agree that this is really not a good model for such a massive profit making business. Hopefully mumsnet are aware of the legalities around volunteering and yes, there have been successful cases of litigation when people were treated as volunteers but given the wrong paperwork as it were. Not terribly bothered about this situation but just saying there are strict rules!

Kind of interesting considering

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/family_friendly_programme/3050116-MNHQ-here-do-well-paid-people-get-offered-more-family-friendly-working-conditions-than-low-paid-people?watched=1&msgid=72357409#72357409

You don't have to provide volunteers with sick pay, holiday entitlement or a workplace pension, pay employers NI etc, etc. It's a cop out of paying the minimum wage and the paperwork and HR costs that come with it.

Now, just asking (being a bit cheeky) is there anyone who'd like volunteer to fill in my tax returns and do my bookkeeping?

Any takers?

My turnover is less than much less than that of Mumsnet but I'll give you a nice reference and buy you a drink at Christmas. Any takers? It'll save me £120 on accountancy fees.

No takers...thought not.

We all know this site is heading the same way as Football365, expect a sell off to a big media outlet soon.

Direct from CAB website: Volunteering is unpaid work for someone other than a close relative - for example, working for a charity or not for profit organisation. If you’re a volunteer, you’ll have no contract of employment. This means you decide how many hours you want to volunteer each week.

No contract but there should be a volunteer agreement and a role description.

Also chiming in to say it's unethical.

Women are undervalued as it is by society. Mumsnet should be taking the lead in providing employment for women. It's a job which can be done from home; it might provide several women with the opportunity to earn a bit extra or be something to add to their cv. It's pretty shameful for a business to be using volunteers whether they're happy volunteering or not.

Relying on volunteers with limited powers doesn't appear to be especially successful. There's a troll/begging thread still up in AIBU hours after being outed as a troll and reported

Thank god for troll hunting, in this particular case.

Why pay when you can get it for free and avoid tax? MNHQ why not employ on a wage, it's a job. You're not a charity or not for profit organisation.

Easy enough to check out your accounts at Companies House to know how you could pay a wage to a few people who could do a moderating job.

I pay my employees, their NI, pension and I give them annual leave. Like a normal employer. It's a joke and I honestly think you are avoiding tax and employment status. This isn't a FB group, it's a business and you 'employing' volunteers. Tread carefully, I hope your contracts are tighter than your internet security

Love biwi suggestion. Happy to submit my resume :)

I considered applying to be a Night Watcher the last time that they asked for volunteers (I'm in a time zone a few hours behind the UK and come on MN most days anyway), but decided that in doing so I would be encouraging MNHQ to continue with the amateur set up rather than staff the site properly. Given than it is a target for all sorts, from trolls to spammers to borderline (or actual) criminal attacks, it really should be staffed properly.

I was on MN as the Jeffrey stuff was happening live, and if any incident should have been enough to convince MNHQ that they needed to staff with paid employees not just volunteers, it should have been that.

(I do agree that the NW do a sterling job, within the limits of their powers - thank you!)

Do the volunteer nightwatchers have a way of contacting an employee if something goes majorly wrong? So if someone launched a cyber attack?

It's bollocks that mn can't afford to pay a couple people.
It's very unscrupulous and exploitative

I am also concerned now about security. Most cyber attacks are launched in unsocial hours. If there was another successful one, i would leave MN. Can happen to anyone once, but I really hope their security is much better now.

I agree,I'm stunned there isn't proper moderation especially after the Jeffrey thing.

If NWer don't have set hours and can just pop in and out as often as they like, does that mean there could be times when there are no volunteers on at all?
Surely that indicates at least one paid employee should be on the books for set hours during the night?