Where would you draw the line?

[Steve]

I'm being paid managers salary at the moment (i dont know how much it is yet) for running a convenience store until it closes on 9th August. This means I have ultimate responsibility over the shop - if staff cant turn in a have to try and sort it or cover it myself. It also means I dont get paid overtime. I have no other commitments such as family, kids etc.

The store has 9 staff besides myself. 3 work mornings (and will NOT do evenings or overtime due to being on an old contract). 3 are flexible and can work any hours. the other 3 are evening staff.

One of my night staff phoned in sick this weekend. yesterday I covered easily. first phone call and it was covered. Today the sick member of staff phoned in again to say she'd be in tonight. I worked 6-12 this morning. At 1pm I got a phone call from work to say she cant come in. So I asked the staff at work now to ring round the other 3 night staff, but being sunday nobody will do it. One is "in manchester", one is "in blackpool" f***ing convenient this isnt it?

So at 4pm i have got to travel the 22 miles back to work and work until 10pm, another 6 hours. I've done 14 hours on a sunday before, and honestly dont mind, but when I've had to travel 88 miles in a day it ****es me right off. I dont get mileage money.

The thing is if this was an isolated incident i wouldnt mind. But Stocksbridge seems to be the ILLEST PLACE IN THE WORLD the number of times people phone in sick. Theres about 500 homes and 30 doctors sugeries and 20 chemists this is how bad it is. How can one place have so much illness? Im just glad I dont live there - its a wonder i havent caught anything. They're either geriatric or ill.

I've done about 55 hours this week and been paid 39 (what my "all inclusive" salary is based on - working the salary out at 55 hours is about £3 per hour i reckon).

Where would you draw the line? I'm this far from handing my notice in. They say a shop's as good as its staff - well no ****ing wonder this place is shutting down. Hell hole.

 

[2scoops0406]

Around £50 an hour.

 

[masona]

Crafty, it's just not worth it, I've been there and you will get no credit for it. I don't know what the job situation is like in your area but it maybe time to move on before you burn yourself out unless your company management are prepare to employ more staff, sadly I'm hearing this with your situation happening in most places, there's no pride in the job anymore. Forward your letter to management and see what they say.

 

[2scoops0406]

Crafty, you're young (as we all keep ribbing you about) you seem to know a fair bit about electrics / you are obviously interested in it. You have no commitments, why the hell don't you get out and do what you want to, believe you me, it'll never get any easier. Go for it !

£3 an hour, tell 'em to shove where the sun don't shine.

 

[joe-90]

You should have been a GP. Apparently they are earning around £1000 per day! No running around either - unless you are provided with a car and driver.

 

[Stulz]

Crafty, if they won't pay you for, then you won't so it.

This is a BIG issue in the UK, so many employers take advantage of their staff and abuse the trust. Call a halt to it.

 

[Terrywookfit]

Its A well known fact that Stocksbridge is the a**e hole of Sheffield!!
Why do you think they built the by pass!!
The nicest part about the place is the steel works!!
IMOHO!!

 

[Thermo]

im in agreement with eddie, ive often thought that with your answers on the electrics. Any company that says its not paying overtime, its all inclusive, knows exactly how much you will be put on. thats not valuing your staff. I pay my guys overtime if they work it. they earn it they get paid. simple.

so finish your year 9 science project with the lightbulbs and crocodile clips, and then once through the gcse's go out to the big wide world.

 

[JohnD]

they're taking advantage of you. When I was young and foolish such things used to happen to me.

management grade don't get paid overtime. Seems fair... if you are on a proper managemenr pay and have the power to do things like recruit extra staff, pay overtime, give special contribution awards. Not if you are expected to make up the hours yourself without limit and without reward.

I'm sure if you asked your boss how many hours you might reasonably be expected to work he would find it difficult to say it was unlimited. 50p says he doesn't do the jobs of his staff when they're sick.

 

[ColJack]

if you're working a shop shift, and not just sitting in your office, then put in for the hours saying it was agency staff to provide cover..

 

[EdwardCurrent]

Hello Crafty,
I suggest you jack in your job, otherwise you will only be spaculating as to what might be. You are a clever individual whom does not need to stand for working for a company that does not treat you with the respect that you deserve.
Life doesn't last that long so do it soon mate.

Ed

 

[Deluks]

I've worked in retail in the past, and turned down management positions cos it's not worth the stress. Yeh the money is much better than being a humble sales assistant, but at least they get paid for the hours they put in. Retail management is a crap job to be honest, and you should be doing a trade of some sort with the knowledge you have gleaned/advice that you have given, on this forum.

You still live at home with folks don't you? No kids.

Nothing stopping you then.


Hand your notice in and hang on in there til the 9th. It would be unprofessional not to.

Watch Clerks, and Office Space both movies will strike a chord and will give you the motivation and courage to jack it all in. Really!

 

[Nige F]

Stop whingeing .........leave that to us soft Southerners Eh it`s grim oop North

 

[Terrywookfit]

Stop whingeing .........leave that to us soft Southerners Eh it`s grim oop North

Do you have flat caps and Whippets down south then??

 

[BoxBasher]

It depends if:
a) You will be getting any benefit (like progression) as a result of doing extra work.
b) Things will get any better if you get a proper promotion.

If you are effectively doing relief management then you should be paid accordingly (along with additional travel, home to new store minus existing home to old store). Can you negotiate overtime, even if only a flat rate? It's hard being in a postion where you have to try and push for additional payments if you haven't been in that situation before.

If you are at the point where you don't want to be there any more then why not try and demand a few things first. Don't just hand in your notice - offer you notice if you can't get better pay & renumeration plus mileage/expenses, it's got to be worth asking.