Should I Become a Wage-Slave or Not?

Martynb_

Just need some advice.

I've got a weeks work training at the McDonalds Drivethru where I live. It's about 25 minutes walk away. After the trial ends I'll have the option whether to take the job or not; whether the job is for me or not. Great. No obligation to take the job.

But I'm worried about a number of issues.

I've been told that they bully, and I have been bullied before when I worked for them when I was 21 years old. I've been told that they are slave drivers, and I know that this is true from prior experience working in two different stores. I'm told that the job is monotonous and degrading. I know this as well, although this would be a somewhat subjective viewpoint.

I can't remember really having a great time working with them. I used to come home tired and my nerves where shot to pieces. I though the environment was robotic and oppressive, and I detested the managers who were nothing more than sycophants rushing round giving people their marching orders, which was the real reason I left there after a couple of months. It was not always bad. One particular manager was just lovely. He was gay. But you could relax around him.

I feel I've been pressured to take this job by the job centre. The woman at the job centre is being too rosey with me and she thinks that in a years time I will have climbed the ladder running my own store. I could only laugh at her comments, but I really wanted to rant at her because I don't get all that excited about big greedy corporations and their wage-slave underdogs. I felt that she was trying to get me to see that working there was all sweetness and light.

The only reason I would take this job is that it would be worthwhile taking it. After a calculation based on a 30hour per week on £6.04 per hour I will be £50 well off after I've paid my rent, my council tax, etc. The £50 better off calculation would include the tax credits I would get. So I would have in my hand each week something like £110 to spend on food, electric, etc. At the moment I get £60 per week. Although the extra £50 would be nice I think getting that amount would be too high a price to pay for working at this corporation, which really doesn't fit-in with my value system.

Financially, there doesn't seem to be any massive incentive to take the job. If after the April to April tax year my hours have dropped from 30 to 20 or less I would not get tax credits and the Housing Benefit would only half get paid. I'm left with virtually no money to work with.

Added to this is the long hours standing up and pleasing everyone who comes through the door, the short break of 45 minutes (even though the law stipulates a break every four hours!). So there's even less of incentive to take the job.

Am I able to cope with working for a corporation which must take large amounts of profit whilst I get paid a pittance and work like a slave? I don't think I can do that. I think that might harm my confidence rather than improve it. I'm not 19 anymore, so I'm not as naieve. And I reckon if I do get bullied or treat like a slave there I'll be the one to speak up against it, because I have developed a rebellious attitude over the years and that isn't going to go away.

What I fear the most is the double-dip - ending up with a job I hate and being financially worse-off.

You may think I'm being fussy or something. You may think "It's a job!" but that kind of wisecrack advice won't bring bread to the table.

So if you were in my position - taking into consideration the pro's and con's - would you still take this job on? Does £50 (or less if your hours happened to drop below 30) a week seem like a good incentive even though due to the nature of the job you may come to dislike it, or regret taking it?

I realise that your answer would be based upon your own value system and work ethic plus a combination of other factors whatever they may be.

Your suggestions and advice is much appreciated.

Indie_Kid

Martynb_ wrote: »

the short break of 45 minutes (even though the law stipulates a break every four hours!). So there's even less of incentive to take the job.

It doesn't. Someone over 18 is entitled to 20 minutes for every 6 hours. http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Employment/Employees/WorkingHoursAndTimeOff/DG_10029451

LTP123

Hi Martyn,

How long have you been out of work? I worked for McDonalds for over two years and really enjoyed it. Yes it can be repetative and some of the managers are annoying but we were a real team and you got a good mix of people there. I doubt they would drop your hours as they are always looking for staff and are always busy.

At the end of the day only you can make the choice. £50 is a lot to be better off a week when the difference is £60 to £110. I would take it you never know after you have been there a few months something else better may come along and you will have something to put on your CV. McDonalds always makes me think, you remain calm under pressure are a team player and have a good customer servce attitude.

Up to you...

LTP123

Oh and the law states you only require a 20 minute break after 6 hours worked.

Regards.

dugdale_2

I would really love £50 more each week as it would pay for a great holiday each year however my salary is currently frozen so that's not likely to happen for a while.
Nothing stopping you continuing to apply for other vacancies whilst your working, building your CV as you go along.

MX5huggy

Its easier to get a job when you already have a job. Its a step to bigger better things.

Jowo_2

This should be in the Discussion Time forum as the OP wants a debate on whether they should take this job and isn't about a query about a specific benefit entitlement.

The OP should brace themselves for the response if it moves to DT...

My question to the OP is what is your proposed third option if you don't enjoy being on benefits and don't want to be a wage slave? What is your alternative proposal if you wish to come off benefits but can't find yousrelf a well paid interesting job?

GlasweJen

Surely if you are offered a job and you refuse it you will be sanctioned for a period? I mean your benefits is for job seeking, if you refuse a job then how is that fufilling the terms of your benefit claim?

Indie_Kid

GlasweJen wrote: »

Surely if you are offered a job and you refuse it you will be sanctioned for a period? I mean your benefits is for job seeking, if you refuse a job then how is that fufilling the terms of your benefit claim?

If you can't give a good reason, then you can possibly be sanctioned.

chris1973

I've been told that they bully, and I have been bullied before when I worked for them when I was 21 years old.

Why not try it and find out for yourself rather than making assumptions based on nothing but idle hearsay?. What would happen if you took the job and eventually worked your way up to management position and good money?. Would you thank the chinese whisperers for denying you the opportunity if you listened to them and walked away from the potential now?. Do those giving you this advice, deserve such credit?, do you consider them good and worthy career advisors?.

Just because you were bullied when you were 21, doesn't mean you will be now, time has gone by, its a different store - different manager and different people around you. Why not give it a try, and find out for yourself, what have you got to lose?.

I've been told that they are slave drivers, and I know that this is true from prior experience working in two different stores. I'm told that the job is monotonous and degrading

I think you'll find that is the case for most jobs. You won't get any thanks for the work you put in either and you probably will never feel valued - well welcome to the club with millions of members. I've spent many years working for a guy who walked into Daddy's company with no product or marketing experience, no ground floor experience and no people-management skills or even basic common sense, even our own customers actively avoid speaking to him if they can help it!, and its damn frustrating watching the company run into the ground because the guy sits in his office day after day rather than go out selling products, and finding new customers. Want to swap?

Unfortunately, very few people walk into their dream job, and very rarely will they do so, unless they work their way up from the bottom first. A lot of the most successful business people out there started from humble beginnings or experience learned on the bottom rung.

Seems to me that you are building this up into something far more bigger and much more negative than it is, and then scaring yourself with it. If you actively seek out the negative with every opportunity that you are offered then sell it back to yourself as a reason not to do it, then you will never get out of a rut, which by that time, will be one entirely of your own creation.

Martynb_

sh1305 wrote: »

It doesn't. Someone over 18 is entitled to 20 minutes for every 6 hours. http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Employment/Employees/WorkingHoursAndTimeOff/DG_10029451

The standard break time is 45 minutes to an hour on an 8 hour shift. In my work experience this has been a constant. 20 minutes every six hours doesn't sound right. How can you possibly sit down and eat a meal in 20 minutes?