£5.80 an hour (in London)

[UFGN]

I was getting my morning coffee from a Cafe Nero near were I work a couple of days ago. I go there regularly and I was chatting to the bloke as he made the coffee... In the conversation I learned that, A) he has a masters degree and many of his collegues also have degrees and B) he earns....£5.80 an hour. In London. Thats shift work, earliest start 0430 (ouch!) and the only exception is when they work beyond 9pm they get an extra £2.50. No enhancements for weekend work.

How can that be allowed in 2010?

[Leody]

Economics man... the economy sucks.

I have a masters degree and can't even find a job... at all...

But just because I have a degree I am not automatically entitled to anything in life. There isn't a magic job fairy out there that will magically give me a job, it is up to me to either prove my worth to somebody else or take the leap and start working for myself. Up to this point I have been unable to do either, but that is nobody's fault but my own. There are fewer jobs out there and more competition for every opening now, so it makes it harder to stand out. If you're worthy and you put in the effort you will find something.

And that guy working in the coffee shop with a masters degree is in the same boat.

Just because I have a masters degree doesn't mean I'm automatically a better employee than John Q. Public. I have to prove to prospective employers that I am better than the other options out there.

Or I could just go get a job in the government and live off everybody else's hard work...

[SE13]

£5.80 is the minimum wage, regardless of whether you live in London or not.

It's a disgrace I know, but the employers are doing nothing wrong.

Of course our MP's wouldn't know what it's like to try and survive on this sort of money on their £65k+ fat salaries, so it'll never change.

But then try having no job, and having to live on the generous £62 a week I get...... That covers the rent and leaves £2 in reserve.

[UFGN]

Its just plain wrong. The degree issue was an aside really, its not the main point, but to pay anyone so little is just f***ing outrageous. I spose I am to blame as much as anyone else...I shouldnt use that coffee shop anymore in protest. But what would be the point when all the others are probably paying just as little. The minimum wage should rise to £7. Any business who claims they cant afford to pay that is either lying or doesnt deserve to be opporating.

And SE13 Ive been there mate. You are living on the edge of society, not as part of it. I remember once not being able to afford the bus fare to go and pick up my giro, which I had spent hours on the phone trying to arrange. The office would have been closed by the time I walked it so I ended up going home with nothing. They took so long over my JSA application that I went something like 30 days without a penny. Luckily I wasnt out of it for long.

[gooner90]

its business.... cheap labour was he foreign aswell??? Also it goes to show university and all these degreees now are one huge con by the govt, is it worth going to university for 3 years doing a medium degree and getting into about 30k of debt when you could have been out working gaining experience and earning, instead your coming out for a job in a phone centre or somewhere starting off liek everyone else has to

[UFGN]

I actually chose not to go to Uni. Could have gone if I really wanted. Its turned out to be one of the best decisions of my life.

[Goose]

I didnt go Uni, didnt even finish college

£5.80 per hour is a piss take, but employers want people with experience and accomplishments, the only employer who over pays youth with potential is Arsenal

[Libertine]

I didnt go Uni, didnt even finish college

Never got as far as college.
Didn't really finish school properly.

As for the £5.80 an hour, complete pisstake.

[SE13]

I didnt go Uni, didnt even finish college

Never got as far as college.
Didn't really finish school properly.

As for the £5.80 an hour, complete pisstake.

Knowing who you work for, and what you do...........

By the way, did you send that application form in the post?

As for school, I'm a bit like Libs here, I wasn't actually allowed to take my exams in London, but it so happened that my parents moved here, so I did 3 months at a school here, and didn't do bad out of it. 5 CSE's and an O Level.

To be fair, given my history, I haven't done too bad on the job front either. I CRB pass for almost anything working with the public, though the wife was less than impressed when she saw my history....... She had no idea about certain events involving H&I magistrates and a couple/more of other random places close to grounds.....

[UFGN]

By the way, re the OP, in case anyone was wondering it was a regular Americano with pouring cream instead of milk.

[Leody]

Man I wish I could get paid on potential... haha

That would work very well in my case.

Hard as shit finding a job with a masters degree and only 2 years of work experience in the private industry. (I worked a year for the university) I've heard the word overqualified enough times to make me want to puke. Who cares if I'm willing to work for something under my educational level? I'm not asking you to pay me $100k to wash dishes...

[UFGN]

BTW to put it into context for those who dont know, £5.80 in London doesnt even cover the cost of a one-day ticket for the tube to get to work.

[Forest]

okay a question from the employers side, how much would you pay someone to serve coffee and drink?

[UFGN]

okay a question from the employers side, how much would you pay someone to serve coffee and drink?

Employers should be forced to pay £7

[Goose]

Employers who pay minimum wage dont respect their staff, they are paying them the bare minimum they can legally get away with

While those staff struggle to pay bills, the employers most likely have a very comfortable lifestyle, especially with a chain/franchise like Cafe Nero