17 September - The price of white coffee
Waitress, cook, dish washer…
Q. “When am I likely to be paid?”
A. “The money will be in your account by the end of the day.”
A. “It will be in your account by the end of tomorrow.”
A. “It's left our bank account; keep checking. It will be in your account any moment.”
A. “Your bank account details are incorrect and not recognised.”
A. “Are you sure your National Insurance number is correct? Our accountants have
checked your NI number and you are not registered, were you born in this country”
A. “We have problems with our accountants. It is their fault.”
Following month - Mother…
Q. “When is my daughter going to be paid?”
A. “The problem is trying to get her paid
on the same day as everyone else.”
A. “She will be paid by end of the day.” (She wasn't.)
A. “The wages must be taken from a savings account and it will take four days to get to her account.”
(It took seven weeks).)
Q. “What date
will she be paid next month?”
A. “The 6th of each month.”
Q. (6th comes and goes.) “Why no pay?”
A. “There is a mix up with the accountants.”
(Notice submitted. Wages paid
in full a week later.)
(Another four weeks)
“The P45 will be posted to you”. (It failed to arrive. Eventually retrieved from cafe.)
All for a miserable £3·68 an hour. Seven weeks of negotiation to get the first month’s
pay but only six for the next.
Note: The quotations relate to the statements made by the mother and as passed
on by her by way of complaint to various official bodies. Do I have to say who
the employer was? No, I thought not.