My partner works as a manager who oversees an Xmas event that runs every year, they have done so for the last 10 years. They receive fantastic praise year on year and customers often leave 300+ reviews name dropping them each year for how amazing they are.
They started on a £150 day rate 10 years ago and for the last 3 years they were on £220 day rate, prior to that £200 per day.
The work lasts about 8 or 9 weeks and they bring in about £11k or so from this, so it is great for our household.
This year they had some great ideas and pitched the ideas to make things better but was told they are being replaced, and that they can work as a meet and greet instead for £11 an hour.
Turns out the replacement they have hired is known to a friend of ours who has accepted the job who has divulged their payrate.
£90 per day – because they don't have any experience. He actually works in a retail store and has had his hours cut and needs reliable pay over Xmas.
This puts him under minimum wage since the shifts can be between 10, or 12 hours long. However the company have said to him to log any overtime and they will see what they can do at the end of the event.
So my partner was fuming, they rang the company and said if they were willing to work for £90 per day can they come back and retake the role. They replied “absolutely we would love for you to return but the budget this year has been set at £90 day rate for the manager” and asked if they would like to accept the role.
What's odd is that 30 crew members will be earning well in excess of £90 a day, some are on £11-£14 an hour.. but the person that oversees them and ensures the event runs smoothly and has their neck on the line earns £90 per day?
Sounds like a race to the bottom, when wages /should/ be going up or stagnant in a time of inflation, exploiting out of work staff to work for next to nothing because “it's something” to put £130 a day back into their profits. But to take a gamble on something that has worked so successfully in the hands of someone that has never worked an event, never managed staff before? It sounds completely wild to me. Going from hanging clothes up to this?? Just stupid Corporate greed.
Hopefully it turns into a massive shit show
Partner didnt take the job, and we will spend xmas together this year, 11k lighter, rant over 🙂