An Angry Tale

[Deffeh]

Yeah, so i've had a great night.

For those of you who dont know, i work in Threshers, the off license. Why? Because im hideously poor, and i was getting hassle from my parents. I make £4.85 an hour to get abuse from underage neds who i wont sell buckfast to.

Furthermore, the worst thing about my job is the hours i get. This week i only have 13 hours. I have been rota'ed in for FOUR days. Yep, thats right, a 2 hour, a 3 hour, and two 4 hour shifts in a week. So basically im engaged 4/7 days, but im only going to make £60 +/- before NI + Tax. Its a complete joke and ive never heard anything like it. My hands are tied, but im not making any money.

When you add into the equation that i havent been trained properly / at all, i was DEFINITELY looking forward to my 6-10 shift tonight, (6-8 on my own, 8-10 with another part timer who has only been working 2 weeks longer than me)

So the first hour came and went. Some friendly customers, some grumpy ones, i dont give a crap. Its not too bad, chilling on my own, listening to my music on the CD player.

Old gent comes up to the till, i scan his bottle of wine, 10.99 i say. He gives me his credit card, i swipe it, and put a voucher in the printer. It doesnt work (happens all the time, so i take it out, and put in a new one. It jams. (again, happens sometimes, but not usually quite this badly). I tug at it with no luck. I open the printer up, with no joy. Old gent is getting pissed and says hell pay in cash - id take it, but the ****ing screen has frozen up entirely. He then tries to bribe me a £20 for the bottle, saying he doesnt give a **** about the change, i say no can do, obviously. I keep trying, but the printer wont unjam, and it looks like its ripped **** out of the receipts too.

Im on my own in the shop, and dont have a ****ing clue what to do. Scrabbling around for any number than might help me or anything, i find the phone book, and phone the closest threshers. Only one guy on there, so they cant send anyone to help. He gives me some half decent advice but the printers given up the goose. He gives me a number to call to get the till fixed. At this point the old gent grabs his card and walks out the door. If its gone through on his card, i'm sure ill see him, just as happy, next time im in.

I tell the queue of customers the tills and broken, and get a lovely hail of abuse, they finally all REALISE THAT IM NOT JOKING JUST TO PISS THEM OFF and leave the ****ing shop, i go to lock the front door.

Except then i realise something. I've not been given it, or never been told where it is.

I go to the address book to phone the manager to tell her the situation, and ask her where the key is, only to see that shes TIP EXXED HER MOBILE NUMBER OUT OF THE BOOK. I call one of the other part timers, hes at a party, and tripping. He tells me to switch the printer off and on (!) and he might pop in later on his way home. He does however, tell me where the key is. I lock the door, dim the lights, and put a sign up on the door saying "sorry, temporarily closed. nearest shop is broomlaw road." I watch a barrage of people either ignore it and try and come in, or read it and try and come in. Then swear at me, a lot, outside the door. Finally i found the shutter key, and brought it down.

I phoned the EPOS lot and told them what was going on. Unfortunately it was a paging service so i made a tit of myself. Thankfully, the people i wanted phoned back, and i spoke to some chick called Jane, who ran me through a few key combinations, basic checks etc - i restarted the machine etc, but nothing worked. She said it was clearly goosed, to shut up shop, call the manager (!), and theyd send an engineer out tomorrow.

Later on, cat arrived, i explained to her what had happened (never met her before, lovely introduction ) and she tried and couldnt get the shit working. She did though, have the managers number in her mobile, and gave her a call. The manager had **** all advice, or anything to say. We started phoning round other glasgow shops to see if anyone experienced could come out and give us a hand. Eventually someone did, and after 20 minutes, they rebooted the entire system, ****ed about with the printer in such a way that can only be described as a "golden touch", and got the piece of shit working again. We reopened the shop. In total it was closed for an hour and a half, which im sure Threshers Ltd will be ****ing raging about

But i tell you ****ing what, they can SUCK MY COCK. Thats the most ridiculously stupid situation ive ever been put in, where i didnt have a ****ing clue what to do, yet had more responsibility than is really feasible. In all honesty, i was THIS close to phoning my dad, telling him to pick me up, and the shop could burn to the ground for all i care.

I'm well aware this will all count against me, somehow. I couldnt give a **** what they do though really. If they try and discipline me or whatever the **** (for nothing) i'll just walk out and tell them to shove it up their bollocks. As well as that today, i forgot to take a DVD back to the rental shop, and i bought a ENTIRELY flat bottle of irn bru for the second day in a row. That shit ****ing sucks, man. I need fizzy juice to ****ing live.


But you know what im even more pissed off by?

On the Rota in the back shop, theres now a huge notice saying "STAFF MEETING, THURSDAY 21ST. ALL STAFF MUST ATTEND". Its not about tonight, because it was there when i got in at 6 o clock.

BUT

It wasnt there last night either. Its a compulsory ****ing meeting, TOMORROW, with 1 days notice.

Which is ****ing brilliant, because my friend claire is coming up from Edinburgh in the afternoon and staying the night. They can once again, SHOVE IT UP THEIR BOLLOCKS if they think im going to take this crap with a ****ing smile.

BTW, that wasnt a typo from me. She didnt even put a time on the sheet! Just "thursday". What the **** is that meant to mean? We did phone her up and go "wtf" eventually, and she said 8. 8 o clock in the ****ing evening? Does she think i have nothing better to do on one of my free days but hang about waiting to go to threshers? Im seriously so ****ing raging right now its silly.

13 hours. 5 days.

I must have ****ing mug written all over me. Whether i go or dont go to the meeting tomorrow i dont know. What to do with my friend when i **** off to work? Or how to excuse my "absence"?


Anyway

Am i justified to be quite as angry as i am right now?

[jerome]

quite.

[G.K Zhukov]

Get a new job. 4.85£ per hour is below minimum wage isnt it?

[furball]

You did the right thing at work, exactly what should be done imo.

As for the meeting - don't go, and enjoy the time with your friend. I don't know employment law though, only the common sense answer.

[SilverSmoke]

I wouldn't give a shit except for the part that there's an obligated meeting while your friend is coming to see you.

While writing that, I probably wouldn't give a shit at all, it's not like it's the most important job in the world for you (it seems). Don't know how hard you need the money though. On the risk of sounding like that older guy knowing it all I remember several ocasions at my past shitty part-time jobs in where I was angry/scared/shocked whatever for bullshit like that of which I now just laugh about and think, 'I should have told them to **** off'.

[Deepflow]

dude, if the only way you heard about the meeting was it being posted on the notice board you should have just pretended you didnt see it.

oh and ryzekiel, thats the worst post ever.

[Dace]

Dear Robbie, this is a letter from your heterosexuality.

Don't go to the meeting. Don't phone up before hand to tell them you wont be able to make it. JUST-DONT-GO!

You have food poisoning tomorrow night. The really bad kind. When you weren't puking or shitting you were trembling in bed trying to get some respite from the assault on your body. You couldn't phone in because you weren't in a fit state to do anything. Your parents were out and as such couldn't phone in on your behalf. Your sorry but that's just the way it was.

That's your background story.

The next time you have to go into work take in a letter. This letter will explain that you had food poisoning and as such you couldn't make it in to work for the meeting. This letter will be signed by your mum.

If you do get fired at least you will be fired as a hero *shrug*.


REMEMBER this is your heterosexuality writing. Please pay attention!

[Nadar]

£4.85 an hour? Come on, that's shit Get a new job, cuz this one obviously sucks.

You got all rights to be angry btw..

[lokken]

No need to lie here.

Simply say you looked at the rota, saw you had no shift tomorrow night, had plans arranged, that you can't make it, and it's not your fault if things are suddenly scheduled the night before when a rota has already come out.

Your manager is shit btw

[Aryn]

dace wins
and it works like a charm too
not that i'd know...

ps get a new job

[dda]

You certainly have every reason to feel friustrated. It is HORRIBLE to be made to look and feel like an idiot when the idiocy is someone elses. If jobs of the low-paying variety are relatively easy to find then blow the meeting off. Tell them that you had prior plans and need more notice to rearrange your life in most situations. If they don't like the answer they will fire you. You go find another job. I have been fired a few times in my life and though it isn't pleasant it isn't that bad either. Every time I was ever fired, I got a better job.

[Tomkat]

I would have just said "sorry dudes, card machine isn't working, sucks to be you".

I wouldn't have tried to phone anyone or shut up shop. That shit sounds too complicated for me. Ringing people?! No way.

That sucks though duder

I'm on about £5.50 at the moment, working at the cinema. It's ****ing shit, but it sounds a lot better than what you're doing. At least I have minimal responsibility, can just go into zombie mode all day serving customers, and flirt with the girls who work there.

(PS Get a new job)

[Radical Edward]

are you right to be angry. damn right. I would complaing to the manager's boss about her sheer inadequacy and not leaving her number - that kind of thing. hopefully on your way out, you can get her sacked too.

ps: find another job.

[QazokRouge5]

Hats off to you for putting up with that shit. As for the meeting, if you're making minimum wage, wtf is the company doing throwing staff meetings? fk them you don't get paid enough to do that shit

[JBOY]

they have to give you a minimum of 48 hours notice prior to any scheduled shifts changed.
If it's a compulsary meeting and they're treating it like a shift, then its still not 48 hours notice, so tough shit to them.

and you know your jobs really shit, when they pay you less than McDs.


ps, check your contract about hours per week / split shifts an days off, working times regulations say a minimum of 4 hours per shift

[Ste]

you're being taxed when you earn so little?

[Radical Edward]

Originally Posted by Ste

you're being taxed when you earn so little?

that's a point, he shouldn't be being taxed for that.

[ceres]

There are Malaysian wallet makers earning more than that per hour, you must find another job thats rediculious.
________
Park Royal 3 Condominium

[Kurashima]

Sounds like Deffeh hates the taxing nature of his job more than he hates being taxed on his earnings.

[Deepflow]

you went to the meeting didnt you?

fag

[Radical Edward]

Originally Posted by Kurashima

Sounds like Deffeh hates the taxing nature of his job more than he hates being taxed on his earnings.

well it could indicate something shady going on. It would really suprise me* if the manager didn't know that what they were doing was illegal regarding working hours.

*well, maybe not then.

[Deffeh]

Originally Posted by Deepflow

you went to the meeting didnt you?

fag

I told you i would, but im not happy about it. I got there at 8, it took her 25 minutes to start the thing, then she finally got going. She prattled ON and ON and ON about irrelevant stuff, nothing to do with the meeting. Its unbelievable how angry i was. I was pretty much downright rude with my body language, when i got in she told me she was told on tuesday night she had to have this meeting by Thursday so she had no choice, and she was sorry. I didnt accept her apology, say "no problem" or anything. She actually had me working for the first half hour as well, the bitch. Anyway, after hearing her prattle on, at 10 to, i said "look, i dont mean to be rude but how longs this gonna last." ( "is your dad waiting for you?") "aye, but more importantly than that i have a friend over from edinburgh whos never been to my house before, sitting in my room, and ive had this planned for ages. She leaves for canada in a month for a year, and i wont get to see her too many more times before that."

Tbh, i always knew i would go, the hassle i would have got - and the fact the whole night if i didnt go i would have felt crappy (not for her, for myself). She actually called me in the morning and asked me to come in and i said "no, ive got plans, im not happy about having to leave my friend at such short notice as it is" and she said "oh well ok, ill see you at 8". I thought the way i said it, she might say "im sorry, its not important" or "well forget it with that attitude", but she was too doss to take either course of action.

Still, it pissed me off a lot, but it didnt ruin my day. I had a nice time in town (even though my meal was crap), a nice couple of pints (even though it made my stomach feel like death), a nice time in the evening (even though the pub i went to was full of jocky wankers), and a nice sleep (even though i went to bed at some shockingly early time like half 2 and it took me ages to get to bed.) Considering how crap my day was in reality and how much i spent to "enjoy" it, i had a nice time. I think thats when you know you're in good company.


To those who say "get another job" : I already explained that i got no luck when i had my job search at the start of the summer. This was the only interview i got. I'm moving in to a flat in Stirling on the 12th of september or something, so whatever, ive only got another 7 weeks or something living in Glasgow. It would be nearly impossible to quit this job, find another employer who i havent already applied to who would be willing to train me and employ me for about 5 weeks or something. Especially at this time of the summer. Also, £4.85 is shite, but standard fare for a job this crap tbh. My brother works in mcdonalds and makes less, my mate matt does bar work at a country club and makes less.

About Tax : I dont know how to claim it back. Im not sure if ive kept all my payslips, though im fairly confident i have all my p45's and p60s. Only problem is i dont have a ****ing clue what to do with them, im probably owed more in tax refunds than im earning in Threshers.

[lokken]

You wait for your P60's at the end of next tax year (or P45 if you quit) and then claim it all back by going to the tax office, with the letter you are saying in full-time education and they take the documents, post them back to you, and they post you a cheque.

[G.K Zhukov]

Isnt the minimum wage something above 6£ an hour, or is Deffeh just under 18 so they can pay him that crappy?

[furball]

It's nowhere near that.

The adult rate of the minimum wage (for workers aged 22 and over) will increase from its present hourly rate of £4.85 to £5.05 in October 2005, and to £5.35 in October 2006. The 2006 increase is subject to confirmation by the Low Pay Commission in February 2006, to check that the economic conditions continue to make it appropriate.

The development rate (for workers aged 18-21 inclusive) will increase from the present hourly rate of £4.10 to £4.25 in October 2005 and £4.45 in October 2006.

[Dace]

Deffeh you're such a ****in bitch it ****in hurts (fag).

[All Systems Go]

Originally Posted by lokken

You wait for your P60's at the end of next tax year (or P45 if you quit) and then claim it all back by going to the tax office, with the letter you are saying in full-time education and they take the documents, post them back to you, and they post you a cheque.

If he's working so few hours should he be paying tax at all?

[lokken]

Well I have to find Deffeh on IRC, to solve this.

[Dark-Strider]

Quit, that wage takes the piss.

[LHC]

£4.85 is about as good as it gets for any monkey worker at a off-licence/supermarket/etc, and it's difficult to get a job anywhere else in the short term (i.e. during the summer break from university, for Deffeh).

[berzerker]

I'm on 4.85 an hour working at my local pub. I took three punches yesterday from a customer who was looking for a fight for the hell of it. Am i paid enough to tolerate that kind of abuse? No. But i'm stupid/lazy enough to still work there so the fault is mine.
Thats why i have a new job starting on monday ('Management Trainee' at turnerlittle.com).

[Judge]

Originally Posted by Deffeh

About Tax : I dont know how to claim it back. Im not sure if ive kept all my payslips, though im fairly confident i have all my p45's and p60s. Only problem is i dont have a ****ing clue what to do with them, im probably owed more in tax refunds than im earning in Threshers.

Keep ur p45's and p60's

Write a letter (or phone) the tax man, and ask for a from to reclaim tax as u are a student.

Fill in the form, include ur p45's/p60's and send it to them.

1 month (or less) later and the cheque arrives.

It is easy, and if u get stuck with the form, phone the Tax office, any tax office and they will help.

(former IR inspector of taxes)

[Demon Dave]

I don't see why everyone keeps saying "you're a student, you don't pay taxes" because when i phoned them up and said that they told me "You still have to pay tax even if you're in full time education". As far as i know you only don't pay tax if you earn <£4500 a year

[All Systems Go]

Originally Posted by Demon Dave

I don't see why everyone keeps saying "you're a student, you don't pay taxes" because when i phoned them up and said that they told me "You still have to pay tax even if you're in full time education". As far as i know you only don't pay tax if you earn <£4500 a year

As he only works 13 hours a week or £4ish an hour then he shouldn't be earning over that.

I don't know how flexible his hours are but I can't see him doing much mre than that every week. Plus student time is also going to cut into that.

I might be wrong, but going from the numbers it's the best that can be assumed.

[Judge]

Originally Posted by Demon Dave

I don't see why everyone keeps saying "you're a student, you don't pay taxes" because when i phoned them up and said that they told me "You still have to pay tax even if you're in full time education". As far as i know you only don't pay tax if you earn <£4500 a year

A person who works over the summer period (any person) would have to earn in excess of £250 per week to exceed the £4500 limit and be eligible to pay tax.

Given the crappy wages this poor sod has to endure, and the restricted hours of around 14-15 per week, he would never hit that limit even if he worked 52 weeks.

52 x £60 = £3120

[Ste]

yeh it always annoys me when people say "students don't pay taxes"
we pay exactly the same as anyone else. However students rarely earn over the minimum boundary needed to pay the basic rate of income tax.
What I did when I was working was to go to the local tax office and get them to change your tax code to the one stating you'll be earning under the boundary. 486D or something.
Then it all comes back through your wages a few weeks later.

[Demon Dave]

Originally Posted by Ste

yeh it always annoys me when people say "students don't pay taxes"
we pay exactly the same as anyone else. However students rarely earn over the minimum boundary needed to pay the basic rate of income tax.

this was exactly the point i was trying to make, only better worded. well done that man

Then it all comes back through your wages a few weeks later.

this however, has not been the case with me

[Judge]

Look guys, claim it back it is not dificult and the Tax Office always deal with claims very quickly, provided you have given them the information they require.

You will get yous tax back in full if you are entitled to it.