Pret A Migrant

[spyguy]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-39216136

'Pret A Manger says one in 50 applicants is British'

'She said about 65% of its staff came from the European Union. '

So where are the other 40% from?

'Ms Wareham said she was "absolutely concerned" about the government's focus on skilled workers when looking at consequences of Brexit. She said it needed to focus on low-skilled as well.'

No, it really doesn;t. Low paid workers are fcking drain. We've enough of our own.

'And she said she doubted whether improving the terms of employment would bring in more UK applicants: "I actually don't think increasing pay would do the trick, I can only talk for Pret on this, but we do pay well above the National Living Wage, we do have great benefits and we offer fantastic careers.'

I know people who wipe OAPs ar5es for NMW + £2.

If they oculd earn 20K+ at Pret they be off their in a shot.

Dont talk crp woman.

 

 

 

 

 

[One-percent]

Feckers. In our day, these kind of jobs were done by school kids and students supplementing the work of full time older workers.  

My eldest daughter whilst at uni tried to get part time work, walked into a cafe that was advertising for a part time position.  The excuse why they were not interested was that she had no previous experience. For serving coffee?  Ffs.  My youngest daughter now at uni has not even bothered trying.

my view is that for low paid work to work as it used to, a couple of older people on permanent contracts holding the fort with a number of young students doing part time hours takes a bit of organising. Much easier to have three, four, five full time cheap EEs. 

[billybong]

2 hours ago, spyguy said:

'And she said she doubted whether improving the terms of employment would bring in more UK applicants: "I actually don't think increasing pay would do the trick, I can only talk for Pret on this, but we do pay well above the National Living Wage, we do have great benefits and we offer fantastic careers.'

All the coffee shop outlets would say the same about themselves and that they each are of course exceptional - it's total bullshine.  Generous is one of the favourite words of the bullshiners when they're talking about their penny pinching behaviour towards their employees.

Of course it's not just the coffee shops.

If they increased the 16 hour per week limit that would pretty much solve the problem.  If they all worked the full week of old then they would need half as many workers.

Edited March 10, 2017 by billybong

[Riedquat]

Although I'm generally in the "no sympathy towards them, aw diddums" category (a business reliant on out of control population growth isn't any better than one reliant on out of control debt growth) there is a point buried in there about a lack of interest in low skilled jobs.

[ccc]

Let's add magic shops to the magic potatoes list.

We are so lucky all these things managed to magic themselves before 2004.

[Pieman Pieface]

1 hour ago, Riedquat said:

Although I'm generally in the "no sympathy towards them, aw diddums" category (a business reliant on out of control population growth isn't any better than one reliant on out of control debt growth) there is a point buried in there about a lack of interest in low skilled jobs.

Well there is the major problem of these companies simply not paying enough money for anyone to even live on, especially in London (where I believe most of these jobs are) where the housing costs mean its impossible to survive on that money and also afford even a room in a cramped flat. 

The second problem is that she alluded to the fact that they offer decent money for people who stay on and work their way up the ladder. But of course British people have very little interest in doing that. Why spend 5-8 years working for Pret when your real ambition is anything but working in a coffee shop. Brits see these jobs as a the very most 'pocket money' to help them get through Uni. But they don't pay enough to really achieve that, so these kids take out bigger loans, get money from the bank of mum and dad and flat out ignore the job adverts.

So many factors all coming together to produce this outcome.

[Riedquat]

4 minutes ago, Pieman Pieface said:

Well there is the major problem of these companies simply not paying enough money for anyone to even live on, especially in London (where I believe most of these jobs are) where the housing costs mean its impossible to survive on that money and also afford even a room in a cramped flat. 

The second problem is that she alluded to the fact that they offer decent money for people who stay on and work their way up the ladder. But of course British people have very little interest in doing that. Why spend 5-8 years working for Pret when your real ambition is anything but working in a coffee shop. Brits see these jobs as a the very most 'pocket money' to help them get through Uni. But they don't pay enough to really achieve that, so these kids take out bigger loans, get money from the bank of mum and dad and flat out ignore the job adverts.

So many factors all coming together to produce this outcome.

Sure, but that's about pay, not skill. All the talk is about a future UK for high skilled jobs, but it needs low skilled ones too. Sadly many will be automated away, leaving people in an even worse position than now, but not all. There needs to be a vision for supporting all skill levels, with UK staff (without slave wages and slave boxes), not just concentrating on the high skilled ones and to hell with the rest.

Edited March 10, 2017 by Riedquat

[Pieman Pieface]

Just now, Riedquat said:

Sure, but that's about pay, not skill. All the talk is about a future UK for high skilled jobs, but it needs low skilled ones too. Sadly many will be automated away, leaving people in an even worse position than now, but not all. There needs to be a vision for supporting all skill levels, with UK staff (without slave wages and slave boxes), not just concentrating on the high skilled ones and to hell with the rest.

Sure, but most Brits see themselves as high skilled (incorrectly for sure), low skilled jobs are certainly not careers but stop gaps. But if the pay isn't high enough to make it worth it as a stop gap then what is the point. That different to an EE'er who could come here and earn more than they could at home and then send the rest back. 

Something will have to change in terms of automation as well. I was in Tescos today and I had to go up to the girl on the checkout because I simply felt pity for her, her role has been basically over taken by a self service machine. She must know her time is up, soon they won't need her at all. 

[spyguy]

2 hours ago, Riedquat said:

Although I'm generally in the "no sympathy towards them, aw diddums" category (a business reliant on out of control population growth isn't any better than one reliant on out of control debt growth) there is a point buried in there about a lack of interest in low skilled jobs.

I think its less the 'low skilled' bit and more the 'low pay' bit.

Ive only been in Pret once or twice - daughter likes them; Im not a sandwich person.

Isnt the pitch 'Made fresh on the premises'? If so, then theyve too much moeny tied up in under used retail space.

Make them in Luton and drive them in FFS.

[spyguy]

39 minutes ago, Pieman Pieface said:

Well there is the major problem of these companies simply not paying enough money for anyone to even live on, especially in London (where I believe most of these jobs are) where the housing costs mean its impossible to survive on that money and also afford even a room in a cramped flat. 

The second problem is that she alluded to the fact that they offer decent money for people who stay on and work their way up the ladder. But of course British people have very little interest in doing that. Why spend 5-8 years working for Pret when your real ambition is anything but working in a coffee shop. Brits see these jobs as a the very most 'pocket money' to help them get through Uni. But they don't pay enough to really achieve that, so these kids take out bigger loans, get money from the bank of mum and dad and flat out ignore the job adverts.

So many factors all coming together to produce this outcome.

Do they?

Just her say so.

Even if she did, its nothing more than a Ponzi/MLM scheme - loads of low paid employees supporting higher paid manager.

 

[spyguy]

32 minutes ago, Pieman Pieface said:

Sure, but most Brits see themselves as high skilled (incorrectly for sure), low skilled jobs are certainly not careers but stop gaps. But if the pay isn't high enough to make it worth it as a stop gap then what is the point. That different to an EE'er who could come here and earn more than they could at home and then send the rest back. 

Something will have to change in terms of automation as well. I was in Tescos today and I had to go up to the girl on the checkout because I simply felt pity for her, her role has been basically over taken by a self service machine. She must know her time is up, soon they won't need her at all. 

I like Tesco slf serve. I go in their most morning to buy my tub of salad and some fruit.

The self-serice machine does not get confused by me trying to offload my loose change. The checkout people do.

 

[Pieman Pieface]

50 minutes ago, spyguy said:

I like Tesco slf serve. I go in their most morning to buy my tub of salad and some fruit.

The self-serice machine does not get confused by me trying to offload my loose change. The checkout people do.

 

Yes if I don't have a load of shopping to do then I would much rather avoid that human element. I just want to get in, get my food and get out. No fuss. Its going to be a real problem for those who work in supermarkets, and worse if the practice extends to even more areas of retail.

[Errol]

Presumably the relevant authorities are now carrying out a forensic investigation of all Pret staff - including going over all the paperwork, evidence of ID etc ?

[Mirror Mirror]

On 10/03/2017 at 0:53 PM, Pieman Pieface said:

Something will have to change in terms of automation as well. I was in Tescos today and I had to go up to the girl on the checkout because I simply felt pity for her, her role has been basically over taken by a self service machine. She must know her time is up, soon they won't need her at all. 

Yes they will, because I will continue to decline self service checkouts until Im offered a discount for doing the retwilers work for them. 

Maybe I could come in in my free time and stack a fre shelbes for them too? 

[19 year mortgage 8itch]

On 10 March 2017 at 0:27 PM, spyguy said:

I like Tesco slf serve. I go in their most morning to buy my tub of salad and some fruit.

The self-serice machine does not get confused by me trying to offload my loose change. The checkout people do.

 

But I bet they'd whoop your ass at touchscreen typing.

[Mikhail Liebenstein]

On 09/03/2017 at 10:04 PM, One-percent said:

 

my view is that for low paid work to work as it used to, a couple of older people on permanent contracts holding the fort with a number of young students doing part time hours takes a bit of organising. Much easier to have three, four, five full time cheap EEs. 

 

Tend to agree, though higher wages would help too. Personally I don't think that businesses that can't pay £30k as the lowest wage deserve any special treatment- let them go bust.

[Mikhail Liebenstein]

2 minutes ago, Mikhail Liebenstein said:

 

Tend to agree, though higher wages would help too. Personally I don't think that businesses that can't pay £30k as the lowest wage deserve any special treatment- let them go bust.

I refuse to use self service - if I wanted to work in  a Supermarket then I'd apply for a checkout job. Funnily enough I don't, and if anyone every directs me to self service I just dump my purchases and walk out.  Seems to happen mainly in Boots and WHSmith for some reason.

Edited March 12, 2017 by Mikhail Liebenstein

[Funn3r]

Just now, Mikhail Liebenstein said:

I refuse to use self service - if I wanted to work Ina Supermarket then I'd apply for a checkout job. Funnily enough I don't, and if anyone every directs me to self service I just dump my purchases and walk out.  Seems to happen mainly in Boots and WHSmith for some reason.

I hate WHS especially in airports. I don't like them demanding my boarding card every time I buy something and I am anyway not going to bother finding it and getting it out of my pocket for a 2 quid magazine. The self-service however is programmed not to complete the purchase without the boarding card, which forces me to press the bell for a human who then gives me a filthy look as they do it manually.

I am not against automation though. When I travel for business I frequently marvel at the gall of hotels which charge 30 euros for breakfast but then still expect me to self-service it. If they can get away with it at those prices then why do I need a Pret "barrista" to mess about and write my name on the cup and so on. What Pret should do is dump all the staff except one who monitors the self-service coffee machine.

[Riedquat]

On 12/03/2017 at 11:00 AM, Funn3r said:

I am not against automation though. When I travel for business I frequently marvel at the gall of hotels which charge 30 euros for breakfast but then still expect me to self-service it. If they can get away with it at those prices then why do I need a Pret "barrista" to mess about and write my name on the cup and so on. What Pret should do is dump all the staff except one who monitors the self-service coffee machine.

I am against automation because I really don't see it as serving any useful purpose whatsoever, and having a whole big pile of downsides. Sure, it'll serve some immediate short-term purpose for the businesses employing it but then a few years later everyone does the same and we're back to square one, except with fewer people employed (or a bunch more non-jobs have been invented, with even worse pay) and with more impersonality. It's only of any real benefit when it replaces dangerous or unpleasant jobs. Just look at how much now that it's only practical to do by really cheap and nasty means since craftsmanship is totally unaffordable (a big part of why modern housing may sometimes by functional but it's about as uplifting as a skip full of lead).

[Errol]

On 12/03/2017 at 11:00 AM, Funn3r said:

What Pret should do is dump all the staff except one who monitors the self-service coffee machine.

Presumably fully robotic baristas are already being devised. Not long before we see them in shops.

[lid]

Local McDonalds was staffed by one till girl last night, with the majority of younger customers seemingly happy to order for themselves using the touchscreen things

It was like Argos, waiting around with a number order in hand.

The burgers have not gone down in price unsurprisingly

 

 

[Nabby81]

Quote

 

Pret a Manger pays its staff in London (and places with a similar cost of living) £8.05 an hour, including a bonus.

In other regional towns and cities its pay is £7.85 per hour. They get minimum contract hours, are paid for their breaks, and receive free food and drinks when working.

 

So 20p an hour more to serve coffee in London ..

I do have to wonder exactly what kind of housing these people on 8 quid an hour in London are living in if working there full time no tax credits ect and has for the comment that staff can be payed up to 40k ..I would like a break down of the % of staff getting paid that.

[spyguy]

8 hours ago, Nabby81 said:

So 20p an hour more to serve coffee in London ..

I do have to wonder exactly what kind of housing these people on 8 quid an hour in London are living in if working there full time no tax credits ect and has for the comment that staff can be payed up to 40k ..I would like a break down of the % of staff getting paid that.

Probably the HR person paid to spout crp on the radio ...

 

[Hectors House]

On 3/14/2017 at 7:52 AM, spyguy said:

Probably the HR person paid to spout crp on the radio ...

 

 

I work in HR and I found her comments both crass and deluded

[Trampa501]

Reason why you see so many migrant workers in Pret/Starbucks etc in central London (and to an extent in other cities) is because they apply for the jobs.

It's not really down to money for them. London is seen as an exciting city with opportunities to advance, plus they get to improve their English which always looks good on the cv. Of course money and the fact it's a "low-status" job (not sure this is correct though) means that an equivalent Brit will either prefer to opt for a higher paying job here (whether brickie or estate agent), or do the opposite and earn money abroad teaching English. I've even heard rumours of youngsters working in bars abroad over summer even though it's poor money - for the crack....