am i getting underpayed

Discussion in 'Builders' Talk' started by wayne mason, Sep 29, 2014.

  1. wayne mason

    wayne mason New Member

    hi all. I am currently a labourer for a gang of three and lately I have been woundering if i should be getting payed more. I get payed every two weeks and after take I take home £496. But I know that they are getting payed £400 for every 1000 bricks and £1 per block. And on average it takes about a week to bring three houses up to first level joist. The houses are 43 bricks long on the gables and 21 on the front and back and 20 high to the lift. Any help would be great as I'm struggling to feed my family on this wage and need to know if I have the right to ask for more.
     
  2. Jitender

    Jitender Screwfix Select

    I am working out that your total pay before tax is £595.20 for a fortnights work.

    Based on a 40yr a week that equates to:

    £595.20/2 = £297.60

    = £297.60/40 = £7.44/hour

    National minimum wage rates increase by 19 per hour form 1st October.
     
    Last edited: Sep 29, 2014
    metrokitchens likes this.
  3. wayne mason

    wayne mason New Member

    I know how much I get payed but thanks for your help. But I want to know if I should get more as I work for 3 brickies.
     
  4. two trowels

    two trowels New Member

    If you genuinely are keeping three trowels going all on your own then yes, you are being underpaid at £60 a day - taking into consideration they are doing nearly 3k worth of work in a week on the figures you quote they should be able to find you a bit more.
     
  5. You are keeping 3 brickies going, Wayne? Jeepers.

    That is not a lot of money for what must surely be hard graft.

    But, are you being underpaid? I just dunno. Probably. Possibly.

    Where are you? What's the unemployment situation like there?

    And what will happen if you ask for a raise...?
     
  6. tom.plum

    tom.plum Screwfix Select

    when I first started work the bricklayers used to form a 'two and a one gang' 2 bricklayers and a hod carrier, the hod carrier used to feed both brickies with bricks and cement, so while the mixer is mixing he loads up with bricks, when the mixers mixed he loads up the mortar, Its a very physically demanding job but he also used his position as a learning curve, so after a couple of years as the 'one' he's be taken under the wing of one of the two and form another two and one gang, him now being a two instead of a one, Is this the case for you or are you just lifting the bricks and ready mix up with a fork lift,?
     
  7. wayne mason

    wayne mason New Member

    I'm down I Devon and its hard to find a Jo down here especially plymouth where I am. On average i load enough to go up to the first lift for 3 houses a week. I'm not sure what will happen if i ask which is why I'm askin anround to get the general idea. I think i am worth at least £100 a day but i only want £75.
     
  8. Jitender

    Jitender Screwfix Select

    Looking at the Jobcentre Plus site that seems like the going rate for a labourer within that area, with £8./hour being the max with a CSCS card, most of the work is through agencies though.

    How long have you been working for them?

    There is no harm in asking for a rise, I doubt they will get rid of you and will be unable to find a hard worker such as yourself.
     
  9. wayne mason

    wayne mason New Member

    iv only been with them for 3 months. I feel really bad about asking but I have 2 kiddies and a wife to take care of but its hard when i bring home less than a thousand a month. Not to mention if I rains and they cant work that's £50 gone just like that. My rent is 650
     
  10. wayne mason

    wayne mason New Member

    we have a silo on this site but hr cant drop it right near us as there is a 15ft drop and the only way down is to carry it all buy buckets cos they wont sling it down for h/s and as said before I'm in apart of a 3 to 1 gang me being the 1.
     
  11. You should be on a minimum £120 a day keeping 3 trowels going.

    Have a read about Max Quaterman ( Super Hod ) for any one that can remember him.
    Made his millions hodding for big gangs, he had super sized hods made up, and ended up being the boss instead of the skivvy.
     
  12. wayne mason

    wayne mason New Member

    I'm gonna leave it to Friday to think it over and make sure they cant say I'm worth it then ill speak to them but ill post here to say what happens. Thanks for the advice.
     
  13. Good luck, Wayne.

    After you've paid your rent, that's precious little left.

    If you've been there 3 months, they must know your worth - if you are anything like you come across on here, they'd be very reluctant to lose you.

    You are certainly not being greedy! Just explain how it is, as you've done on here; you bring home less than £1k a month, of which £650 disappears instantly on rent. Really hard to cope on that.

    Worst that happens is they say 'nope'.
     
  14. wayne mason

    wayne mason New Member

    thankyou for that devil.. Reading back about my money situation has made it more real.
     
  15. Phil the Paver

    Phil the Paver Screwfix Select

    After all you are only looking for a month, what they are on a week.:)
     
  16. chippie244

    chippie244 Super Member

    Could they get anyone else to do what you are doing for the same money?
     
  17. wayne mason

    wayne mason New Member

    that's the other thing. I know there isn't anybody as good as me that I know of bit I think they would settle for an average Joe. We will soon know tho.
     
  18. Rulland

    Rulland Screwfix Select

    Average Joe wouldn't be able to feed them enough materials, then they'd lose money too, catch 22.
    You may be pleasantly surprised...
     
  19. Looking forward to a positive outcome to restore my faith in humanity.

    (That the UKIPs and Scots Nats have taken away... :p )
     
  20. FatHands

    FatHands Well-Known Member

    go for it Wayne. Good luck!
     

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