Boohoo Warehouse Burnley - The Times

[JohnMac]

My own experience with Unions was meeting the Area Rep and our Shop Stewards to discuss what was being offered in the way of a pay rise. This was the very first meeting for the next year's negotiations.

Before I had exchanged pleasantries or opened the meeting, one of the Shop Stewards said 'We wish to record A Failure to Agree'.

Even the Area Rep was smirking at that one.

It isn't helpful when you have Shop Stewards who are militant, aggressive and think 'Carry on at Your Convenience' is a training film for Union Reps.

[Nori1958]

If union leaders had to go without pay, like their striking members, there would be fewer strikes

[CoolClaret]

This is so true, I worked at a supermarket part-time whilst I finished Uni and it's like being back at school.

People get promoted from shelf stacker to the guy who supervises the shelf stackers and act like they've made it, I think the difference at the time equated to an extra £1 an hour. Not sure why but these low paid jobs seem to create pretty toxic environments from my experience.

Spot on mate.

I’ve seen the exact thing happen in multiple companies - it’s even worse when one tries to discipline someone ‘under’ them for doing something that they routinely do/did.
Just rank hypocrisy.

I think it’s some weird sort of psychological trait that gets activated in their reptilian brains upon a slight ‘promotion’ - as that they’re ‘better’ than those ‘beneath’ them and are there purely on merit by some sort of divine right.

It’s a tale as old as time, if they can just save their self then some other poor bugger will take the heat - Malcolm X spoke about this extensively with regards to slavery and ‘Uncle Toms’ - it’s the same psychology in these instances

[Tribesmen]

So ballpark how much would a guy get take home for a 40 hour week in Boohoo ?

[Devils_Advocate]

If union leaders had to go without pay, like their striking members, there would be fewer strikes

If MPs had to use the NHS, send their kids to state schools, rely 100% on public transport and follow working conditions that these workers at Boohoo are expected to follow then Im sure we would have far better public services and much stricter laws on working conditions so when that happens I'll maybe start to worry about the pay these elected union leaders get for doing the job they are paid to do.

[CoolClaret]

So ballpark how much would a guy get take home for a 40 hour week in Boohoo ?

At £10/hour, that equates to a yearly salary of £20,800

After deductions for Tax/NI etc that’s a take home wage of £18,166.40 (changed in November - prior would be £18,063.52) which equates to £349.36 a week

[ClaretDiver]

At £10/hour, that equates to a yearly salary of £20,800

After deductions for Tax/NI etc that’s a take home wage of £18,166.40 (changed in November - prior would be £18,063.52) which equates to £349.36 a week

That’s as much as I get driving an ambulance!!!

[CoolClaret]

That’s as much as I get driving an ambulance!!!

If so then that’s appalling for that line of work - sorry.

The point is here isn’t to hate on poor sods at Boohoo because of your poor payment, it’s more that you should use that anger (collectively as a union) to demand a salary to rise in line with inflation - because in real terms over the past sort of decade and a half, you’ve had a massive real terms pay cut

[ClaretDiver]

If so then that’s appalling for that line of work - sorry.

The point is here isn’t to hate on poor sods at Boohoo because of your poor payment, it’s more that you should use that anger (collectively as a union) to demand a salary to rise in line with inflation - because in real terms over the past sort of decade and a half, you’ve had a massive real terms pay cut

I am in no way hating them for this….if they had better employment conditions then that would be a decent wage…

Unfortunately our Union have just balloted us for strike action

[CoolClaret]

I am in no way hating them for this….if they had better employment conditions then that would be a decent wage…

Unfortunately our Union have just balloted us for strike action

It wouldn’t be a decent wage at all mate, it’s terrible.

A one bed flat to lease in Burnley is minimum £450 a month.

Add in costs for food/transport and trying to have some modicum of a social life or whatever plus any other unexpected expenses and you’re never gonna be getting a step up to save and become a home earner etc

https://www.jrf.org.uk/report/minimum-i ... rd-uk-2022#

[Ptgclaret]

Not strictly true, a quick search in Rightmove shows 22, 1 bed flats available to rent right now, and 40% of them are under £450 - they start at £350pm.

But that's besides the point, Boohoo is a terrible company, with terrible values, it's bad for the environment with their fast throwaway fashion, still has the Leicester sweatshops hanging over their heads, and is horrible to their employees.

[RMutt]

An "i'm alright Jack" post if i've ever seen one.

Sadly that seems to be the way on here for a vocal minority. I think we know who they are. Very little care, empathy or understanding for other people’s situations.

[brexit]

It's not boohoo's fault it's yours (to be more precise, your mothers, wives and daughters) wanting cheap goods.
https://www.fool.com/investing/general/ ... mirro.aspx

[Tribesmen]

At £10/hour, that equates to a yearly salary of £20,800

After deductions for Tax/NI etc that’s a take home wage of £18,166.40 (changed in November - prior would be £18,063.52) which equates to £349.36 a week

Hummmm McDonalds pay €11.60 an hour in Galway , and if you can find a one bedroom flat for less than €850 a month you would have done well .

[CoolClaret]

Not strictly true, a quick search in Rightmove shows 22, 1 bed flats available to rent right now, and 40% of them are under £450 - they start at £350pm.

But that's besides the point, Boohoo is a terrible company, with terrible values, it's bad for the environment with their fast throwaway fashion, still has the Leicester sweatshops hanging over their heads, and is horrible to their employees.

There’s 7 and they’re all house shares.

Absolutely miserable

[Chester Perry]

There’s 7 and they’re all house shares.

Absolutely miserable

There has been a huge move to Houses of Multiple Occupation in the town from landlords and developers buying properties fitting them out and then selling them as ongoing business's - the town centre is full of them and the council (who have also long championed the BooHoo presence in the town) have been very significant contributors to this all occurring.

[Ptgclaret]

There’s 7 and they’re all house shares.

Absolutely miserable

Again, completely untrue and besides the point of Boohoo, but for clarity:

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/127559798 ( 1 bed flat, Victoria apartments, fully furnished, 350pm)

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/129375269 (terrace converted to flats, 1 bed, Briercliffe 380pm)

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/127622492 (bathesda house, flats, 1 bed, town Centre, 400pm)

Https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/128988893 (same flats, 415pm)

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/117680915 (Ormerod road, studio flat, 1 bed, 415pm and this includes all gas, electric, water and council tax bills)

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/129017627 (bridge street, town Centre, 1 bed apartment, 425pm)

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/129017432 (same building)

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/129379637 (Ashworth house, town Centre, CO vetted flats, 1 bed, 425pm)

Important not to use false facts when making a point. These are all flats or houses/buildings converted to flats. Not to my taste, but they're there.

[Zlatan]

Again, completely untrue and besides the point of Boohoo, but for clarity:

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/127559798 ( 1 bed flat, Victoria apartments, fully furnished, 350pm)

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/129375269 (terrace converted to flats, 1 bed, Briercliffe 380pm)

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/127622492 (bathesda house, flats, 1 bed, town Centre, 400pm)

Https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/128988893 (same flats, 415pm)

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/117680915 (Ormerod road, studio flat, 1 bed, 415pm and this includes all gas, electric, water and council tax bills)

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/129017627 (bridge street, town Centre, 1 bed apartment, 425pm)

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/129017432 (same building)

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/129379637 (Ashworth house, town Centre, CO vetted flats, 1 bed, 425pm)

Important not to use false facts when making a point. These are all flats or houses/buildings converted to flats. Not to my taste, but they're there.

thats shockingly high rent for those "rooms" no wonder the country is on it's ar5e when the wealthy can suck up property assets and fleece people (usually under priveleged) like this.

[CoolClaret]

Again, completely untrue and besides the point of Boohoo, but for clarity:

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/127559798 ( 1 bed flat, Victoria apartments, fully furnished, 350pm)

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/129375269 (terrace converted to flats, 1 bed, Briercliffe 380pm)

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/127622492 (bathesda house, flats, 1 bed, town Centre, 400pm)

Https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/128988893 (same flats, 415pm)

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/117680915 (Ormerod road, studio flat, 1 bed, 415pm and this includes all gas, electric, water and council tax bills)

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/129017627 (bridge street, town Centre, 1 bed apartment, 425pm)

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/129017432 (same building)

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/129379637 (Ashworth house, town Centre, CO vetted flats, 1 bed, 425pm)

Important not to use false facts when making a point. These are all flats or houses/buildings converted to flats. Not to my taste, but they're there.

The point is you are basically getting a dive for anywhere nice for under sort of 550-650 (before bills) unless you’re prepared to live with other individuals in a cramped environment or in an cramped environment.

I initially misread what you wrote and thought it stated just £350

For properties at £350 there are 7 listings, 6 of which is a house share, one being an apartment in a mill that you posted.

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-to ... xPrice=350

Ultimately, this is just semantics. The point is that living costs relative to wages have increased and people being diehard deniers of it or treating minimum wage workers with contempt scoffing that they should sort of ‘put up with it’ whilst their quality of life is diminishing with each passing day is just a bit disgusting.

[CoolClaret]

thats shockingly high rent for those "rooms" no wonder the country is on it's ar5e when the wealthy can suck up property assets and fleece people (usually under priveleged) like this.

A lot of folk either don’t understand at all, or worse do and just think they ultimately have what they deserve.

It shows a real lack empathy thinking people should just be happy to exist whilst in effect being used for cheap labour without any real prospects of betterment or getting out of their predicament unless they dedicate to virtually no quality of life for a good number of years.

Which we all know if everyone saved every single penny meticulously the economy would be on its frigging arse.

[Billy Balfour]

Sadly that seems to be the way on here for a vocal minority. I think we know who they are. Very little care, empathy or understanding for other people’s situations.

It's shows how bad things have got when a Murdoch owned newspaper is covering this. However, the lack of empathy for these workers on here is yet another new low for this place. It must make grim reading for some of the mods who run UTC. After all, some of them help to organise and run foodbank collections, and then they also have to read through this kind of stuff, day in, day out. I couldn't do it - it would make me depressed.

[Bosscat]

It's shows how bad things have got when a Murdoch owned newspaper is covering this. However, the lack of empathy for these workers on here is yet another new low for this place. It must make grim reading for some of the mods who run UTC. After all, some of them help to organise and run foodbank collections, and then they also have to read through this kind of stuff, day in, day out. I couldn't do it - it would make me depressed.

Summed up Billy by this post ... from a so called Practising Solicitor ...

Why can’t people stop whinging. Get on with your job. If you don’t like it move on. It's all to do with their outlook on life and their personal experiences. You will find that the people complaining are usually failures, jealous, they have had bitter experiences at work, are unhappy and have a poor social life.

You could not make it up

[Burnley Ace]

Can anyone else smell something?

They are describing an average night for a Criminal Duty Solicitor or Police Station Representative. What is worse is that having been out at the police station during the night they are the. Expected to do the next day in Court.

[Ptgclaret]

Absolutely not pretending these are nice places that I'd chose to live, or denying the price of living is far too high, just that it dilutes a point if it's made using incorrect info.

Also, not pretending anything will come of this latest close look at Boohoo. They don't care, and won't care while people keep buying their crap.

Unfortunately they also own these brands too:

PrettyLittleThing
Nasty Gal
MissPap
Karen Millen
Coast
Oasis
Warehouse
Debenhams
Dorothy Perkins
Wallis
Burton

People buying their nice dresses from Coast, their new suits from Debenhams or some t shirts from Burton have no idea in general their fueling the Boohoo monster.

[NottsClaret]

Nothing more depressing than people from a working class town decrying the trade union movement. We'd still be slaving 14 hours a day from childhood until we drop with no holidays or sick pay if it wasn't for unions. You need to listen to Mick Lynch or read some history and get off the billionaire's newspaper websites.

[Stayingup]

Nothing more depressing than people from a working class town decrying the trade union movement. We'd still be slaving 14 hours a day from childhood until we drop with no holidays or sick pay if it wasn't for unions. You need to listen to Mick Lynch or read some history and get off the billionaire's newspaper websites.

Mick Lynch. Where does he think the money is coming from? Higher taxes, higher fares - so less people will use the railways. Driverless trains the answer to him.

[NottsClaret]

Mick Lynch. Where does he think the money is coming from?

Shareholder dividends.

[Stayingup]

Absolutely not pretending these are nice places that I'd chose to live, or denying the price of living is far too high, just that it dilutes a point if it's made using incorrect info.

Also, not pretending anything will come of this latest close look at Boohoo. They don't care, and won't care while people keep buying their crap.

Unfortunately they also own these brands too:

PrettyLittleThing
Nasty Gal
MissPap
Karen Millen
Coast
Oasis
Warehouse
Debenhams
Dorothy Perkins
Wallis
Burton

People buying their nice dresses from Coast, their new suits from Debenhams or some t shirts from Burton have no idea in general their fueling the Boohoo monster.

Are you sure they own these companies / brands? Debenhams doesn't exist does it?
Where would you recommend people buy their clothes from then?

[Hapag Lloyd]

Debenhams is now an online business

[Stayingup]

A lot of folk either don’t understand at all, or worse do and just think they ultimately have what they deserve.

It shows a real lack empathy thinking people should just be happy to exist whilst in effect being used for cheap labour without any real prospects of betterment or getting out of their predicament unless they dedicate to virtually no quality of life for a good number of years.

Which we all know if everyone saved every single penny meticulously the economy would be on its frigging arse.

That pretty wellsums up life in a communist country and if you dont belive me visit one. No aspiration and basically institutionalised.

[Lancasterclaret]

Mick Lynch. Where does he think the money is coming from? Higher taxes, higher fares - so less people will use the railways. Driverless trains the answer to him.

I'm not sure of the timescale for this, but you are talking about a full replacement of not only the engines, but (I think) the infrastructure as well

I doubt I'll be alive when it finished even if it started now

[atlantalad]

Shareholder dividends.

I see, your pension pot?

[Stayingup]

I'm not sure of the timescale for this, but you are talking about a full replacement of not only the engines, but (I think) the infrastructure as well

I doubt I'll be alive when it finished even if it started now

Its interesting though because, as you probabaly know, there are driverless trains operating in and around airports and have been for some time. Atlanta was the first one I encountered some years back but Dubai and Singapore have them as well and there will be others oarticularly in Asia. It will likely be Asia that drives (oops) this.

[Lancasterclaret]

Its interesting though because, as you probabaly know, there are driverless trains operating in and around airports and have been for some time. Atlanta was the first one I encountered some years back but Dubai and Singapore have them as well and there will be others oarticularly in Asia. It will likely be Asia that drives (oops) this.

Yes, I'm sure its possible SU, but not in a timescale that affects any decisions made now

[CoolClaret]

Mick Lynch. Where does he think the money is coming from? Higher taxes, higher fares - so less people will use the railways. Driverless trains the answer to him.

Doesn’t necessarily work that logic does it - just have a look at France/Germany/Scandinavian countries and realise we’re getting the absolute **** taken out of us on rail fairs.

When you can get a return ticket to fly to most of sort of Western Europe’s capital cities for cheaper than you can get a train ticket from Manchester to London (without a railcard) you know that there’s something seriously wrong with the railways

[jrgbfc]

When a company can sell clothes so cheap there's obviously people getting screwed somewhere along the way.
Unfortunately most people don't care, as a society we're addicted to buying cheap, throwaway crap.

[Nori1958]

When a company can sell clothes so cheap there's obviously people getting screwed somewhere along the way.
Unfortunately most people don't care, as a society we're addicted to buying cheap, throwaway crap.

If you believe all you read, its all a lot of people can afford

[sanderson370]

Just a thought but for all those who think unions are bad it should be pointed out that any rights workers have now were won by unions. They were not given freely by employers. They never would have been. Criticising unions is hypocrisy in the extreme because the people doing the criticising most probably will have a job that is decent with decent pay and conditions. These conditions and reasonable rates of pay exist because of unions. Employers will give very little freely and yet without the very people they treat badly they themselves would have nothing. Employment is a two way street but in the past employers failed to realise or just chose to ignore it.

i totally agrree some narrow minded people on here forget that unions over many years fought for the rights you have in your workplaces now and still in 2022 are fighting for your rights.This is why boohoo wont recognise a union this is why they are getting away treating there workers like slaves.i rest my case.

[MancunianClaret]

Hardly a surprise. Boohoo are an exploitative employer who were found to be in breach of minimum wage legislation and more just a couple of years ago...

The apologists and sycophants on here make me feel ill. Instead of condemning bad employers and supporting efforts to unionise, they prefer to point the finger at the "feckless" employee. Tells you a lot about a person.

https://www.theguardian.com/business/20 ... n-failings

Levitt’s review – commissioned after investigations by the Guardian and Sunday Times found evidence that factories in Leicester were putting workers’ health at risk during lockdown and failing to pay them the minimum wage – said that the company had failed to provide all of the evidence asked for. It also found that:

* Founder Mahmud Kamani in 2018 told staff to “trade faster harder and quicker” to push prices in Leicester down, and had for “too long” been “allowed to dictate company policy”, Levitt said.

* 93% of suppliers analysed had at least one instance of non-compliance with the company’s audits in recent years on issues including minimum wage and unauthorised subcontracting. Factories were found to have locked fire doors, filthy toilets, buildings in “deplorable” condition, and “no wholesome drinking water”.

* Boohoo executives had exhibited an “occasional lack of frankness”, including joint CEO John Lyttle who failed to mention a trip to “appalling” factories which he “could not possibly have forgotten”.

* For long periods Boohoo’s on-the-ground audit team for hundreds of suppliers and subcontractors in Leicester consisted of a single person who told Levitt: “I admit I’m not a very good admin keeper … I don’t have comprehensive records.”

* Profits were “prioritised to the extent that the company lost sight of other issues” and “a series of warning and red flags” were ignored.

* Internal emails warning of social distancing breaches in factories were sent when the pandemic began in March, with one saying: “This is escalating … my instinct is this could blow up in our faces”.

[Nori1958]

Hardly a surprise. Boohoo are an exploitative employer who were found to be in breach of minimum wage legislation and more just a couple of years ago...

The apologists and sycophants on here make me feel ill. Instead of condemning bad employers and supporting efforts to unionise, they prefer to point the finger at the "feckless" employee. Tells you a lot about a person.

https://www.theguardian.com/business/20 ... n-failings

But of an over reaction
how many have actually pointed a finger at a feckless employee?
Did reading a messageboard actually make you feel ill?

[MancunianClaret]

But of an over reaction
how many have actually pointed a finger at a feckless employee?
Did reading a messageboard actually make you feel ill?

Do you have anything meaningful to add to the discussion or do you just want to resort to ad-hominems?

In a good faith attempt at discussion with you (not holding my breath) - I'll at least attempt to address your question. Two terms used already in this thread to describe employees unhappy with their working conditions;

"thugs and vandals"

"[people complaining are usually] failures"

[Nori1958]

Do you have anything meaningful to add to the discussion or do you just want to resort to ad-hominems?

In a good faith attempt at discussion with you (not holding my breath) - I'll at least attempt to address your question. Two terms used already in this thread to describe employees unhappy with their working conditions;

"thugs and vandals"

"[people complaining are usually] failures"

A very small minority then?
The vast majority of posters are anti Boohoo, and that is the main thrust of the conversation, to suggest otherwise, in my opinion was misleading.

[MancunianClaret]

A very small minority then?
The vast majority of posters are anti Boohoo, and that is the main thrust of the conversation, to suggest otherwise, in my opinion was misleading.

I don't recall I said it was a majority OR minority of posters taking a certain position. I invite you to back up your claim that I "suggested otherwise".

[Nori1958]

I don't recall I said it was a majority OR minority of posters taking a certain position. I invite you to back up your claim that I "suggested otherwise".

You didn't

It was me who mentioned minority and majority

[MancunianClaret]

You didn't

It was me who mentioned minority and majority

I'm lost as to what point you're trying to make or argue in that case - because right now it appears you've claimed I represented a position, argued against it, and then admitted I never held that position in the first place.

I'll ask again - I invite you to back up your claim that I "suggested otherwise".

[Nori1958]

In my opinion, your post made it sound like there were plenty of posters supporting Boohoo and criticising the employees... So many in fact it made you ill
When in fact not many had that view.

[ceborame]

Oh the irony of union bashing on this thread, which is about a company that treats it's employee's like sh!t, and won't recognise unions. Incredible

[MancunianClaret]

In my opinion, your post made it sound like there were plenty of posters supporting Boohoo and criticising the employees... So many in fact it made you ill
When in fact not many had that view.

You've made your own (incorrect) interpretation of my position, got it. To clear it up for you - I don't believe a majority of posters were criticising the unfairly treated employees.

It's beside the point really - my actual intention was to provide additional evidence that Boohoo are indeed an exploitative employer that don't respect workers rights. To see any number of posters (yes, even a minority) suggest those employees being exploited are "failures" makes me angry, yes. Is there something in that position you take objection to?

[Nori1958]

You've made your own (incorrect) interpretation of my position, got it. To clear it up for you - I don't believe a majority of posters were criticising the unfairly treated employees.

It's beside the point really - my actual intention was to provide additional evidence that Boohoo are indeed an exploitative employer that don't respect workers rights. To see any number of posters (yes, even a minority) suggest those employees being exploited are "failures" makes me angry, yes. Is there something in that position you take objection to?

None at all, and had you said it made you angry, instead of ill I would probably not have commented. Can we leave it now, or have you more questions

[MancunianClaret]

It's an emotive subject, so I make no apology for my feelings on the matter - but yes, let's get back to the discussion.