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Forced purchase of equipment for a job ...

  • 11-12-2015 10:50PM
    #1
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 99 ✭✭


    Hi folks,


    A friend of mine was telling me this earlier, and I find it rotten ...

    I'm curious to hear your comments on the matter, more so the 'cold facts' rather than emotional stuff.

    - He works as a bouncer
    - Casual terms, 1 or 2 nights per week etc ... been there about a year.
    - I think minimum wage or similar
    - Each bouncer buys his own uniform (specified) & ear-piece (not a specified type).
    - Radio is supplied.



    ***The issue***

    - This week his boss contacted him (and presumably his peers) to advise that new ear-pieces were purchased during the week ... and that each bouncer could bring in e20.00 tonight or have the e20.00 stopped out of their wages.
    ********************

    I work in a factory environment, hardware & safety equipment that's required to do the job is sourced & paid for by the company. This seems very fair to me.

    I suppose my feelings are coloured by my experiences in the factory; I just see pure meanness/greed on the employers side when I hear my friends scenario.


    - Can anyone offer helpful comments please?

    - Perhaps my friend can simply say he's happy with his current ear-piece and doesn't want another one?
    --- The only problem here is that there has been occasions in the past where many of the bouncers can't hear what the hell their peers are trying to say across the radio/ear-piece system ... so, maybe the employer will cling to this as a way to shaft the employee for e20.00 ???

    Believe it or not, but my friend would be willing to try the new ear-piece, and if it's really good he'd give them the e20.00 for it.

    I think he should just tell them to f*** themselves in a passive manner.


    Cheers folks,
    T


Comments

  • Moderators, Business & Finance Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 51,685 Mod ✭✭✭✭Stheno


    He can claim the tax back from it.

    It's not unusual for companies to require employees to pay for uniforms, and I'd consider ear pieces uniform for a bouncer.


  • Moderators, Category Moderators, Arts Moderators, Business & Finance Moderators, Entertainment Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 18,560 CMod ✭✭✭✭Nody


    So the current equipment is not up to scratch or working when people can buy the cheapest **** on the market and you think it's a scheme to shaft the employees to insist on having gear that actually works and they would bother for 20 quid a person (that's less than two hours of work we're talking about here)? Got ya...

    Anyway to answer your question yes they can insist on it; see work uniforms etc. and honestly for twenty euro your friend is risking being seen as a trouble maker and suddenly find his hours are cut permanently.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 20,299 ✭✭✭✭MadsL


    Would he really want to share a communal earpiece?? Ewwww.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 99 ✭✭IRL-Tony


    MadsL wrote: »
    Would he really want to share a communal earpiece?? Ewwww.


    "Each bouncer buys his own uniform (specified) & ear-piece (not a specified type)."

    He has already purchased his own personal ear-piece .......... when he started work months & months ago.


  • Moderators, Business & Finance Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 51,685 Mod ✭✭✭✭Stheno


    IRL-Tony wrote: »
    "Each bouncer buys his own uniform (specified) & ear-piece (not a specified type)."

    He has already purchased his own personal ear-piece .......... when he started work months & months ago.

    And now the spec has changed, so he needs to buy the new one.

    Much like if they changed their logo and he needed a new shirt.


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 31,588 ✭✭✭✭Wanderer78


    i truly think employers need to get over themselves with this kinna crap. i would not buy anything period! no uniform, no earpiece, no crap. if they want it, they pay for it.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 466 ✭✭beanie10


    "no uniform, no earpiece, no crap"
    NO JOB!!
    Why would an employer deal with an attitude like yours!


  • Moderators, Business & Finance Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 51,685 Mod ✭✭✭✭Stheno


    Wanderer78 wrote: »
    i truly think employers need to get over themselves with this kinna crap. i would not buy anything period! no uniform, no earpiece, no crap. if they want it, they pay for it.

    Are you currently employed? Would you refuse to spend time outside work studying for qualifications that your work were paying for?


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 36,095 ✭✭✭✭ED E


    If the company wants to change radio units the heatset type will often change too.

    Its part of the job, I really don't see the issue.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 99 ✭✭IRL-Tony


    Stheno wrote: »
    And now the spec has changed, so he needs to buy the new one.

    Much like if they changed their logo and he needed a new shirt.



    And if these ear-pieces turn out to be poor, and the 'spec' changes again ... and again ...

    I can see the point with a t-shirt or similar; however his employer is field-testing ear-pieces at their employees expense.


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 99 ✭✭IRL-Tony


    ED E wrote: »
    If the company wants to change radio units the heatset type will often change too.

    Its part of the job, I really don't see the issue.



    I would have assumed that the employer would pay for, or supply the hardware.
    If I need a new monitor, mouse, notebook, boots, hard-hat at work ... the stuff is supplied by the crowd who employ me.
    The vast majority of my friends work at places that apply these principles.

    Maybe it's related to industry type; service sector employees buy all the stuff that they (or in this case, their employer) need(s) out of their own funds?


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 5,191 ✭✭✭Eugene Norman


    Seems odd to me too. I would have thought that uniforms would be supplied by employers, or the employee recompensed.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 6,926 ✭✭✭davo10


    IRL-Tony wrote: »
    I would have assumed that the employer would pay for, or supply the hardware.
    If I need a new monitor, mouse, notebook, boots, hard-hat at work ... the stuff is supplied by the crowd who employ me.
    The vast majority of my friends work at places that apply these principles.

    Maybe it's related to industry type; service sector employees buy all the stuff that they (or in this case, their employer) need(s) out of their own funds?

    All of the equipment you quote above can be used by others, earpieces which fit into a body part are different from a hygienic viewpoint. Say your employment required you to noterise recorded dictation, you arrive to work and have to use earphones that were just used by a colleague, how would you feel about putting them in your ears?

    Plus, if your friend owns them, I presume they have a standard jack and will fit other radios, he can take them with him to the next job.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 26,706 ✭✭✭✭Mrs OBumble


    davo10 wrote: »
    All of the equipment you quote above can be used by others, earpieces which fit into a body part are different from a hygienic viewpoint. Say your employment required you to noterise recorded dictation, you arrive to work and have to use earphones that were just used by a colleague, how would you feel about putting them in your ears?

    Plus, if your friend owns them, I presume they have a standard jack and will fit other radios, he can take them with him to the next job.

    I would expect to supply my own foam earpiece covers, much like I would supply my own underwear to go under a workplace uniform.

    But the uniform and the hardware should be employer supplied, especially for a minimum wage job.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 6,926 ✭✭✭davo10


    I would expect to supply my own foam earpiece covers, much like I would supply my own underwear to go under a workplace uniform.

    But the uniform and the hardware should be employer supplied, especially for a minimum wage job.

    Would you wear underwear worn by somebody else where you work?


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 466 ✭✭beanie10


    AFAIK nurse (employed by the HSE) have to supply their own uniform, well care assistants do. Just throwing it out there.

    Students in school supply there own uniform too.

    Uniform can only be used by one employee and should be paid for and cleaned by that employee. PC, monitors etc are different as they are generally more expensive but tend to stay in the one place and can be used by multiple employees.

    Gardi uniforms afaik as supplied to them but they have to be made by a certain company to stop imitations being made.

    Ultimately its up to the employer.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 8,800 ✭✭✭Senna


    Not standing up for the employer, but I've seen employees be given equipment and they treat it like crap, lose it all the time and general not care because they didn't pay for it (I'm think inexpensive equipment here).
    But when an employee has to pay for it themselves, they start to respect it.
    Just my experience.


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