Supermacs

Sunny Disposition · 29-05-2020 1:46pm #1

https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/politics/criticism-in-dail-of-supermacs-bosss-claim-some-workers-won-the-lotto-with-350-a-week-unemployment-payment-39242115.html?????

McDonagh is right there is an anomaly but it’s not like winning the lotto. But what really struck me is that he charges his own staff for meals they may not even want. That’s really tight, could qualify for the stingiest thing you’ve see stingy people do thread!

ciano1 · 29-05-2020 1:50pm

Sunny Disposition wrote: »

https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/politics/criticism-in-dail-of-supermacs-bosss-claim-some-workers-won-the-lotto-with-350-a-week-unemployment-payment-39242115.html?????

McDonagh is right there is an anomaly but it’s not like winning the lotto. But what really struck me is that he charges his own staff for meals they may not even want. That’s really tight, could qualify for the stingiest thing you’ve see stingy people do thread!

Worked there for a few years during college. I can't think of many employers that pay less than minimum wage but Supermacs is one. I also did a brief stint in McDonalds and they were far more generous.

29-05-2020 1:51pm

McDonagh is a crass article, he should try to engage his brain before he speaks.

jester77 · 29-05-2020 1:52pm

The whole unemployment system needs an overhaul. The fact that everyone gets the same benefit is ridiculous.

I like the system here in Germany, you get roughly two thirds of your salary for 1 year, and after that you have to meet a lot of criteria to get any further benefits, e.g. using up savings, selling property, downsizing apartment or house if too big, etc

Montage of Feck · 29-05-2020 1:57pm

You cant deny he has a point though, although "winning the lotto" is just a stupid comparison.

Stovepipe · 29-05-2020 2:05pm

jester77 wrote: »

The whole unemployment system needs an overhaul. The fact that everyone gets the same benefit is ridiculous.

I like the system here in Germany, you get roughly two thirds of your salary for 1 year, and after that you have to meet a lot of criteria to get any further benefits, e.g. using up savings, selling property, downsizing apartment or house if too big, etc

same in most countries, especially in the US. You get about a year and then you get chopped. same here, too. the old days of living on the dole til you die are gone.

Woke Hogan · 29-05-2020 2:10pm

Pat McDonagh is happy to give us the poor mouth stuff when it comes to paying his employees a living wage but then they’re supposed to jump at the chance of slinging fried pig**** for a paltry 80euros a week and the privilege of getting charged a levy for meals they’re not even eating.

The only thing more disgusting than the ****ing slurry Pat McDonagh is serving is his attitude towards his employees. He should be tarred and feathered in Eyre Square for his comments.

EmmetSpiceland · 29-05-2020 2:16pm

People seem to think they’re very “clever” when they suggest things like ‘the Covid payment should be 70% of your salary up to a max of €350’.

That’s all well and good but the “system” we have doesn’t allow for that, it was always an overnight decision that had to be made, pay everyone or pay no one.

Is it perfect, no far from it. Was it better than doing nothing, definitely.

L1011 · 29-05-2020 2:17pm

McDonagh was involved in a court case to specifically reduce the wages he had to pay fast food workers - he just wants the cheapest workers possible.

gmisk · 29-05-2020 2:23pm

Scumbag behaviour.
A guy posted his payslip on Twitter he paid more in food and uniform than he paid in taxes....ffs

dan1895 · 29-05-2020 2:24pm

Saw that too. Paying him employer more than what he is taxed. Mad.

gmisk · 29-05-2020 2:26pm

Woke Hogan wrote: »

Pat McDonagh is happy to give us the poor mouth stuff when it comes to paying his employees a living wage but then they’re supposed to jump at the chance of slinging fried pig**** for a paltry 80euros a week and the privilege of getting charged a levy for meals they’re not even eating.

The only thing more disgusting than the ****ing slurry Pat McDonagh is serving is his attitude towards his employees. He should be tarred and feathered in Eyre Square for his comments.

Supermacs also regularly object to planning applications for food outlets anywhere near them especially on sure square.

Btw pat mc Donagh is worth...about 120m

the beer revolu · 29-05-2020 2:29pm

Surely they can't charge employees for meals without their say so?

I've always thought it terribly unfair that employees can be charged for uniforms that they have to wear!

jimgoose · 29-05-2020 2:31pm

Well first of all McDonagh is a fairly tight, miserated operator by any standards, let alone those of fast-food operators. He and others also forget that the whole point of the 350 Euro payment in the first place was to encourage people to leave work at a time when it was deemed unsafe for people to be at work. Obviously anyone receiving more money for being sat at home is going to prefer it, and endeavour to extend the situation for as long as possible. Does he think people are idiots?? :pac:

Banana Republic. · 29-05-2020 2:31pm

gmisk wrote: »

Supermacs also regularly object to planning applications for food outlets anywhere near them especially on sure square.

Btw pat mc Donagh is worth...about 120m

Easy be worth that with the Franchise and charging people for food that isn’t been made. The government would be all over them just like Eishtec in Waterford when they were paying ppl crap and treating them even worse. The government don’t care they just want their employment numbers up, publicity and let companies carry on regardless. That guy with 120m wouldn’t be any less off with 100m and looking after his staff. Surely they can take it to the court of human rights?

ciano1 · 29-05-2020 2:36pm

the beer revolu wrote: »

Surely they can't charge employees for meals without their say so?

I've always thought it terribly unfair that employees can be charged for uniforms that they have to wear!

When I worked there, minimum wage was still €8.65. It was written into the contract that 50c/hr was to be deducted from your wages for 'Staff food' (Regardless of whether or not it was eaten). We were allowed to take €7.50 worth of food per shift. There was also a mandatory €3 per week charge for the uniform.

Do the maths....

the beer revolu · 29-05-2020 2:43pm

ciano1 wrote: »

When I worked there, minimum wage was still €8.65. It was written into the contract that 50c/hr was to be deducted from your wages for 'Staff food' (Regardless of whether or not it was eaten). We were allowed to take €7.50 worth of food per shift. There was also a mandatory €3 per week charge for the uniform.

Do the maths....

What a mangey cnut of a person and company!

CrabRevolution · 29-05-2020 2:43pm

jimgoose wrote: »

Well first of all McDonagh is a fairly tight, miserated operator by any standards, let alone those of fast-food operators. He and others also forget that the whole point of the 350 Euro payment in the first place was to encourage people to leave work at a time when it was deemed unsafe for people to be at work. Obviously anyone receiving more money for being sat at home is going to prefer it, and endeavour to extend the situation for as long as possible. Does he think people are idiots?? :pac:

I like to think you're being sarcastic, but I'm really not sure.

Strumms · 29-05-2020 2:46pm

What an utter cûnt of a human being, I can say without a shadow of a doubt that I’d have eaten my last supermacs. Not that it makes a great dent in their financials but it’s the principal, fûck em.. I said earlier in this thread that we ALL need to remember ANY and indeed ALL businesses who are using this health situation to screw their employees, their customers or the health thereof in any and all regards, another, to the list.

gmisk · 29-05-2020 2:48pm

Strumms wrote: »

What an utter cûnt of a human being, I can say without a shadow of a doubt that I’d have eaten my last supermacs. Not that it makes a great dent in their financials but it’s the principal, fûck em.. I said earlier in this thread that we ALL need to remember ANY and indeed ALL businesses who are using this health situation to screw their employees, their customers or the health thereof in any and all regards, another, to the list.

I totally agree.
There is chemist near where i work that was charging 27 euro for 3 bottles of homemade hand sanitizer....I will never darken their door again, I also doubt anyone from my office will either.

29-05-2020 2:48pm

It says int he article he's worth €300m.

Staff in my local Supermacs are class. Lovely people and make an effort. Didn't realise the place was that bad to work for. Pity the Likes of McDondalds can't try to poach people (who would have a bit of fast food experience) from the likes of Supermacs when they're hiring, to get them into a better working environment and ultimately make Supermacs up the amount they are willing to pay.

The €350 payment was a good idea, and definitely avoided what would have surely been some unrest as people were forced to live on beans and toast if they didn't get it, or alternatively, people would have rushed back to work. I think our relatively low death rate is probably one of the (unacknowledged) benefits of the payment as it kept people out of the workplace when it was important to stay away.

29-05-2020 2:50pm

CrabRevolution wrote: »

I like to think you're being sarcastic, but I'm really not sure.

But that was the whole point of it. To ensure people didn't feel it necessary to sneak back to work or do nixers or such, and keep people at home. And it worked, by and large.

the beer revolu · 29-05-2020 2:50pm

gmisk wrote: »

I totally agree.
There is chemist near where i work that was charging 27 euro for 3 bottles of homemade hand sanitizer....I will never darken their door again, I also doubt anyone from my office will either.

How much did they pay for the santiser?

jimgoose · 29-05-2020 2:53pm

Deleted User wrote: »

But that was the whole point of it. To ensure people didn't feel it necessary to sneak back to work or do nixers or such, and keep people at home. And it worked, by and large.

Yes, this is the thing - I mightn't have put it very well above.

Strumms · 29-05-2020 2:54pm

gmisk wrote: »

I totally agree.
There is chemist near where i work that was charging 27 euro for 3 bottles of homemade hand sanitizer....I will never darken their door again, I also doubt anyone from my office will either.

Jesus, 27 quid for probably what, MAX half a liter of hand sanitizer ? I’m looking here, you’d pay ‘exactly’ 27 euros in Tesco for a 70cl bottle of Jack Daniels ffs...

https://m.tesco.ie/mt/www.tesco.ie/groceries/Product/Details/?id=255248604

Bob Harris · 29-05-2020 3:04pm

gmisk wrote: »

Scumbag behaviour.
A guy posted his payslip on Twitter he paid more in food and uniform than he paid in taxes....ffs

Yeah but it's class food in fairness and the uniform is top clobber.

jimgoose · 29-05-2020 3:06pm

Bob Harris wrote: »

Yeah but it's class food in fairness and the uniform is top clobber.

It's crap. Mediocre big-chain chipper fare on a good day.

whisky_galore · 29-05-2020 3:08pm

Trotted out as a regular talking head, taking back the High Street (sic.) with Bobby Kerr, shyteing on about wearing the green jersey.

Sunny Disposition · 29-05-2020 3:12pm

Must admit I thought a lot more of McDonagh a few years ago, his antics over the last while have changed my view and charging people for food they don't eat and for uniforms is very bad.

EmmetSpiceland · 29-05-2020 3:16pm

whisky_galore wrote: »

Trotted out as a regular talking head, taking back the High Street (sic.) with Bobby Kerr, shyteing on about wearing the green jersey.

Country folk love that, W.

You’ll always hear them “banging on” about good ol’ Pat was standing behind the checkout on a busy Saturday night.

jimgoose · 29-05-2020 3:19pm

EmmetSpiceland wrote: »

Country folk love that, W.

You’ll always hear them “banging on” about good ol’ Pat was standing behind the checkout on a busy Saturday night.

We don't necessarily, no. "Taking back the High Street" is all well and good, but taking it back from a giant American corporation run by evil, soulless lizard people from Andromeda IV and replacing it with a concern run by a much bigger lighten fucker who happens to be from Galway isn't necessarily such a great idea either. :pac:

EmmetSpiceland · 29-05-2020 3:21pm

jimgoose wrote: »

We don't necessarily, no. "Taking back the High Street" is all well and good, but taking it back from a giant American corporation run by evil, soulless lizard people from Andromeda IV and replacing it with a concern run by a much bigger lighten fucker who happens to be from Galway isn't necessarily such a great idea either. :pac:

Apologies, J. Probably should have said Galway people.

silver2020 · 29-05-2020 3:22pm

ciano1 wrote: »

Worked there for a few years during college. I can't think of many employers that pay less than minimum wage but Supermacs is one. I also did a brief stint in McDonalds and they were far more generous.

It is illegal to pay less than minimum wage and any company that does that would have the wrc on its case overnight.

Maybe check the various minimum wage rates before making a wrong comment. (there are different rates depending on your age)

PCeeeee · 29-05-2020 3:23pm

EmmetSpiceland wrote: »

Apologies, J. Probably should have said Galway people.

We talk of little else Emmet

Ashleigh1986 · 29-05-2020 3:26pm

Galway country folk love supermacs and pat because he sponsors the gaa teams .
Part of his arrangement with galway GAA is he is allowed have the supermacs trailer in pearse stadium .
A lovely earner pat .... Giving back to the public after he charges them well for crap food .

silver2020 · 29-05-2020 3:27pm

ciano1 wrote: »

When I worked there, minimum wage was still €8.65. It was written into the contract that 50c/hr was to be deducted from your wages for 'Staff food' (Regardless of whether or not it was eaten). We were allowed to take €7.50 worth of food per shift. There was also a mandatory €3 per week charge for the uniform.

Do the maths....

I would guess that was a franchise and that may have been years ago as you cannot make a deduction that would bring you under minimum wage these days

pgj2015 · 29-05-2020 3:33pm

ciano1 wrote: »

When I worked there, minimum wage was still €8.65. It was written into the contract that 50c/hr was to be deducted from your wages for 'Staff food' (Regardless of whether or not it was eaten). We were allowed to take €7.50 worth of food per shift. There was also a mandatory €3 per week charge for the uniform.

Do the maths....

I would have always taken the food and thrown it in the bin if I didn't fancy it that day. nothing worse than a tight miserable boss.

The only thing I would eat in supermacs is the pizza and thats not even made by them, the pizza they had before papa johns was disgusting.

ciano1 · 29-05-2020 3:35pm

silver2020 wrote: »

I would guess that was a franchise and that may have been years ago as you cannot make a deduction that would bring you under minimum wage these days

It was a company run store and not a franchise. I left in 2015. I was also over 20 and 'technically' being paid minimum wage but the deductions made you feel like you were being screwed.

Maybe things have changed since I left, I really don't know.

Ave Sodalis · 29-05-2020 3:41pm

silver2020 wrote:

I would guess that was a franchise and that may have been years ago as you cannot make a deduction that would bring you under minimum wage these days

I worked for a shop not that long ago that did this. They deducted a few euro every week for uniform rent. There were staff there 10 years or more still paying uniform rent. They're still doing it.

Stovepipe · 29-05-2020 3:44pm

I worked for two summers in a well-known nationwide supermarket, that pulled deduction stunts like that. Staff compensated for their loss by the usual method of the five-fingered discount. Both sides played off each other, in effect.

Stormington · 29-05-2020 4:03pm

The €350 payment was a good idea, and definitely avoided what would have surely been some unrest as people were forced to live on beans and toast if they didn't get it, or alternatively, people would have rushed back to work. I think our relatively low death rate is probably one of the (unacknowledged) benefits of the payment as it kept people out of the workplace when it was important to stay away.

It kept people home safe with a roof over their head and food on the table. While I am not sure that the government has inadvertently admitted that the 350 is the average minimum needed to live on nationally, they took the correct approach to keeping the economy ticking over by pumping in helicopter money. Even if that was by accident rather than design.

What I am sure of is that there will be plenty more misers complaining about the Covid payment saying it is too high. Complaints may continue to be made without a hint of irony about relatively low rates of pay.

Two things for Pat McDonagh to answer.

1. How much is the mother earning?
There was no mention of her full-time wages or position when he mentioned the mother and son in his example.

2. How much of the 20+ million paid in tax can be broken down into VAT, PAYE (both), corporate and income tax?
Corporation tax can be siphoned offshore while a half-assed PR team will advise him to include VAT figures in annual tax returns to inflate the number.

Mad_maxx · 29-05-2020 4:16pm

Galway folk are incredibly greedy

Better Than Christ · 29-05-2020 4:30pm

Ave Sodalis wrote: »

I worked for a shop not that long ago that did this. They deducted a few euro every week for uniform rent. There were staff there 10 years or more still paying uniform rent. They're still doing it.

I laughed when I applied for my current job and the advert boasted of a 'free uniform'. It never occurred to me that some companies charge their employees for the 'privilege' of wearing one.

Sunny Disposition · 29-05-2020 4:32pm

Charging staff to wear a uniform, the despicable cnuts. In the town I live in there are plenty of other chippers than Supermacs and it won't be getting my business again.

SEPT 23 1989 · 29-05-2020 4:34pm

Slagging the very people who eat his slop

PR disaster

r93kaey5p2izun · 29-05-2020 4:45pm

Who knew there was a worse employer than Dunnes!

Ave Sodalis · 29-05-2020 4:51pm

Better Than Christ wrote:

I laughed when I applied for my current job and the advert boasted of a 'free uniform'. It never occurred to me that some companies charge their employees for the 'privilege' of wearing one.

Yup, it's pretty common!

Sunny Disposition · 29-05-2020 4:55pm

McDonagh has some neck to be portraying himself as the little guy facing the might of McDonald's and lecturing the State on where i's going wrong, while at the same time charging his own employees for food they don't want.

jimgoose · 29-05-2020 5:01pm

Ave Sodalis wrote: »

Yup, it's pretty common!

I'd have considered that pretty unbelievable too, before I found out that it is indeed quite common in that sort of work. Incredible degree of chutzpah from a multi-millionaire, in all fairness.

CageWager · 29-05-2020 5:05pm

About 12 years ago I worked as a grad for a large Irish bank and they made all the unimportant clerical staff pay 50 cent for a cup of tea in the canteen. They said it went towards the staff wages (even though the bank made hundreds of millions in profits during the celtic tiger). Naturally the managers (who all earned close to or more than six figures) didn’t have to pay for their tea.

Better Than Christ · 29-05-2020 5:08pm

Sunny Disposition wrote: »

McDonagh has some neck to be portraying himself as the little guy facing the might of McDonald's and lecturing the State on where i's going wrong, while at the same time charging his own employees for food they don't want.

He's a massive hypocrite too - back in the '90s, someone opened a fast food restaurant in Bray and called it SuperJack's (it would have been around the time of the 1994 World Cup and had a crudely drawn image of Jack Charlton in the window). Anyway, McDonagh objected and they had to change the name to FastJacks.

Supermacs

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