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At last! A real Brexit bonus...

(57 Posts)
vampirequeen Thu 01-Jul-21 10:37:59

...well if you have my sense of humour.

The very wealthy are struggling to find servants as a lot of them were Portuguese and they have gone home. Now they're discovering a world where servants have the power to renegotiate their contracts because they are so in demand. Housekeepers are demanding one weekend off in three and nannies are refusing to live in house so are only available during their contracted hours. They also want some weekends off. Many employers have tried to employ a second nanny or housekeeper to work the times when their main housekeeper/nanny is not there but there is a shortage so most have been unsuccessful. To their horror they're having to learn to look after themselves and their children at the weekends grin

It reminds me of the 1920s when a shortage of servants meant that the rich had to learn how to poke/put pieces of coal on the fire and how to use a light switch grin

The servant in the shortest supply are full time gardeners and people are 'stealing' them from their friends and neighbours with offers of more pay and perks. One gardener earns £25k per year plus (amongst other perks) has been given a new Mercedes with all expenses paid on it including petrol.

All I can say is....Up the workers!!!! grin

Caro57 Sun 04-Jul-21 15:40:42

So is that what’s known as a gardener with benefits? wink wink

crazygranny Sun 04-Jul-21 12:28:19

The best bonus of all is the death of UKIP!

glammagran Sun 04-Jul-21 10:11:08

Dryginger Do let us know how you get on at Manderley, Rebecca.

Blossoming Sat 03-Jul-21 22:57:16

I think the dusting fairy, the laundry fairy and the vacuuming fairy are all still working as usual. I’m not sure how the place gets cleaned.

Peff68 Sat 03-Jul-21 22:21:12

??? you’re all so funny, laughed all way through this thread!

But be fair all of you - people having to actually interact with their children must be hell for them, bunch of over privileged ungrateful (I can’t put words I want to here!!) darlings?!

MoorlandMooner Sat 03-Jul-21 16:56:49

Or at least if they can't do some of the work, they could surely eat cake.

Razzy Sat 03-Jul-21 16:12:27

Well we still have 1.6million unemployed. It seems odd that they can’t do some of the work?

grannyrebel7 Sat 03-Jul-21 15:55:43

Just when I was about to employ a cleaner! Probably won't be able to get one now. I'll be doing my own chores for evermore!

Dryginger Sat 03-Jul-21 15:35:15

Well said GrannyGravy13.

GrannyGravy13 Sat 03-Jul-21 15:25:45

CarlyD7

Yes, and, accordingly to the press, we also have shortages of hospitality staff, builders, care staff, NHS staff of all grades, and farm pickers (fruit and vegetables are being left to rot in the fields due to shortage of staff). Wonder where all those people who voted Brexit to stop those foreigners stealing our jobs are now - certainly not working in those areas?

This one has been working her little old socks off trying to keep her business going so that her employees can pay their bills and feed their children during a worldwide pandemic!

What have you been doing…

Callistemon Sat 03-Jul-21 15:22:23

Parsley3

One's housekeeper was unable to buy lamb of any kind in either M&S or Waitrose last weekend. What was one to do for Sunday lunch? Cook was most put out. Has anyone else noticed a lamb shortage?

Oh dear, poor you, Parsley, we have our own herd.

Callistemon Sat 03-Jul-21 15:21:17

One keeps finding one's cleaner sitting down, munching strawberries one's Head Gardener has brought in for Cook instead of getting on with her duties.
I found her watching tennis this afternoon too, instead of being on her hands and knees scrubbing.
No wonder the stately pile is such a tip!

Kandinsky Sat 03-Jul-21 14:50:41

Just goes to show how much the middle classes were exploiting EU workers.
That’s why they didn’t want Brexit.
They couldn’t take the p**s anymore.

Witzend Sat 03-Jul-21 14:45:02

All wrong though it seems, it is evidently no longer advisable to sack one’s cook because she sent up the wrong sauce with the asparagus. One does have to wonder what the world is coming to!

Parsley3 Sat 03-Jul-21 14:38:19

One's housekeeper was unable to buy lamb of any kind in either M&S or Waitrose last weekend. What was one to do for Sunday lunch? Cook was most put out. Has anyone else noticed a lamb shortage?

Mimi1956 Sat 03-Jul-21 14:31:26

Love this thread. So many very amusing comments. Cheered me up so much ?

CarlyD7 Sat 03-Jul-21 14:29:37

Yes, and, accordingly to the press, we also have shortages of hospitality staff, builders, care staff, NHS staff of all grades, and farm pickers (fruit and vegetables are being left to rot in the fields due to shortage of staff). Wonder where all those people who voted Brexit to stop those foreigners stealing our jobs are now - certainly not working in those areas?

Tedd1 Sat 03-Jul-21 14:27:12

Thank you gransnetters for cheering me up

MerylStreep Sat 03-Jul-21 14:15:50

4allweKnow
Or maybe, just maybe the CEO’s of some companies could take home a little less.
The CEO of Tesco earned £4.9 million in 2018. ?

4allweknow Sat 03-Jul-21 13:56:24

Shortage of labour usually increases wages. As you said, bonus from Brexit. Of course knock on effect could be increased prices for the consumer to cover costs and maintain profits. So really nobody wins.

Lulujane Sat 03-Jul-21 12:59:06

Goodness Brexit has caused an upheaval.
I must say that our household hasn’t noticed any change, the house is still being cleaned, the garden is being tended and the chauffeur is always kind and considerate.
As has been said, if you treat staff fairly they will stay.
Happy days.

grandtanteJE65 Sat 03-Jul-21 12:55:15

I am quite happy to be a temporary Nanny AS LONG AS THE PARENTS STAY OUT OF THE NURSERY in the good old-fashioned way.

Children may be seen, but not heard in the drawing-room between the hours of five and six p.m. daily. I will gladly pop them in through the door and go off for my well earned rest before bedtime!

GillT57 Sat 03-Jul-21 12:29:48

Oh I agree Gabriella56, my DD, a recently qualified teacher was incensed by Ms Patel's comments about lower earnings and low qualified people earning less than £25k, as a NQT in the SE she was earning £22k.

Gabrielle56 Sat 03-Jul-21 12:22:52

And another thing, which eejit thought it was a good idea to limit immigration to salary levels above £35.8k (now £20.5k- £25.6k)??? Eh??eh?? Jesus Mary and Joseph and the wee donkey! In any area except the overpaid south east, those salaries are reserved for upper management and professionals....who , last time I checked don't "do" driving ,veg packing, hospitality roles, catering, domestic services etc. It just illustrated how utterly out of touch this lot in power are with the realities of life! Do they thing there are fairies to clean toilets, deliver stuff, etc ? Yep they probably do.......in the la-la land they inhabit.i always remember in early 80s Geoffrey Howe saying he spent£30 week on his meat bill....and £15 week on wine... My take home pay as junior civil servant was £32.75 my husband at time was trainee book keeper he had £40 with 13% mortgage ..and as chancellor he was deciding what we should all be able to live on and what we could afford to pay for all our essentials...nice

Nanna58 Sat 03-Jul-21 12:20:27

Reminds me of an hilarious episode in Downton Abby when a maid running off with a footman prompted a horrified “ Then how shall Lady Mary get dressed?” ?