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You don’t wanna work for Fred

10 January 2014
By Lucy Sweet

Employees of super slick bookies Betfred might be getting their wages cut by almost 50%. And if staff don't sign new contracts – which would mean some will lose thousands of pounds – they won't be asked to stick around.

betfred

The company, which last year made a profit of £69m, is run by Fred Done and his brother Peter, who are worth a cool £850m. Yet under their new grading system they'll be paying employees according which shop they work in – and their wages will be based on how much profit their super evil fixed odds betting machines are bringing in.

It means that some managers will be taking a pay cut from £15 an hour to £9, and the only incentive that's being offered are 280 area manager jobs. If you don't get that, you have to take the cut. Not a very nice way to reward your workers while you're riding high, is it?

A spokesman for Betfred said: 'Betfred is in discussion with its staff and the union on how we manage our betting shops in the future. There are no proposed redundancies and the changes will offer our staff ­progression to more senior management positions. We believe that the proposals will drive the company forward and secure the future of the business.'

A morally bankrupt business that pays their workers badly and siphons money off the poor with gambling machines that are impossible to beat? Betfred employees - down tools and leave in your droves. It's time to work for a more ethical company - like er... McDonalds.

12 comments

  • Lucy
    fuck me, someone else commented on an article by lucy earlier saying all she does is slag businesses off, here she goes again. They are a fucking bookies, you know they make money from people gambling, disregarding the arguments for and against all the FOTB machines all over the high street, the fact is most bookies don't make much at all these days from over the counter bets, and without these machines a lot of staff wouldn't even have jobs. £9 an hour is pretty good wages for someone in a bookies, and there are bonuses paid too which you seem to have missed out your sloppy article
    Reply ·
  • shiftynifty
    Fair play to the the real Lucy Sweet bringing this to everyone`s attention....your comment (Fake Lucy) just gives an indication of how vacuous people are Without these machines there would be less crime and anti social behaviour
    Reply ·
  • Lucy
    without alcohol there would be less crime and anti social behaviour, what was the point you were trying to make? You obviously missed the part where I specifically said, 'disregarding the arguments for and against all the FOTB machines all over the high street'
    Reply ·
  • Coran
    It's not exactly commendable. Slashing salaries of your employees so your high profits can be even higher. Doing the right thing applies to all aspects of life, including business. Otherwise you're a dick... don't be a dick.
    Reply ·
  • Big M.
    Hey shifty, you don't like gambling? Me neither, it's fucking stupid and brings no-one anything but debt and misery in the long term. However.... 'Without these machines there would be less crime and anti social behaviour' The biggest cause of all the above is alcohol (by a HUGE factor). These machines contribute very, very, very fucking little to crime and antisocial behaviour. There's drugs too if you're interested. Stop talking such uninformed bollocks please (visit an A&E or police station and see). That will be all.
    Reply ·
  • Lando C.
    Another Lucy moral bankruptcy story? Haven't we had enough of her political views?
    Reply ·
  • chris
    blimey.Ive got there banners on my website.I may have to take them off
    Reply ·
  • Kevin
    If this is how they started off (payment on basis of income) it would make a lot of sense. Changing to that seems the bad bit though, goes to show how bloody useless our unions are doesn't it. Ah no, they'd say no redundancies is the big win and screw anything else
    Reply ·
  • Dick
    It is not true that these machines are impossible to beat. They are only impossible to beat on average. It is perfectly possible to come away winning after one game. It is only if you continually reinvest that you lose. In that sense, it is no different to the national lottery, which is also impossible to beat on average. Yet many people do both as entertainment.
    Reply ·
  • Keith T.
    Dick, most people buy a lottery ticket in the shop and walk away...they dont pump thousands into it.... Bookies, criminals in their own rights....just keep clear of them all.
    Reply ·
  • Gibmonkey
    Rumours of redundancies at Betfred Gibraltar........all bar the trading staff Another bookies back to the UK do we think?
    Reply ·
  • ken y.
    Bet the Area Managers wont get a pay cut when this all goes through. The sooner they get rid of the FOBTs the better.Fred Done has made a fortune out of peoples misery,but i bet he sleeps in a mansion wit a nice comfy bed every night.Gambling addicts cannot help themselves, putting signs up giving advice to addicts doesnt work as we have seen wit smoking(a picture of a pair of infected lungs wont stop you smoking) My advice to staff at Betfred is not to sign the contracts and my advice to the Government is to take control of the situation NOW.
    Reply ·

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