cleaning-lady

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Fri Jul 09, 2004 9:42 pm

No I dont hate you guest.why should I?........nothing to be ashamed of in the body beautiful....
and Im quite happy in my birthday suit!

But thats one photo you wont see on 'Ellies Corner'
she says..shamelessly advertising her archives!

Enjoy yourself tonight

................ellie

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Fri Jul 09, 2004 9:49 pm

Damm.....Tried to wind up Ellie again and failed this time....Oh well back to minimum wages..

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Sat Jul 10, 2004 4:46 am

After reading all this I would like to tell you something. Apart from working for us for an hour in the morning this cleaninglady worked in a big supermarket nearby, for 8 months, 7 days a week from 1 in the afternoon untill 9 in the evening. The supermarket bought a big cleaning-machine and this woman couldn.t work with it, being a small lady the machine was to big and to heavy. Although they were very happy with the way she had wrkes, she was told to leave. From one day to another she was out of work. That's why I put the question for other work-adresses. I also found out that she was not insured while she workes at the supermarket. She couldn.t find another job so fast and took a job in a bar in a village nearby Carvoeiro. From 5 in the afternoon untill 1 at night. It turnes out that she is finished working at 3 at night. She earnes 560 euro for this work, 7 days a week, no contract, no insurance. That comes down ti 1,85 euro an hour. She will get payed (I hope) at the end of the month. This makes ME upset. The reason that I don't write down any names is that she can.t afford to lose the job.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Sat Jul 10, 2004 8:35 am

If she wants more work (Cleaning) we are looking for somebody reliable.....we live in Carvoeiro and will be in touch with you directly...
Rgds

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Sat Jul 10, 2004 9:27 am

thanks. my email is szhfh@hotmail.com

Debs G · Post by **Debs G** » Sat Jul 10, 2004 10:10 am

I will be looking for a cleaning lady when I move to the Algarve. Initially I will want someone to clean our new house from top to bottom before we move in and then probably someone to clean on a regular basis.

I have 2 very demanding young kids and have never had any help (family or friends) with looking after them. In fact I will also have to work and so will be looking for a nursery to send them to, part-time. I am hoping that nurseries will be cheaper than in the UK (as I have been informed) as we will not be earning as much we currently do here in the UK.

Hopefully being self-employed we will build up our businesses but even so, would it be right to pay someone more than what they would ordinarily earn for that particular job? (of course giving tips etc. is different)

Anyway, whatever our situation money-wise I still do need the cleaner as I won't have much spare time and to be honest I'm not very good at it myself.........

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Sat Jul 10, 2004 10:15 am

For Elly: the 5 euros an hour was not what we offered her, but what she asked. If she would have asked more, we would have probably payed her that, because we were not aware of the prices when we came here. And for the record: in Holland prices of living are twice as high as in the Algarve.

Ellie · Post by **Ellie** » Sat Jul 10, 2004 11:31 am

Well then Guest....why not set a precedent.by paying her more?

she can then pass the word on to other Portuguese ladies who do 'menial' ( as Kteee put it) but absolutely necessary work and hopefully their pay conditions will gradually improve.
Then you could become a 'Lord Shaftesbury' of the Algarve! Guest

Right... Ive finished with my 'villainy' now......so sorry'I upset the apple cart' for all you philanthropists out there

Wish you nice sunny weekend.......Bom Dia....Ellie

Gerry Cullen · Post by **Gerry Cullen** » Sat Jul 10, 2004 11:47 am

Ellie just out of the blue..after all your expenses....computer,ink etc..what do you reckon you earn per hour from your writing/gardening etc....no i dont want an answer but its just a thought..i pay about 7.50 per hour in ireland which can buy a lot less here then 5.00 in armacao...we should all have more but sure thats life.
gerry

kteee · Post by **kteee** » Sat Jul 10, 2004 12:05 pm

Unfortunately I can't see wages increasing much in the Algarve in the near future.

Many businesses out here have real concerns for their survival - how many for sale signs do you see in shops in the village? And that's just the ones that are advertising. I have hardly spoken to anyone in the last 6 months that is optimistic, there is a sense of just hanging on hoping for the best but fearing the worst.

Tourist numbers are down this year, and were last year too, and that's who pays for everything that you see out here - tourists. A combination of slow economies in the rest of europe, the popularity of cheaper holiday destinations and the effects of euro 2004 have combined to produce lower than normal numbers of visitors.

We are also continually told that the algarve has become too expensive - an increase in wages would only add to that!

Ellie · Post by **Ellie** » Sat Jul 10, 2004 12:40 pm

Theres a deal of difference between greed and fair pay..the labourer is worthy of his hire.......
Gerry..Ive learnt from bitter past experience ...not so long ago(few years back) and I charged £5 an hour for garden work,mainly because most of my clients were elderly and pensioners....but I was 'put upon'and 'run ragged' ..The was told by a fellow gardener that I was qualified and professional in my work(but i didnt see ,myself this way) and should charge more for my services. A lot depends on the job,size of etc, but now I dont walk throught the gate for less than 15 euros(£10 ) an hour! But for advice I double it. For garden design/graphic drawings and organising (not paying for) materials,would probably quote them £150-200.
.But you are right Kteee about 'expensive 'Algarve..and Im continually shocked by the inflated prices of some hol places....strangely..people seem content to leave their villas empty half the year rather than charge less!

P.S. My youngest son -..whos qualified teacher of English...used to charge £10 an hour for private tuition...was severely told off by his past tutor...'You are a professional " he said....charge double!..which he did and received more work!
To me theres no such thing as'menial' work......a cleaner whos good at her/his job is a professional too..and should be paid as such!

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Sat Jul 10, 2004 1:05 pm

Ellie wrote:Well then Guest....why not set a precedent.by paying her more? she can then pass the word on to other Portuguese ladies who do 'menial' ( as Kteee put it) but absolutely necessary work and hopefully their pay conditions will gradually improve.
Then you could become a 'Lord Shaftesbury' of the Algarve! Guest
Right... Ive finished with my 'villainy' now......so sorry'I upset the apple cart' for all you philanthropists out there
Wish you nice sunny weekend.......Bom Dia....Ellie

I leave it up to you to set a precedent like this, we are no philanthropists, but hard working people, just starting here and paying the prices that were asked. I find your opinion a bit inconsiderate and only based on your own experience and situation.

Ellie · Post by **Ellie** » Sat Jul 10, 2004 4:37 pm

Sorry if you find my opinion 'inconsiderate' Guest(whoever you are?)....Im simply saying that people should receive fair payment..nothing more nothing less...
Here Iam' considering' the worker 'maid' whoever...if you think 5euros an hour is 'fair' payment for grafting & clearing up after others..then all I can say is I take my hat off to that Poruguese lady for having the 'nerve' to ask for '5 euros ' an hour....well done to her....
If I had occassion to hire a cleaner..I would willingly set a precedent..and it would certainly exceed 5 euros an hour thats for sure.....
as I know from experience how hard it can be and how little you are paid.....Im simply trying to champion the cause for those in that situation today..thats all
saluting all 'cleaners' & menial?

workers of Algarve!

dutchie · Post by **dutchie** » Sat Jul 10, 2004 5:29 pm

bit stubborn opinion, I must say.
It is like Graham already said: the minimum wage across Europe is different in each country (to reflect the cost of living) and it is about 3 Euros per hour in Portugal.
Cleaning-ladies are apart from that not the only hard-working people....

Ellie · Post by **Ellie** » Sat Jul 10, 2004 5:44 pm

well..I am stubborn Dutchie..like a dog with his bone ..Ill hold onto my opinions come what may......
No hard feelings I hope?........ellie