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1. Brian Dawes

   Oct 17, 2014, 14:58 #59531

   Can anyone advise me which groups of Arsenal workers are not paid the living wage? I believe the catering and cleaning staff are sub-contracted and therefore it is not Arsenal who pay them. If the turnstile staff are paid directly by Arsenal then that may well account for the lack of them at recent home games.

2. BADARSE

   Oct 17, 2014, 10:54 #59505

   Leggsy, such wise words. I always offer to people an imagined concept, 'Just suppose that Coke and Pepsi are the same company.' My point is the hype is which is best, therefore meaning whichever is the other must be second best. So the closest anyone else can get is third place. If only others had the same perceptions these mega corporations wouldn't get away with blue murder. Fight the fight!

3. Leggsy

   Oct 17, 2014, 10:03 #59499

   Dear Exeter i hear u fella but we live in a very confused society with many sinister undertones . So called pressure groups are often set up funded and staffed by the very people they are supposed to be keeping an eye on . . They exist not to help the people they say they are trying to help but maintain the status quo and prevent more radical groups that they cannot control from getting into the debate . This mob appear no different !

4. Stain Kroenke

   Oct 17, 2014, 9:19 #59497

   Why should Arsenal pay the living wage to hard-working employees? They paid me/KSE £3m, which is entirely justified given that nobody can pinpoint exactly what the 'services' were for.

5. Jim

   Oct 16, 2014, 23:53 #59487

   I don't think Arsenal are as sly as other clubs when it comes to ticket prices.They could easily do as City do and put a 100 season tickets up for £299 and say look we have the cheapest tickets in the premiership.Or do as Tottenham do and stick a quarter of their tickets up for nearly 1900 just below Arsenal for 19 games and two crap Europa games.Keep moaning about tickets and the club will get pissed of with you and rinse you like the others do their fans.

6. maguiresbridge gooner

   Oct 16, 2014, 23:28 #59485

   GBP, don't worry you'll soon snap out of it and come round. Does that make me a super fan then? Surely there can only be one of those. Actually i'm becoming a fan of yours as well, apart from our different views on OGL we're not to far away, some very agreeable posts from yourself earlier over the page, one regarding wally and another concerning a fast winger leaving his man for dead and whipping in a cross (there's not half enough of it at Arsenal)and some body being brave enough to get in there and put their head on it (there's not half enough of that either) Andy linegan Wembley,among quite a few others springs to mind smashed nose and all, as you said would those nice boys with their pampered hairstyles and facials do that today and that's where we're going wrong. As well as the manager of course.

7. GBP

   Oct 16, 2014, 21:06 #59482

   Evening Hiccup lad. Ok buddy. I see. ha. MG is a big, big fan of yours though and Jeffs and Marcus s and ............. well, lets say quite a few others bless him.

8. GBP

   Oct 16, 2014, 20:56 #59481

   Hi Baddie - on Mike, i think his take on Ozil and the 3 parties ie Arsenal. Ger FA and potential buyer in the wings, might just have legs. Its speculative yet but not too far reaching inn the game today? A few were saying it soon as it occurred. Are you not affording the notion any cred at all? Saw yr post re yr good self being crocked of course.

9. Hiccup

   Oct 16, 2014, 20:55 #59480

   Greetings GBP. Great minds obviously think alike. Just getting behind the club and defending their ticketing and pay strategies while coming under fire from certain quarters. Isn't that what we're supposed to do? I reckon I could get used to this. Thankfully the business side of things isn't run by the fans otherwise we'd go the way of Portsmouth.

10. BADARSE

    Oct 16, 2014, 20:45 #59478

    Ah, there you are GBP, hiding out on this article. I track you down and see you've just posted a typical ironic comment, so funny. maguiresbridge, know your history! Why we even have a poster on here named Mike Collins. Things only ever change in two ways, fast through revolution, and more slowly through evolution. Both routes need and desire input. So the chap loading up the gun for the onslaught is doing a similar thing to the little lady who makes the tea, but this morning said, 'Enough!' I think the damnation of these computers and the links to sites, means most can just prattle on about things, typing away, whilst sitting comfortably on their bums. Now jeff wright doesn't want Sprouts for dinner tomorrow, I suggest you go out and convince him they are good for him, and he will eat them, or you play a little psychological alternative game, and buy him some Curly Kale instead. You'll be able to trick jeff quite easily. At last years BBQ I gave him a plate of minced meat, and told him it was the banger he wanted, which had just gone bang. He ate it, though did put an awful lot in his ears, still that's jeff for you.

11. GBP

    Oct 16, 2014, 20:15 #59474

    MG - Surely you're not just agreeing with Hiccup? Astounding. Shocked even.

12. andy1886

    Oct 16, 2014, 20:03 #59473

    Cheaper ticket prices? Selfishness, complete and utter selfishness. When you can afford £1000+ a year on a luxury purchase surely you cannot begrudge someone the chance to earn enough to pay the rent and feed their family. Of course perhaps you might prefer that they have to be subsidised through tax credits and housing benefit because their greedy employer would rather the tax payer (you and I) foot the bill.

13. maguiresbridge gooner

    Oct 16, 2014, 19:41 #59470

    Rocky RIP, hear what your saying I suppose when you think about it there's not much chance getting what we want on the pitch either or something close to it, although everyone singing from the same hymn sheet might help, and might have helped in the past. Yes red action works very hard for the fans regards atmosphere, singing, on match days etc, and if I was going to align myself with any of the groups it would probably be them.

14. Rocky RIP

    Oct 16, 2014, 17:53 #59464

    @ Maguiresbridge - on the subject of fan groups, I've got a lot of time for REDaction and the BSM. (I'm not totally sure what I think of the AST or AISA. Perhaps a little too polite and unwilling to rock the boat where it's needed.) Their (RA and BSM) aims are for the tangible benefit of supporters and have proved to have a positive effect. I'm not sure how a group dedicated to 'matters on the pitch' is remotely achievable. All very indeterminate. What would they discuss or push for at meetings with the club? What could they possibly influence? Please tell Wenger not to make baffling substitutions on 75 mins? Please tell Clichy not to fall over the ball as we are trying to run down the clock?

15. maguiresbridge gooner

    Oct 16, 2014, 17:14 #59460

    Hiccup, I agree they'll change nothing. There's always people, groups, organisations, who have to be at, or into something (rightly or wrongly) and aren't happy until they are. I'd be far more impressed if they got together and concentrated on what happens/happening on the pitch and why, they might have more of an effect there.

16. Hiccup

    Oct 16, 2014, 16:09 #59449

    These supporters groups are becoming more Dads Army than wenger himself. First they politely asked the club not to raise ticket prices to which the club politely replied 'bollox'. Now they want to run the HR dept and decide the pay structure. What will your feeble demands be next time? Free milk for all under 6 year old supporters? It's all going to fall on deaf ears again. If it affects your conscience that much, and you had principles, you wouldn't hand your money over. But you're not that bothered really. Besides, how we can all crow about how great it is to have £170m in the bank and how the good old arsenal way has let us do this, and then demand cheaper tickets and increase pay?

17. kilkenny cat

    Oct 16, 2014, 15:20 #59441

    Badarse. Agree totally. No ethics or morals at all.

18. Why have we only got 6 defenders?

    Oct 16, 2014, 14:59 #59439

    Rocky RIP- Seating the West Lower, green and blue away kit, the bond scheme, Paddy Galligan, the fourth place trophy. Mate, the soul of football dies every few years and then we forget.

19. Vintage Gooner

    Oct 16, 2014, 14:36 #59438

    Mark is spot on with this article. The cost would be somewhere between £250,000 and £500,000 a year or a weeks pay for a couple of our star players. The excuses are that we pay competitive rates and don't blame us blame the government which is pretty feeble given our profits and cash mountain. The number of direct casual staff is 870 and in due course we should adjust contracts so that all our contracted services are required to pay London Living Wage which is only £8.80 per hour. Arsenal remember your values and just do it.

20. Stain Kroenke

    Oct 16, 2014, 14:35 #59437

    Hey folks! I'm here to rinse you all and make myself a small fortune, create a mysterious gap in the 'funds available to Wenger' and the amount spent, hang the manager out to dry and let him take any flak, put my son on the board, close down the magnificent fanshare scheme and not have to defend my actions because Gazidis has the politician's knack of spin and PR and charm offensives and giving answers so long they lose the whole point of the question. And because I'm never around and when I am I'm 'silent'. Many thanks, Stan the Stain.

21. Rocky RIP

    Oct 16, 2014, 14:22 #59435

    Is it me, or does everything we loved and appear to be losing about Arsenal (primarily its class and a healthy relationship with its fans and employees) stem back to the time Stan Kroenke got involved and began his creepy taking over of our club? (Circa 2007?) Results on the pitch in that time we all know about too. And he remains largely unaccountable. People blaming Wenger for literally everything need to readjust their focus sometimes. (AW is a decent and honourable guy.) SK is the stain at our club.

22. BADARSE

    Oct 16, 2014, 13:30 #59430

    Kilkenny cat, I am with you that these fat cats should feel ashamed, however they are immune to the ethics of 'talk'. They do what they are allowed to do, and that's it. I think those who allow them to do it, either by voting in their dodgy politicians; endorsing a tacit approval, and by enacting laws and policies rewarding these fat cats who ride roughshod over the more needy, are the real culprits. Give a crazy a loaded gun, and expect him to shoot someone.

23. kilkenny cat

    Oct 16, 2014, 13:14 #59427

    Typical of modern society. The rich get richer and the poor suffer on low paid jobs as there is nothing else. Arsenal should be ashamed of themselves. But people like Kronke and Gazidis have no shame at all. Disgraceful.

24. maguiresbridge gooner

    Oct 16, 2014, 12:45 #59424

    Yes their certainly worth it, having to take the blame for the defeats and embarrassments.

25. Exeter Gunner

    Oct 16, 2014, 12:18 #59422

    Seems to be some confusion in the comments here between charities and pressure groups. Without organised groups pushing for change, there is no chance of change - at AFC, in central government, wherever you like. On charities, obviously central government should be doing many of the things some charities currently do, if only they'd allocate resources fairly, close tax loopholes, stop perpetuating the military/industrial complex etc, but even in that ideal world there is always more that can be done - so of course there is always a place for charities.

26. BADARSE

    Oct 16, 2014, 11:30 #59418

    Jim and Leggsy, two good guys, pushing for fairness. Well done Gooners. If I say this it is giving a perspective, which you do with what you will, I am not being pompous, ha ha. OK? How could you ever need to write that? Anyway, I am not happy with charities. Will not bend my views, except when they are forcibly bent by love. My wife in her 'helping out others' capacities, kids in the family looking for sponsored functions/events, and some things I do unwittingly, all make me adjust. My main thrust is that if people who are blinded need guide dogs, then central government should fund that. If we rattle tins long enough, dress up, do pub crawls, run, walk, shake it all about, we dredge up some money. The government just quietly slips away, under cover of darkness, and people who rant on here can't see that? They duck their responsibilities completely. Having said that, once it becomes acceptable to create a charity, and many are created as tax dodges for the money men or sharp operators in our midst, we are on a slippery slope and so much passes for the 'best intentions', so if you don't tick that particular box you are a less than nice person. No you are not, you are a thinking person, whether your thought processes are correct in their conclusions or not is another matter. Waitrose have a charity venture. You pay and get a green disc, (ASDA have cottoned onto the 'goodwill' factor and have subsequently introduced it). You have three local charities augmented in plastic containers and you drop your disc into the one of your choice. Human nature being what it is if one lags behind it attracts the uncommitted to drop in their disc. Ultimately all three are passably equal. Therefore the fixed sum donation is split three ways. Now if Waitrose wanted to give a few hundred quid every month to three charities then fine, to entice me to play this inane game of charades is not going to be well received. I have lost track of the bemused looks I receive when I decline the disc, I think some reading this will be upset with me. That's folks, folks! I assume the public who witness my refusal think that my reluctance to play this silly game means I am shirking my civic duty, or denying the worthy charities of lucre. As westlower would happily point out, one disc in each guarantees a third share of the set amount, as does a thousand in each. We are led by the nose in most things in life, England, as the 'Begging Bowl' of Europe is a well earned title, brought about by generally, well intentioned people. I don't like charities.

27. Jim

    Oct 16, 2014, 10:11 #59411

    Leggsy-you hit the nail on the head there.Living wage foundation what's all that about.Like these boring charities that keep getting stated where only a fraction gets paid to the people who really need it,while most of the money goes to some big lush box,who strolls around looking like Mae West ordering about a load of vulnerable people so she can build her self righteous empire.

28. BADARSE

    Oct 16, 2014, 8:19 #59407

    OK radfordkennedy, thanks for the info, am relieved it's nothing more sinister, though enough of a problem. Diet, young Gun, diet. That's where the treatment is. I know someone who suffers with this. Muesli is a good way to start the day, and gives you that important fibre boost. I make up my own with added fruit and nuts, and dhansak, and dopiaza and...only kidding. Nowadays they are so good that shop-bought packs are fantastic, but we/I do supplement with soft dried prunes and apricots. Good luck pal. Change-a little at a time.

29. JohnnyBoyVegas

    Oct 16, 2014, 8:11 #59406

    Shame you all couldn't unite with us when we was protesting about ticket prices, easy option taken here in my opinion, yes it's admirable when you stick up for your fellow man. Bits it's only when it suits you.

30. radfordkennedy

    Oct 16, 2014, 8:11 #59405

    Badarse... Morning mate,yeah I'm okay it turns out I've got Diverticulitis which explains why everytime I ate it hurt like hell,mind you mate its my own fault after more years than I care to remember of enjoying red meat,red wine,whiskey and cigarettes something had to give,but thanks for asking ..

31. BADARSE

    Oct 16, 2014, 8:01 #59404

    Good morning radfordkennedy. Removing clause four was perhaps important for 'New Labour' and the 'B-liar'; certainly as a symbol that proclaimed, 'we are now electable.', but was possibly, the single most important safeguard taken from the people/workers. You are so right buddy, so right. Incidentally, the dust has settled a little, so it's OK to ask how you are?

32. radfordkennedy

    Oct 16, 2014, 7:47 #59403

    I'm sure this has come up before and I'm afraid nothing changes,Arenal will pay an agency quite a large hourly rate for casual staff,they in turn take their cut and then pay a much smaller rate to the staff.Arsenal will say they pay the going rate and it's not their problem and so it continues.Since Labour decided to scrap clause 4 which gave every worker the 'right to secure by his own hand the full fruits of his labour'more and more people have lost the right to any platform to protect them from being exploited as casual workers are treated as cheap labour as they have no representation therefore no way of negotiating better pay and conditions,but this not necessarily the club's fault

33. Lord Wenger OBE KOG

    Oct 16, 2014, 6:39 #59402

    Earning a little less is more than compensated for by the fact they work for such a classy club.

34. Leggsy

    Oct 16, 2014, 4:30 #59401

    Who exactly are these living wage foundation people ? . There are so many of these parasite organisations that bleed money out of corporations and local government not to raise living standards for the poor by often to make a tidy living for those working there . If you don't join them they try and shame you. They do very little except pay lip service to the notion of fairness and are in short a waste of time and money to everyone except those who work for them .

35. Conor Price

    Oct 16, 2014, 2:06 #59400

    Fantastic. There are lots of big company's who don't pay the London living wage when their staff work their arses off and having to show for it because of the ridiclious cost of living in this city. We are fans not customers but if customers of other company's made this point enough I would hope that things would change. I work with many people who work 40-50 hours a week yet on average have less than £40 to pay for food for the week because they are on minimum wage and their rent etc is ridiclious! Fair play for this!!!

36. BADARSE

    Oct 16, 2014, 2:02 #59399

    Yes we all support it in principle but can only just yell in the streets like small children. Large companies, big businesses world wide, ignore the faintest of these protests. They always just shift the blame, by claiming these poor exploited individuals are not employed directly, ergo it's the employing company's responsibility. That much is true and most, like AFC don't want to get involved, or try to effect change of the status quo-there are too many ramifications and these augmentations cannot be executed on the back of an envelope. Shout to the top people, parliament needs to reform this unfair and abusive system. Yet what chance have you got of that, why there are murmurings within this government that they might try to exclude disabled workers from the minimum wage. So who voted for such a cretinous bunch to decide our fate? That's where the fault lays, with those who gave them the power in the first place. Goodness what time is it? All this bed-wetting must end soon, I hope. Power to the people.

37. Tim Gardner

    Oct 15, 2014, 23:24 #59396

    I'd rather they reduce ticket prices.

38. Why have we only got 6 defenders?

    Oct 15, 2014, 23:21 #59395

    I'm sure Arsene the principled socialist could bring his considerable influence to bear on this one but seeing as the issue has been highlighted before I guess that's not going to happen. He'll be too busy voting Josh Kroenke on to the board anyway, but Kev don't let us down on that score, get those malcontent troops/old duffers in attendance rallied.

39. Robert Exley

    Oct 15, 2014, 23:08 #59394

    Stan Kronke's Walmart-ization of Arsenal continues