Urban Outfitters, Dreams and Royal Parks cafes criticised for use of gig economy app

Big-Name Retailers Caught Using Gig Economy App That Leaves Workers Short of Minimum Wage, Union Says.

A slew of major retailers including Urban Outfitters, Dreams, and Royal Parks cafes have been accused by the UK's trade union body TUC of using gig economy app Temper to hire staff at below minimum wage. Temper allows workers to choose their hours, negotiate pay, and work for multiple clients - a model that some claim is little more than "bogus self-employment".

In order to receive payment via the platform, Temper workers must agree to its terms of use which include paying a 2.9% fee on earnings - resulting in reduced wages. According to the TUC, this means that some workers can earn less than £12 an hour, below the legal minimum wage for those aged 21 and over.

Urban Outfitters has been advertising several job openings via Temper, including a stock assistant at Urban Outfitters in Exeter who earns £12.50 per hour. However, if they want to receive payment sooner than the standard 14 days, workers must pay the fee, reducing their hourly rate by 7p - taking it below the minimum wage.

Meanwhile, Colicci Cafe has been offering barista shifts for as low as £12.50 an hour via Temper. Any worker not wanting to wait up to 30 days for payment must also pay the platform's fees, resulting in reduced wages.

The TUC is urging the government to bring forward promised reforms to protect gig economy workers and calls for greater action to be taken against companies that exploit loopholes to deny workers their rights.

Temper argues it offers better protections than zero-hours contracts, including compensation for cancelled shifts. However, critics say the platform's business model is fundamentally flawed and perpetuates a culture of exploitation.
 
🤕 this is so not cool... big retailers using gig economy apps like Temper to get around paying workers minimum wage 🤑 it's just not right. £12 an hour might seem okay, but when you gotta pay that 2.9% fee, it's more like they're taking the money from your pocket 💸. The TUC is on the right track, I think we need stronger regulations to protect these workers 👮‍♀️. Can't let companies just exploit loopholes and get away with it... it's time for change! 🔄💪
 
😕 this is wild... i mean i've heard of companies using temp agencies before but to see big retailers like urban outfitters doing it themselves is just mind boggling. £12.50 an hour for barista shifts? that's basically minimum wage lol. and the fact that they're charging workers to get paid sooner just highlights how greedy these companies are. 🤑 what's next, charging employees for oxygen? 👎
 
Ugh, I'm so fed up with these gig economy apps 🤯! Temper is just another example of companies taking advantage of workers by exploiting loopholes to pay them peanuts. £12 an hour might not seem like a lot, but it's below minimum wage and that 2.9% fee is a huge rip-off 💸. I mean, who thought it was a good idea to create a system where workers have to choose between getting paid quickly or getting screwed over by the platform? It's just not right 🤷‍♀️.

I'm all for flexibility and freedom in work, but this isn't about that - this is about companies making money off of people who are already struggling to make ends meet. The TUC is on to something with calling for greater action against these exploitative practices 🙌. We need stronger regulations to protect gig economy workers and ensure they're getting the wages they deserve 💪.
 
🤔 This whole Temper gig economy app thing got me thinking... if big-name retailers are using these platforms to hire staff at below minimum wage, what does that say about our government's stance on workers' rights? I mean, they promised reforms but where are they now? 🕰️ It seems like companies are taking advantage of loopholes and exploiting workers just to save a buck. That's not good for anyone except the bottom line. We need stronger regulations in place to protect gig economy workers and ensure fair wages. The TUC is on the right track, but we need more action from our politicians... 💪
 
omg, this is so sad! i feel like these big retailers are taking advantage of people who just need a job 🤕. they're using this gig economy app to get around paying workers properly, and it's not even fair. £12 an hour isn't that much, especially when you have to pay the platform fees too 🤑. what's wrong with a decent hourly wage for someone doing physical work? it's just common decency 💯. i'm all for supporting small businesses, but this is just lazy corporate greed 🤢. we need some serious reform and better protections for gig economy workers 👮‍♀️💼.
 
🤯 I'm so fed up with these big retailers trying to get away with paying their workers peanuts via that gig economy app Temper! 🤑 I mean, £12 an hour might sound okay on paper, but when you gotta pay those exorbitant fees just to receive your wages, it's basically a scam. And don't even get me started on the fact that some of these workers can earn even less than that if they want their money faster! 🚫

It's just not right, ya know? These workers are already vulnerable enough being classified as gig economy workers, and then you gotta add to that the stress and uncertainty of waiting 30 days for payment. I'm all for companies wanting to offer flexible work arrangements, but this Temper model is just a way for them to avoid taking care of their employees properly. 🤷‍♀️

I do think it's good that the TUC is speaking out about this though! 👏 We need more action from our governments and regulatory bodies to protect workers like these who are being taken advantage of. It's time to make some real changes and give people a fair deal for their work. 💪
 
"It takes courage to know when we are wrong, but only foolishness to believe that we will never be wrong." 💡👎 The use of gig economy apps like Temper by big-name retailers is a perfect example of this quote. It's astonishing how companies can exploit loopholes and deny workers their rights, leaving them with reduced wages and uncertain pay. 🤯 The TUC's call for greater action to protect gig economy workers is not only justified but necessary. Companies must be held accountable for their actions and reforms must be brought forward ASAP! 💪
 
I'm so frustrated with all these big-name retailers using gig economy apps like Temper to get around paying workers properly 🤯. I mean, come on, £12 an hour just isn't enough for anyone working full-time, let alone with no benefits or job security. It's like they're taking advantage of these vulnerable workers who need a fair day's pay for a fair day's work.

The fact that Temper is charging such high fees just to make it easier for the companies to exploit their workers is just not right. And don't even get me started on how some workers can earn less than £12 an hour if they want to get paid sooner - that's basically poverty wages 💸. The TUC should be pushing for stronger regulations and better protections for gig economy workers, ASAP! 🚨
 
I'm not surprised, dude 🤔. Retailers are always trying to squeeze every last penny from their employees. It's like they're trying to turn staff into mini-entrepreneurs on wheels... but without the wheels 🚗💸. I mean, £12 an hour might seem okay, but 7p less for instant payment? That's like paying me to play a game of "spot the difference" 🎮. The TUC is right; we need some serious reform. Can't we just have a level playing field where everyone earns a decent wage? 😩
 
🤔 I don't think it's fair to label Temper as the bad guy here, ya know? They're just tryin' to provide a service that lets workers have more control over their schedules and earnings. And yeah, there are some issues with the 2.9% fee on top of earnings, but I dunno if it's really that big of a deal 🤑. I mean, people can still earn decent wages if they want to... it's just not as straightforward as tradin' time for cash like traditional employees do.

And let's be real, the gig economy is here to stay, so we gotta find ways to work with it rather than against it 💼. The TUC and the gov should be lookin' at findin' solutions that benefit both workers and companies, not just bashin' one side or the other 🤝. Temper's got some good points about offerin' better protections than zero-hours contracts... maybe we can learn from their model instead of just criticizin' it 👍
 
🤣 I mean, what a shocker - big retailers using gig economy apps to screw over their workers 🤑. Like, who wouldn't want to work hard for less than minimum wage just because they're looking for a side hustle 💸? And the cherry on top is that these companies are using a platform that's basically just a fancy way of saying "exploitation engine" 🚀. I'm not surprised Temper's fee structure is designed to keep wages low, it's like they're trying to create a business model out of thin air... literally 💸.

The TUC is on the right track calling for reforms and taking action against companies that are exploiting loopholes 🚫. But let's be real, we all know some of these companies are just going to find ways to work around any new regulations 🤔. I mean, it's not like they're not already making a ton of money off of this gig economy model... but hey, who needs fair wages when you can have " flexibility" and " freedom"... said no one ever 😴.

Anyway, I guess the real question is - will anyone actually do anything about it? 🤷‍♀️ Or will we just keep on keeping on, living our best lives while others struggle to make ends meet 💸.
 
omg just heard about this temper app thingy 🤯 i've been working freelance on sites like them for ages but never thought twice about it now that i know some retailers are using them to screw workers out of minimum wage lol what's up with these companies thinking they can just exploit people and get away with it?

i'm a bit worried, tbh. me and my mates were talking about trying our luck on temper the other day... but hearing this news has made us think twice 😬 i mean, who wants to be some company's "employee" when you could be your own boss, right? still, 2.9% fee seems kinda steep even for a gig economy platform 🤑 anyhoo, gotta support the union and get those companies held accountable 💪
 
🤑 Fair pay is a must! These big-name retailers gotta be held accountable for exploiting workers with gig economy apps like Temper. £12 an hour below min wage? That's not cool, fam 💸
 
🤑 OMG, these big-name retailers think they can just use a gig economy app to skirt the minimum wage? Like, what's next? 🤣 They're basically saying "Hey, we'll give you hours, but only if you agree to pay us a fee and essentially become our personal ATM" 💸. And don't even get me started on the £12 an hour rate that's just below the minimum wage - I mean, who doesn't love a good game of financial math? 🤔 But seriously, this is some shady stuff, and I'm all for the TUC fighting for gig economy workers' rights 💪.
 
omg dont even get me started on these big-name retailers using temper to screw over their workers ! £12 an hour is still below minimum wage in my book and its just not right that they can keep exploiting these people by charging them fees to get paid ASAP 🤑💸. i mean, what kind of company looks at you as a human being and says "you know what, let's pay you less than the bare minimum so we can save on wages"? urban outfitters and colicci cafe are basically just rip-offs . tuc is doing the right thing by speaking out against these companies and calling for some real change .
 
🤦‍♂️ this is so not cool 😒 temper should be ashamed of itself 💔. these companies are taking advantage of workers who just wanna earn a fair wage 🤑. i mean, £12 an hour is barely enough for a living 🤕 and having to pay fees just to get paid faster? no thanks 👋. the gov needs to step in ASAP ⏱️ and make sure these gig economy apps are held accountable 💯.

anyway, i'm all for workers having some autonomy over their hours 📅 but not at the cost of their dignity 😊 or basic human rights 💖. this just shows how broken our system is 🤯 and we need to rethink how we do things 👍.

i feel so bad for these workers who are struggling to make ends meet 🤕 and it's just not right 💔. companies like temper should be leading by example 🙏 and showing us that we can do better 💖.
 
🤔 This whole gig economy thing is just another example of how politicians are only looking out for corporate interests 💸. I mean, if you're gonna create laws to regulate these platforms, they should be more than just token reforms 🙄. The fact that companies like Urban Outfitters and Colicci Cafe can get away with exploiting workers by taking a 2.9% fee on their earnings is just ridiculous 😡. And what's with the whole "flexibility" argument? It's just code for "we don't wanna pay you a living wage" 🤑. The TUC is right to call for more action, but we need to see real change, not just empty promises 🤷‍♂️. Maybe it's time for some of these retailers to be held accountable by the government... or by the public 🔥.
 
This gig economy thing is getting outta hand 🤯! I mean, companies are literally using apps to screw over workers and get away with it. £12 an hour is not minimum wage, mate 🤑. The TUC needs to step up their game and make some real changes. These big retailers need to be held accountable for exploiting workers like this. Temper's model might seem convenient, but it's all just a fancy way of saying "we're gonna pay you what we want, when we want" 💸. Something needs to change ASAP! 👎
 
.. this just broke my heart 🤕 thinkin' about all those workers bein' shortchanged on their wages. its like, we gotta reevaluate what we mean by "freedom" in the gig economy, ya know? its cool to have control over your hours and all, but when you're not gettin' paid a livable wage, whats the point? its all about findin' that balance between flexibility and fairness 💸👥
 
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