djsherz
I wonder if this has happened to anybody else out there....
I've just got back from a night at the regular club where I work, having been short-changed to the tune of £100.
One of their DJs is currently on holiday, so I've done a couple of extra shifts to cover him while he's away. Saturday night, he gets paid £150. Monday night, which is the busy one, myself and him work together - I do the warm-up, and he does the remaining 2 thirds of the night: I get £75, he gets £150. Fair enough...
This week, I've covered the saturday and the monday. At the end of the night this evening, I was presented with the grand total of £200 for those two nights' work. Surely this is taking liberties? All I ask is the same wage he gets for doing the same work. More work in fact - if I wanted to be cheeky, I could ask for the £150 PLUS the £75 for the monday, but that's probably taking things too far! I don't think I'll be going back there again.
*end rant*
I've just got back from a night at the regular club where I work, having been short-changed to the tune of £100.
One of their DJs is currently on holiday, so I've done a couple of extra shifts to cover him while he's away. Saturday night, he gets paid £150. Monday night, which is the busy one, myself and him work together - I do the warm-up, and he does the remaining 2 thirds of the night: I get £75, he gets £150. Fair enough...
This week, I've covered the saturday and the monday. At the end of the night this evening, I was presented with the grand total of £200 for those two nights' work. Surely this is taking liberties? All I ask is the same wage he gets for doing the same work. More work in fact - if I wanted to be cheeky, I could ask for the £150 PLUS the £75 for the monday, but that's probably taking things too far! I don't think I'll be going back there again.
*end rant*
Posted Mon 15 Jun 09 @ 9:33 pm
DJmga
Might be worth having some dialogue with the club owner regading understandings on rates, before you decide not to go back there again!
While he may have been chancing his arm on the lower rate with you, there may also be other DJ's working there for that lower rate and (giving the owner the benefit of the doubt) s/he may have assumed you would be happy with the lower rate, especially if you only usually work part of the Monday nite.
While he may have been chancing his arm on the lower rate with you, there may also be other DJ's working there for that lower rate and (giving the owner the benefit of the doubt) s/he may have assumed you would be happy with the lower rate, especially if you only usually work part of the Monday nite.
Posted Mon 15 Jun 09 @ 11:59 pm
djsherz
To be honest, I felt insulted by being paid that. I'd worked just as hard as the other guy, worked longer hours, and kept the floor busy, only to be told that I'm only worth a fraction of him. It was like a slap in the face!
Posted Tue 16 Jun 09 @ 2:48 am
tayla
understand where your coming from concerning you wages but the sensible thing is to arrange a meeting with the manager before your next shift or sooner and point out their discrepencies in your wages, it maybe a complete cock up on his part or it maybe any additional wages due will not be paid until your next wage date.
if after this your still not happy with the outcome look round for another gig, it's best job hunting been able to say you are currently working at such & such then saying you walked out of the job which will not give the best impressions no matter what the reasons or how you dress it up.
best of luck whatever the outcome...
if after this your still not happy with the outcome look round for another gig, it's best job hunting been able to say you are currently working at such & such then saying you walked out of the job which will not give the best impressions no matter what the reasons or how you dress it up.
best of luck whatever the outcome...
Posted Tue 16 Jun 09 @ 3:26 am
Dazmax
Hi mate.
I guess it will depend on how much work you get elsware. If you are well known to the other DJs in your area and you dont get any satisfactory solution by talking to the club owner let them know that this has happened to you so they can avoid falling into the same trap.
I had this happen when a club I was working at changed hands and the new owner decided on opening for a weekday night. He didn't get the door count he wanted and chose to ask the people who were already in the club to leave so he could close the club early. When I picked up my fee for the night it was 50 quid short. I told him that his decision to close the club early was realy not my problem and that the full amount should be paid. I refused to put up with his attitude. As far as he was concerned I was getting an early night and therefore should be paid less. At that time I worked in several clubs on a fixed fee for the night. the situation was finaly resolved after I spoke to the other DJs I knew in the area and let them know what had happened. The following week none of them would work for him unless he paid up front at the start of each night . The owner of the club contacted me several weeks later and apologised. He also gave the outstanding 50 quid to annother DJ to pass on to me.
I believe the club has now closed down. I wonder why.
Good luck with getting your issues sorted.
Daz
I guess it will depend on how much work you get elsware. If you are well known to the other DJs in your area and you dont get any satisfactory solution by talking to the club owner let them know that this has happened to you so they can avoid falling into the same trap.
I had this happen when a club I was working at changed hands and the new owner decided on opening for a weekday night. He didn't get the door count he wanted and chose to ask the people who were already in the club to leave so he could close the club early. When I picked up my fee for the night it was 50 quid short. I told him that his decision to close the club early was realy not my problem and that the full amount should be paid. I refused to put up with his attitude. As far as he was concerned I was getting an early night and therefore should be paid less. At that time I worked in several clubs on a fixed fee for the night. the situation was finaly resolved after I spoke to the other DJs I knew in the area and let them know what had happened. The following week none of them would work for him unless he paid up front at the start of each night . The owner of the club contacted me several weeks later and apologised. He also gave the outstanding 50 quid to annother DJ to pass on to me.
I believe the club has now closed down. I wonder why.
Good luck with getting your issues sorted.
Daz
Posted Tue 16 Jun 09 @ 4:49 am
Bren F
It's definitely best to talk about it before shutting the door, club gigs are not two a penny and you might find that somewhere else you want to play has the same owner, you wouldn't want anyone ruining your prospects by getting into peoples ears.
Posted Tue 16 Jun 09 @ 6:05 am
djstaffy
as above club gigs are not easy to get and most club owners know all club owners ect and also might have shares in many places.this sometimes is why they rip thi piss out of staff and thats what we djs are.have a chat see what they actually think of you and get your other dj there aswell so you are all aware of the story.clubs are great to work in but i actually gave up in them because of this exact problem and middle men.i work for myself now as a party mobile dj and also some pubs and i make my rules with the owners who are happy when you talk to them face to face .be carefull though as stated above work is low in some places with the dreaded recession about.hope you get on ok
Posted Tue 16 Jun 09 @ 8:02 am
chriso710
If there are any DJS in the South of the UK Chicago Rock are desperate for DJs. £130.00 what one of there agencys are paying less 10% commission + and a recent 25.00 reduction as business isn't good so if there are any budding monkeys wanting peanuts this is the place. Shocking really, I covered a Karaoke night as a favour to a DJ mate some months ago a 5 hour gig £90.00, as I said, it was a favour supplying my own equipment. Not to mention await of four weeks for the money.
Posted Tue 16 Jun 09 @ 12:50 pm
Bren F
chriso710 wrote :
If there are any DJS in the South of the UK Chicago Rock are desperate for DJs. £130.00 what one of there agencys are paying less 10% commission + and a recent 25.00 reduction as business isn't good so if there are any budding monkeys wanting peanuts this is the place. Shocking really, I covered a Karaoke night as a favour to a DJ mate some months ago a 5 hour gig £90.00, as I said, it was a favour supplying my own equipment. Not to mention await of four weeks for the money.
I live in the South of the UK! Count me in! lool
Posted Tue 16 Jun 09 @ 12:56 pm
djstaffy
at least dick turpin wore a mask lol
Posted Tue 16 Jun 09 @ 1:05 pm
tayla
haha, same sort of thing up here in the north east i was asked if i could do a 8pm til' 2am spot with my own sound and lighting at a bar in sunderland about twenty mile from me for the princely sum of £150.... i politely declined
Posted Tue 16 Jun 09 @ 1:06 pm
djsherz
I work in a disco shop by day, and you see the whole spectrum of folk who are in this game we call djing! There are those who don't go out for less than £300, and a few who'll do anything for £50! If I can get somewhere in the middle I'm happy... It's not the money so much that wound me up last night, it was just such a snub. Especially as I've covered the same nights in the past and been paid properly for it, 3 years I've been working there.... Ah well, c'est la vie. ;-)
Posted Tue 16 Jun 09 @ 3:20 pm
dj-e-lectric
djsherz wrote :
I work in a disco shop by day, and you see the whole spectrum of folk who are in this game we call djing! There are those who don't go out for less than £300, and a few who'll do anything for £50! If I can get somewhere in the middle I'm happy... It's not the money so much that wound me up last night, it was just such a snub. Especially as I've covered the same nights in the past and been paid properly for it, 3 years I've been working there.... Ah well, c'est la vie. ;-)
If you have been there three years the owner shoul dbe easy to talk to about it, at least they'll now for next time....if there is a next time.
Posted Tue 16 Jun 09 @ 3:34 pm
DJmga
djsherz wrote :
...Especially as I've covered the same nights in the past and been paid properly for it, 3 years I've been working there...
...Especially as I've covered the same nights in the past and been paid properly for it, 3 years I've been working there...
Ah, now that's a different story! I was giving the owner the benefit of the doubt, assuming you hadn't done those full nights before.
I wouldn't have any hesitation in having a conversation with the owner to let him know he left you short. Can't beat the ol' conversation for setting records straight. At least at the end of the chat, he'll know your expectations and you'll know where you stand.
Regardless of the outcome, you'll probably feel better about it all having spoken to him about it.
Good luck with it and I hope it works out ok for you...
Posted Tue 16 Jun 09 @ 3:55 pm
Bren F
I'd said say something like "I always enjoy working here but I expect to be paid the same as everyone else, if you're willing to pay me properly next time I'll be back".
Posted Tue 16 Jun 09 @ 4:54 pm
DJ_JAMIN_JIM
First things first the other DJ is A head liner AND GET TOP PAY HE HAS BEEN IN THE CLUB AND DRAWS THE PEOPLE EVER WEEKEND YOUR THE WARM UP DJ AND GET Paid less even if you play 5 hrs and he has the night off
Sorry to break it to you like that I make $50.00 more a night then any of my dj\'s all 12 of them at the bar gigs it my name on the sign out front
DJ Jim
Sorry to break it to you like that I make $50.00 more a night then any of my dj\'s all 12 of them at the bar gigs it my name on the sign out front
DJ Jim
Posted Tue 16 Jun 09 @ 8:55 pm
djchad72
I would simply discuss with your club manager/owner how you could get your name out there a little more. Discuss doing 1 headline night a month on your own. Circle your patrons to come out and support you that night... build a clientel and demand for your music from your fans/patrons.
You may have already have that... but what you need to realize is that tenure and hours worked do not matter in a club as a DJ or Bartender. You want your bartenders to make a good drink, have fast service, and easy on the eyes. You want your DJs to kick people's @$$es on the dancefloor every time they play at your venue, and most of all you want to put that DJ on your dais and have it mean something to your club goers.
In the end, it is your name that is your brand. If your brand is worth alot, Clubs are going to pay you to use it with their club to draw a crowd. The money then will follow.
You should talk to your other DJs as well. They may think it 1) will be nice to be able to take a night off now and then, and 2) will really spice up the club to change it up now and then. A residency is nice if your residency is with different clubs in different cities with different patrons who like what you play. However I have found clubs that employ the same resident week after week for a specific crowd really loose their buzz and dazzle much faster. That is where you come in to help give it a lift. :)
Hope this helps!
You may have already have that... but what you need to realize is that tenure and hours worked do not matter in a club as a DJ or Bartender. You want your bartenders to make a good drink, have fast service, and easy on the eyes. You want your DJs to kick people's @$$es on the dancefloor every time they play at your venue, and most of all you want to put that DJ on your dais and have it mean something to your club goers.
In the end, it is your name that is your brand. If your brand is worth alot, Clubs are going to pay you to use it with their club to draw a crowd. The money then will follow.
You should talk to your other DJs as well. They may think it 1) will be nice to be able to take a night off now and then, and 2) will really spice up the club to change it up now and then. A residency is nice if your residency is with different clubs in different cities with different patrons who like what you play. However I have found clubs that employ the same resident week after week for a specific crowd really loose their buzz and dazzle much faster. That is where you come in to help give it a lift. :)
Hope this helps!
Posted Tue 16 Jun 09 @ 11:13 pm
djsherz
Some good points made in the last couple of posts, although I would say things run a little differently in the UK than they do in the US. In a mainstream club such as the one I've been involved with, the name of the DJ isn't used as a marketing tool - there's no mention of the DJ(s) on the posters or flyers, its all about drinks prices and music policy. Granted, for a "specialist" night, the names on the posters are everything, but not in this case - it's a pretty commercial music mix.
Also, the whole concept of tipping service providers doesn't really happen here. The bar staff are paid an hourly wage, and that's it. Any tips that are made are normally put in a jar behind the bar, and in many cases, never seen by the staff again! Still, it's rarely going to be more than £10 worth of loose change even on a busy night.... I get the impression that in the US, the bar staff play a far more active role in making the night in terms of customer service, friendly banter etc. Here in England, they're normally just pulling drinks and taking the money, which is all you can expect of them when not on commission! But I digress... my point being, the no-tipping work ethic means that the number of hours worked means EVERYTHING! If I was worth £75 for 2 hours' work, then surely I'm worth more than £100 for 5 hours' work.
Whether or not I'm worth what the other guy gets is really neither here nor there in this case. If I was taking on the night permanently, then yes, it's up to me to negotiate with the manager for the best price I can get. However, it's standard practice (in this part of the UK at least!) that if you're there as emergency/holiday cover for the regular guy, you get what he gets.
Sorry if I've come across as some kind of jumped-up warmup with a chip on his shoulder, that really wasn't the intention. I'm not one to blow my own trumpet, but with 15 years of experience, most of which has been in nightclubs, I KNOW I'm worth more than that. This post was basically me venting my spleen on monday night - it was either going to be on here or on facebook, and the latter would have been rather unprofessional of me, given that the venue, its managers and punters would have all seen it!
Anyway, enough whinging from me, whining never solved anything - I'll have to have a word with the boss... although I'll be VERY surprised if I ever play there again!
Cheers all!
Also, the whole concept of tipping service providers doesn't really happen here. The bar staff are paid an hourly wage, and that's it. Any tips that are made are normally put in a jar behind the bar, and in many cases, never seen by the staff again! Still, it's rarely going to be more than £10 worth of loose change even on a busy night.... I get the impression that in the US, the bar staff play a far more active role in making the night in terms of customer service, friendly banter etc. Here in England, they're normally just pulling drinks and taking the money, which is all you can expect of them when not on commission! But I digress... my point being, the no-tipping work ethic means that the number of hours worked means EVERYTHING! If I was worth £75 for 2 hours' work, then surely I'm worth more than £100 for 5 hours' work.
Whether or not I'm worth what the other guy gets is really neither here nor there in this case. If I was taking on the night permanently, then yes, it's up to me to negotiate with the manager for the best price I can get. However, it's standard practice (in this part of the UK at least!) that if you're there as emergency/holiday cover for the regular guy, you get what he gets.
Sorry if I've come across as some kind of jumped-up warmup with a chip on his shoulder, that really wasn't the intention. I'm not one to blow my own trumpet, but with 15 years of experience, most of which has been in nightclubs, I KNOW I'm worth more than that. This post was basically me venting my spleen on monday night - it was either going to be on here or on facebook, and the latter would have been rather unprofessional of me, given that the venue, its managers and punters would have all seen it!
Anyway, enough whinging from me, whining never solved anything - I'll have to have a word with the boss... although I'll be VERY surprised if I ever play there again!
Cheers all!
Posted Wed 17 Jun 09 @ 4:54 am
DJ_JAMIN_JIM
why would you lose a gig over one bad night As the main DJ. Just tell the boss next time I want full pay for the full night leave it at that and move on and get over it..
I play at a Bar one night for free just to help out a Friend DJ he was Ill and I went in played and gave him 100%.. he need the money More then i did..
it's not always about money the club owner now knows you can DJ 5 hr and next time he need you you'll be there.. but if you rock the boat over a little thing like Money you'll find yourself out in the cold and job less think about the big Picture. one night as a Main DJ or jobless
i don't know about where you live but in my town it hard to find a GOOD DJ GIG FULL TIME there are so many DJ out there (LOL DJ'S) there are people getting 1/2 what i get but i still get Top pay around here just not in the lower end bars they want cheap and drunk DJ's DJ that work for Free DRINKS wow how do i compete with that pay them to let me play there LOL!!
Any way good luck and enjoy the Long walk down the street of broken dreams
I play at a Bar one night for free just to help out a Friend DJ he was Ill and I went in played and gave him 100%.. he need the money More then i did..
it's not always about money the club owner now knows you can DJ 5 hr and next time he need you you'll be there.. but if you rock the boat over a little thing like Money you'll find yourself out in the cold and job less think about the big Picture. one night as a Main DJ or jobless
i don't know about where you live but in my town it hard to find a GOOD DJ GIG FULL TIME there are so many DJ out there (LOL DJ'S) there are people getting 1/2 what i get but i still get Top pay around here just not in the lower end bars they want cheap and drunk DJ's DJ that work for Free DRINKS wow how do i compete with that pay them to let me play there LOL!!
Any way good luck and enjoy the Long walk down the street of broken dreams
Posted Wed 17 Jun 09 @ 8:20 am
Dazmax
Dunno how to put this realy but things seem to be very different between the UK and the US,better leave it at that.
If you are working as a pro DJ money is imporatant. You have a skill/ability whatever that people are prepaired to pay for otherwise why be pro. You did not suddenly become worth any less for that skill and so it should be paid for acordingly. I have found that if you let it slip one time, even if it is a favour it will come back to bite you. You dont go to pick up your car from the mechanic and then pay half the bill because you feel like it so why should this be any different.
If you dont at least ask the club owner why he paid you less you are throwing the baby out with the bathwater. I would certainly want to know if as you say they have paid the full whack to you on the other nights. They may just turn round,say oops and give you the rest of the cash.
Daz
If you are working as a pro DJ money is imporatant. You have a skill/ability whatever that people are prepaired to pay for otherwise why be pro. You did not suddenly become worth any less for that skill and so it should be paid for acordingly. I have found that if you let it slip one time, even if it is a favour it will come back to bite you. You dont go to pick up your car from the mechanic and then pay half the bill because you feel like it so why should this be any different.
If you dont at least ask the club owner why he paid you less you are throwing the baby out with the bathwater. I would certainly want to know if as you say they have paid the full whack to you on the other nights. They may just turn round,say oops and give you the rest of the cash.
Daz
Posted Wed 17 Jun 09 @ 9:46 am