Many of us hire the services of labourers to do various tasks for us (maid/maasi to clean, khansaama to cook, rickshaw waalas to take us place - I especially feel badly for cycle of paidal rickshaw-waalas) and when we pay them, we ask the locals what the going rate for the services are. There have been times when I have gotten told off for “over-paying” the service provider because apparently it spoils them and they start demanding more from the locals who say they don’t have more to pay them
So my question, is it better to over-pay them, pay them the going rate which is pittance and you know not a living wage, or do you do the work yourself so you can avoid this moral dilemma?
This is the ongoing jhagraa between my husband and his mom whenever we go to Pakistan..she gets mad and says he/we spoil the chaukudars/drivers/babas/househelp with tips or departing gifts of money. He says she doesn’t do enough for them…I don’t understand the rigmarole
consider what a fair wage would be...pay that much...i'm told in India that if i pay more i somehow mess-up with the going rate...at the end of the day, it's your decision.
what i do is i ask how much i should pay for the services...whatever he/she tells me i add 25% more...roughly!
Why see oneself as above the labourer in the first place?
I myself would rather not use anyone, if I was capable of completing menial tasks. However the times when I have needed help I pay them not the going rate but a little extra becuase who knows if I may ever pass that way again.
Generosity can be a mistake but i'd rather be known as a man who gave more than cheated anyone. Likewise when there was a time I served others I did not merely do so for the money but the company and the delight of learning something new especially if it was skilled manual work.
Interesting. I’ve heard the same argument being used for those insanely-expensive lawns. Designers know that there are ppl willing to pay 9,000 Rs for a lawn jora, and thus keep selling/pricing them that way. Unfortunately that doesn’t stop me from buying and I realize that makes me sound hypocritical.
on the other hand, I wouldn’t overpay for labor. a little bit extra, like ‘keep the change’ but nothing extremely generous, for the reason that if you start paying them more, they’ll start demanding more from everyone else. in the big picture, it has kind of an adverse effect. Otherwise, why should I overpay because I have an attack of conscience? Gifts for occasions, or helping out is ok… and i’m not advocating cheating anyone or ripping anyone off…but for the reason that it would be unfair to everyone else I think.
Why see oneself as above the labourer in the first place?
I myself would rather not use anyone, if I was capable of completing menial tasks. However the times when I have needed help I pay them not the going rate but a little extra becuase who knows if I may ever pass that way again.
Generosity can be a mistake but i'd rather be known as a man who gave more than cheated anyone. Likewise when there was a time I served others I did not merely do so for the money but the company and the delight of learning something new especially if it was skilled manual work.
i think wages are diffrenet than what you would tip...being generous is good, no doubt about it but back home, they say pay the going rate and then give extra as baKhshish [and, tell them this X amount is for your wages and this Y amount for a job well done] and i kinda like that...it keeps the going rate/asking rate in check and at the same time you are helping the guy...you also receive a better service if they know you pay extra. :)
I remember one time my husband hired the driver of a friend (friend was overseas at the time and didn’t need him) to become my driver for the 3 weeks or so I was going to be karachi after husband was coming back to US…he negotiatied a price with the driver (car was our own family car) and told him to come the next day. My MIL was not pleased with the amount my husband was willing to pay, so when this driver showed up at the door at the requested time, she answered the door (we were both in our bedroom getting ready) and told him that he was asking too much and sent him away
That’s what I don’t get. When I hear from my elders in Pakistan that “tum log Amreeka sai aakay inkay aadatain kharaab kartay ho” I don’t understand how. If we have it and are willing to pay/give, how is that wrong?
^ Khati thing is if there is no cheap labour in Pakistan then god forbid people have to start doing their own household work and that can’t happen. So let exploit the gareeb log and keep the monies for our luxuries.
I don’t get it either.
When they know that we are from abroad and we can afford to give them extra, why would they demand the same from locals? They aren’t that dense.
And why would the locals oblige? Why wouldn’t they just say no? That’s what my family does.
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So my question, is it better to over-pay them, pay them the going rate which is pittance and you know not a living wage, or do you do the work yourself so you can avoid this moral dilemma?
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Pay them what they deserve. We had a lot of work done in our house by a poor workman, my Dad recognised his hard work and we decided to pay him what he deserved which is a lot rather than pay him the pittance which he'd get otherwise.
I dont understand how we can be spoiling them if we pay them more than rest? Obviously those who are living there wont pay the same even if the masi start demanding it? I mean seriously, how much can she really demand? I personally dont like this way of thinking.
I dont know how my parents pay them off, but my guess it is well, because they never wanna leave again lol.
Other than the paying/money issue, I actually dont like the attitude our people have against their services. :(
Depends on the service I am getting - if I am happy with it , I don't mind paying extra .... But unfortunately there are few issues I always have with labors here in Pakistan:
a) They promise bringing stars from the sky but deliver jack all - Hardly deliver what been committed at the start of taking the work and if pointed out start making excuses , I am always like '' Ullo k phattay why didnt you tell me this when I was giving you this job '
b) No professional commitment to their own jobs - No punctuality . Messy at work
Basically we Pakistans are lazy bums - who just want to get free money and sadly it is developing into a National dilemma .. And when we work , our attitude is like we are doing favor to the guy who is paying us money against the job committed .
Many of us hire the services of labourers to do various tasks for us (maid/maasi to clean, khansaama to cook, rickshaw waalas to take us place - I especially feel badly for cycle of paidal rickshaw-waalas) and when we pay them, we ask the locals what the going rate for the services are. There have been times when I have gotten told off for "over-paying" the service provider because apparently it spoils them and they start demanding more from the locals who say they don't have more to pay them
So my question, is it better to over-pay them, pay them the going rate which is pittance and you know not a living wage, or do you do the work yourself so you can avoid this moral dilemma?
It really is a no brainer. When you visit don't worry about being told off by the locals who want to keep wages suppressed for those lower in the food chain. Go with your heart.
I over pay. If people can pay for a 20 bucks cab in New York or a 100 Euro train ride, they can certainly afford to pay 50 cents for a rick-shaw. I always over pay and my parents have given up on me. I tip 20% at restaurants in Pakistan as well to the shock of my friends. My response is I pay twice as much eating abroad why not help out the average Pakistani then?
and I realize that makes me sound hypocritical. 
