ARE BETHELITES FREE LABOR?

by Pureheart 9 Replies latest jw friends

• 

  Pureheart

  Hello everyone,

  Bethelites are not free labor as we think. He does pay his way. Most are unskilled when they first go to Bethel. Let’s say they are paid $8.00 per hour for their labor. The following list is a guestamated money amount that it cost the WTS to take care of one person.

  Rent----------------$800.00 per month
  Telephone---------$20.00 per month
  Water--------------$20.00 per month
  Maid Service-----$40.00 per week
  Laundry-----------$15.00 per week
  Meals--------------$15.00 per day (Restaurants)
  Electric Service--$100.00 per month
  Health Insur. ----$77.00 per month
  Allowance---------$100.00 per month
  $1,187.00 per month

  They work at least 40 hours per week. Multiply that by $8.00 per hour=$1,280.00 per month. The average Bethel worker would have to pay around that amount to survive on the outside, but without benefits.
  These numbers are only rough estimates, but they give a person the picture that the Bethelites are not on a permanent vacation.
  And who provide the funds for all of this?

  Pureheart
• 

  Parliament

  $8.00 per hour!!!!! Where do I sign up?
• 

  Parliament

  Oh wait. I already did subcontracting work for that company. I didnt like it. I'll stay at my minumum wage job. Im much happier there.
• 

  NameWithheld

  Yea, they're unskilled when the go in, and they are unskilled when they leave. Trust me, the way things are run in the 'house of god' these poor young guys are not learning anything useful they could translate into a career later in life. They'd be MUCH better off going into that trade for real, or better yet getting a real education. Nice try to pass of Bethel life as beneficial, but it doesn't fly.

  Not too mention when they leave they have NO money, NO property, NO assests of any kind. Nor do they have any real 'job' experience, and of course no education. So they're screwed compared to someone who begins working at 20, or someone who goes thru college. Imagine leave the big house at age 40 or 50 in the above situation ... a surefire guaranteed way to permanent janitorial work till you die.
• 

  ISP

  There is a taxation angle on all this. The Bethel dudes are getting 'benefits in kind' of circa $1200 per month...and some tax should be paid. The society are employing these people without paying a salary as such but the WTS should be paying PAYE, NI etc.

  Really the WTS should pay wages and charge. Both would be paying taxes which the rest of us have no choice about.

  ISP
• 

  rekless

  Not too mention when they leave they have NO money, NO property, NO assests of any kind. Nor do they have any real 'job' experience, and of course no education. So they're screwed compared to someone who begins working at 20, or someone who goes thru college. Imagine leave the big house at age 40 or 50 in the above situation ... a surefire guaranteed way to permanent janitorial work till you die.

  Personally you can't get janitorial wortk at 40 or 50 unless you know somebody.

  I am a licensed general contractor been in the trades for over 30 years wasted those years in the borg. now I'm trying to make up time and having a hard time because at 56 no body wants you because you are old and your network is gone.

  I not giving up though...i'll make ends meet and I will succeed before I die.

  all I have to say to JWs get a good job agood trade put the family first then the org. network.
• 

  nytelecom1

  Rent----------------$800.00 per month

  in the heights???...an apartment of that quality could
  easily go for 2,000 a month
• 

  Yerusalyim

  Starting wages in a Union Print Shop are much closer to $14.00 an hour. It costs the Society nowhere near $800.00 a month to house these poor saps. The maid service is pretty much cost free as there is no labor costs involved. If they spend $5.00 a day per person on food I'd be REAL surprised.

  While the figures you use are probably what the Society would like the rank and file to think so they donate more, the cost is well less than $1000.00 monthly for upkeep of these poor slave laborers.

  YERUSALYIM
  "Vanity! It's my favorite sin!"
  [Al Pacino as Satan, in "DEVIL'S ADVOCATE"]
• 

  sleepy

  Although there are costs involved i don't think these figures are anywhere near what it cost the society.
  When would you ever get an electrisity bill of $100 per person?
  It would never cost $800 dollars a month rent for a shared room.
  When you pat rent the person who owns the property makes a profit for eaxmple if you pay $800 a month rent the owner is probably paying about $400 on his morgage $100 in up keep $100 in fees thats $ 200 profit.
  Maid servise and laundery are done by volunters only the cost of the machine and cosumables are involved.
  Meals $15 a day what a joke.
  When you go shoping you buy from a supermarket that makes a profit on goods they buy to sell.
  The society doesnt go to a supermarket to buy .It buys in bulk from suppliers and pay about half of what we would maybe even less.
  Even thought it costs money its not as much as you think.
• 

  Skeptic

  Pureheart, your numbers are why to high. don't forget that Bethel is community-type living, the buildings are probably owned outright from the time construction is completed. Also, all funds and labour to build Bethel are donated to the Society.

  Your prices seem to be normal business prices. Due to its size and the fact that funds are donated for everything, Bethel's costs are much lower.

  All they have is operating costs.

  Rent----------------$800.00 per month

  No way, the building is free. There will be a small amount needed for materials for maintenance. There is no way this would reach $800/month per person. Plus the printing "business revenue" probably pays this cost in full.

  Telephone---------$20.00 per month
  If they have their own PBX, this cost will be close to zero. Plus the printing "business revenue" probably pays this cost in full.

  Water--------------$20.00 per month
  Per person? No way.

  Maid Service-----$40.00 per week
  Donated labour. Cost is utilites and food for maid.

  Laundry-----------$15.00 per week
  I do my laundry for $6 a week. If a person does theirs at home is is probably $10/two weeks. I'll bet Bethel's laundry is cheaper.

  Meals--------------$15.00 per day (Restaurants)
  Doubt it, but I am not sure.

  Electric Service--$100.00 per month
  For one person in a building where electricity is common to all? No way.

  Health Insur. ----$77.00 per month
  I don't know either way.

  Allowance---------$100.00 per month
  Your probably right on this one.