Servants on the upper East Side (how much, salary, gardening)

[MichaelOrear]

Hello,

Just wondering what are servants on the upper east side like? I have noticed the following:

1. the Chauffers, doormen, and even maids seem very formal and elegant, and polished.

2. Some have been in the same job for ages.

Just wondering:

1. How much do household staff on the upper east side get paid?

2. How do they get those jobs?

3. What are such people like personality wise?

4. How do the servants on the upper east side aquire the air of elegance, and old money accent and mannerisms that they often display? Are they like that in private?

Thanks

[silverbullnyc]

Why dont you ask all the people you are observing for the best, most accurate description.

[Harlem resident]

Originally Posted by MichaelOrear

Hello,

Just wondering what are servants on the upper east side like? I have noticed the following:

1. the Chauffers, doormen, and even maids seem very formal and elegant, and polished.

2. Some have been in the same job for ages.

Just wondering:

1. How much do household staff on the upper east side get paid?

2. How do they get those jobs?

3. What are such people like personality wise?

4. How do the servants on the upper east side aquire the air of elegance, and old money accent and mannerisms that they often display? Are they like that in private?

Thanks

1. Yes.

2. Ditto, although for some this can change on a dime, someone gets fed up (could be them).



1. More than people realize. Often "off the books," usually the choice of the employer.

2. Word of mouth. PA knows someone who is an artist but does "gardening," or similar. I helped a few Harlem people get jobs, a driver, one gardener, with people I knew. I did then warn them before they started about the insanity particular to whomever.

3. Obsequious by necessity. Resentment builds sometimes, see 2. above. How long can anyone cater to sets of narcissistic pseudo-"aristocrats."

4. Training. It's called doing what you need to in order to get by. They are normal in private, which you can even observe in context if you engage to them normally.

[Harlem resident]

Originally Posted by silverbullnyc

Why dont you ask all the people you are observing for the best, most accurate description.

Won't work if they do not trust you - I have observed.

[BBMW]

I'm not going to answer all of your questions, but I will point out one thing. You need to separate these people into two groups. There are the personal servants (maids, nannies, personal drivers, etc..) These people generally cut whatever deal they can with their employers, either the people they work for directly, or an agency that acts as an intermediary.

The other group are the building workers (doormen, concierges, porters, supers, handymen, etc..) In big, full service buildings, they tend to be unionized (Local 32BJ of SEIU), and except for the supers, their wages are dictated by union scale and seniority. Unless they do something very wrong, it's tough to get rid of one, so they tend to stay a long time. Also, they tend to get tips, and get paid to do side jobs from building residents, so they have a good source of extra cash. The tend to move up the food chain in the building, IE start out as a porter then move to handyman, then doorman, then super. I have a feeling that most people being hired new either have connections with other building employees, or work at other buildings managed by the same management company. I don't think you see too many help wanted ads for these positions.

In a full service building, the super is much more of a manager, and can have a dozen or more people working for him. They have their own union contract, and salary is more variable.