And the gravy train rolls on . . .

[Vanilla]

So you're happy that we are not in the Single Market even though Brexiteers promised in the referendum that we would be? As a result British businesses are going to the wall. I think it's a disgrace that they got away with this con job and I make no bones about it.

I didn't vote for it, but I respect the vote.

 

[ltron]

I didn't vote for it, but I respect the vote.

There's a big difference between respecting the vote and respecting what was delivered in the name of that vote when it's clear it was a bait and switch.

 

[Vanilla]

There's a big difference between respecting the vote and respecting what was delivered in the name of that vote when it's clear it was a bait and switch.

Someone's salty.

 

[Mellowfellow]

Local councils are forever cutting back on costs, wondering why bins not done or potholes not filled? Not the workers fault all the time, using cheap contactors pay peanuts get monkeys .
If councils went back to direct employment with a decent pension for staff as I listed above , perhaps things would improve.

 

[Mellowfellow]

Your experience? What experience is that, then?

People in our team* are working unpaid overtime most days, earn a fraction of what they could up country in a private context, and work bloody hard.

We've had pay freezes for years and after it ended we had 2% for a couple years, followed by another pay freeze thanks to Corona.

Also the generous perks and conditions were scrapped years ago. New employees don't get any of that, and haven't done for years. Sure the people who got in 20 years ago are probably in a different boat. And the people who got in even before that probably had the best deal.

Being a local public servant these days is anything but cushy or well paid.

Most departments have lost so much funding they've cut to the bone. Many heads of departments have been close to breakdown point just wondering how they'll keep essential services going. Wages have gone down, believe me. Why don't you try joining and see how cushy and set-for-life and overpaid we are today.. Those days are gone, well and truly.

*not claiming this refers to me personally.

I have been told that by colleagues who tell me they earned more 20 years ago than today, not adjusted for inflation but literally more money. Overtime pay cuts (I've experienced this recently with reduced hours allowed) plus more work expected for the same money.

 

[stockhausen]

There are rumours doing the rounds that Dido Harding (Tory Peer, married to a Tory MP and considered to be even less competent than her good friend Matt Hancock) may be put in charge of the NHS as a reward for the God-awful job she has done with "Test and Trace"

 

[Monkeynut]

There are rumours doing the rounds that Dido Harding (Tory Peer, married to a Tory MP and considered to be even less competent than her good friend Matt Hancock) may be put in charge of the NHS as a reward for the God-awful job she has done with "Test and Trace"

Perhaps she'll lose everyone's personal data like she did at TalkTalk.

 

[dowie]

Meanwhile, Sajid Javid, yet another Tory ex-Chancellor has joined the investment bank JP Morgan (LINK)

All jobs for the boys in the "Make Britain Grate again" Tory party

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sajid_Javid#Banking_career

Javid had an 18-year City career where he rose to become a Board member of Deutsche Bank International.[17] Javid joined Chase Manhattan Bank in New York City immediately after graduation, working mostly in South America. Aged 25,[a] he became a vice president.[18][21] He returned to London in 1997, and later joined Deutsche Bank as a director in 2000. In 2004, he became a managing director at Deutsche Bank and, the following year, global head of Emerging Markets Structuring.[23]

In 2007, he relocated to Singapore as head of Deutsche Bank's credit trading, equity convertibles, commodities and private equity businesses in Asia,[24] and was appointed a board member of Deutsche Bank International Limited.

He left Deutsche Bank in 2009 to pursue a career in politics. His earnings at Deutsche Bank would have been roughly £3,000,000 a year at the time he left[25] and the Evening Standard once estimated his career change would have required him to take a 98% pay cut.[

Wait - guy who was a senior banker before he even got into politics, then made a success of his political career, reaching the second highest political position in the country... goes back into finance and gets a good job????

How could that possibly happen - how can this former politician with 18 years of banking experience and previous board member of an investment bank, end up getting a job in finance after politics... just crazy eh?

 

[dlockers]

Local councils are forever cutting back on costs, wondering why bins not done or potholes not filled? Not the workers fault all the time, using cheap contactors pay peanuts get monkeys .
If councils went back to direct employment with a decent pension for staff as I listed above , perhaps things would improve.

Not the workers fault.........

Pay peanuts get monkeys.........

Reason why bins aren't collected more regularly.........

Are you confused?

 

[Resident]

Local councils are forever cutting back on costs, wondering why bins not done or potholes not filled? Not the workers fault all the time, using cheap contactors pay peanuts get monkeys .
If councils went back to direct employment with a decent pension for staff as I listed above , perhaps things would improve.

My bins are emptied on the day scheduled. Although there was once it was missed in 2010 but there was about 4ft of snow on the ground so I gave them the benefit of the doubt.

From your posts you seem to be extra salty when it comes to councils. In fairness some are absolutely diabolical but I feel this is more personal to you. Ex-employee perhaps...

 

[d_brennen]

Not the workers fault.........

Pay peanuts get monkeys.........

Reason why bins aren't collected more regularly.........

Are you confused?

Contractors. Are you confused?

 

[Mellowfellow]

It is somewhat personal , if you've worked for some of them you'd probably feel similar

 

[dlockers]

Contractors. Are you confused?

I don't think the contractors doing the work decide when the collections are. I think everyone is perfectly coping with bi weekly collections of landfill. Proves it was a waste in the first place (carbon, cash).

 

[Mellowfellow]

I don't think the contractors doing the work decide when the collections are. I think everyone is perfectly coping with bi weekly collections of landfill. Proves it was a waste in the first place (carbon, cash).

Yes the council sets the collection days but the current contractor changed the shift pattern and routes, making it less efficient than it previously was.
Add to that use of agency staff who don't always know where they're going, under investment in the vehicles with frequently breaking down costing more time and effort, plus bins reported as not collected gets the contractor a £50 fine, work out how much they must be losing Over the long term, you have a recipe for disaster

 

[Resident]

I don't think the contractors doing the work decide when the collections are. I think everyone is perfectly coping with bi weekly collections of landfill. Proves it was a waste in the first place (carbon, cash).

You wouldn't think it if you listened to the griping of Sheffield's residents. Every 3rd complaint about Sheffield Council is because they went from weekly to fortnightly collections (for non-recyclable waste). Sheffield was one of the last councils to move to fortnightly, with councils in surrounding areas having already done it upto a DECADE before with no issues.

As for Mr MellowFellow, I'm guessing former career binman, probably let go due to constant moaning and refusal to just get on with his job.

 

[Mellowfellow]

You wouldn't think it if you listened to the griping of Sheffield's residents. Every 3rd complaint about Sheffield Council is because they went from weekly to fortnightly collections (for non-recyclable waste). Sheffield was one of the last councils to move to fortnightly, with councils in surrounding areas having already done it upto a DECADE before with no issues.

As for Mr MellowFellow, I'm guessing former career binman, probably let go due to constant moaning and refusal to just get on with his job.

If you'd ever done the job you wouldn't be pleased.
I've actually gone over to street cleaning , much easier for the same money as running around behind a dustcart.

 

[fez]

How could that possibly happen - how can this former politician with 18 years of banking experience and previous board member of an investment bank, end up getting a job in finance after politics... just crazy eh?

This feels like one of those things that should be fine but the link between big banks and governement is shady as **** and I wouldn't trust a politician or a banker as far as I could throw either of them. There are a lot of things that I think politics should exempt you from being able to do. Seems like you could very easily affect policy to help the sector you are going into and you would also have intimate knowledge of the government and the right people to "massage" to get what you want in your new private job. There is a reason ex-PMs can get paid a huge amount of money to "consult" after they leave office.

 

[bm_999]

Rich get richer

Playing thr system is probably the only way nowadays

 

[stockhausen]

. . . how can this former politician (Sajid Javid) with 18 years of banking experience and previous board member of an investment bank, end up getting a job in finance after politics... just crazy eh?

Actually I think that Javid epitomises what is wrong with the revolving door - it could be argued that he went from being a Banker to being the Bankers' friend as Chancellor of the Exchequer and then went back to pick up his reward in Banking when he failed to get the top job.

As it happens, the fact that he might be described as a Thatcherite, Eurosceptic war-monger implacably opposed to Socialism doesn't really make me one of his die-hard fans - your opinion may differ

 

[dowie]

Actually I think that Javid epitomises what is wrong with the revolving door - it could be argued that he went from being a Banker to being the Bankers' friend as Chancellor of the Exchequer and then went back to pick up his reward in Banking when he failed to get the top job.

OMG how terrible...

What next? What if we had a health Secretary who was also a qualified medical practitioner? They’d go from doctor to doctors’ friend... and then they might go back to being a doctor after giving up politics.