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Post by Deleted on Nov 19, 2014 1:54:49 GMT -1
Like this comes as a surprise to any of us: www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-business-30097295Wee hint to retailers: Try charging realistic prices. We're all totally fed up of being asked to pay about double what a thing's worth, be it a pair of boots, a heavy coat, domestic appliances, cars, you name it. Get real with the prices and people WILL BUY. Right now, we all know fine well that you're giving it Christmas price hikes and we're all canny enough to wait till early December when the 'sales' start. DOH. P.S. retailers, most of us might even buy your overpriced goods if you were paying your employees more than minimum wage and not doing that SO AWFUL, HIDEOUS zero-hours contract thing. We're on to you, make no mistake
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Post by celyn on Nov 19, 2014 21:11:53 GMT -1
I'd have no very big objection to zero-hours contracts IFF people got into them voluntarily. I could imagine a situation where one was getting by, but had spare time, and would be fine to do a shift as and when for extra money. (Perhaps student, mostly stay-at-home parent, early-retired person...)
But that unemployed people should be FORCED onto this, leaving them with bugger all steady income and not able to sign on OR get another job, is terrible.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 21, 2014 22:18:52 GMT -1
I'd have no very big objection to zero-hours contracts IFF people got into them voluntarily. I could imagine a situation where one was getting by, but had spare time, and would be fine to do a shift as and when for extra money. (Perhaps student, mostly stay-at-home parent, early-retired person...) But that unemployed people should be FORCED onto this, leaving them with bugger all steady income and not able to sign on OR get another job, is terrible. That's it exactly, Celyn. Zero hours contracts will suit a minority of people who're supplementing their lifestyle and enjoy having flexibility. But where we are now is that so many people are denied any employment rights: so many people want to work all the hours they can get but are restricted because employers have to comply with employment laws if they employ people for more than 16 hours a week. The very worst thing about zero hours is that you never know from one week to the next what shifts you're going to get. As you say, there's no reliable income from one week to the next--and you can't sign on for benefit if you have a bad week or two, it has to be six on the trot. Do we really think it's OK to have people on minimum wage with no job security selling overpriced goods just because 'some' employers believe they can get away with wage-slavery? Oh, I don't think so.
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Post by celyn on Nov 21, 2014 23:33:01 GMT -1
So how do we convince Cameron, Miliband, Clegg? Evil bloody lot.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 22, 2014 0:14:23 GMT -1
Ideas on a postcard, Celyn? Cameron/Milliband/Clegg are interchangeable. They serve only their party donors, with an eye to the main chance, and not the people of the UKE. They are all career politicians, born into privilege and wealth, who have never had a 'real' job--that's beneath them, that's for us slaves... It'll have escaped nobody's notice that I'm fervently, utterly pro-Scottish independence. We lost, this time...but much of the rUK has woken up to the fact that our country is SO divided, SO unequal, with a serious bias to the South East of England. Wealth creation? Yes, always a good idea. But wealth creation, only to benefit the already wealthy? I think not. Obscene profits rise because companies are continually excused from paying taxes while paying the lowest wage they can get away with. And the ever-present 'threat' that they'll outsource to Third World countries if we don't accept the low-wage culture. Let's get real here. UKE taxpayers SUBSIDISE the profits made by these companies who pay such low wages because many workers qualify for top-up benefits such as housing, tax credits etc. Effectively our wage deductions every month are going into the pockets of the greedy, not the needy. The vast majority of people receiving benefits are NOT unemployed, but people in work.
This is a FECKING SCANDAL.
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Post by celyn on Nov 22, 2014 0:15:12 GMT -1
I am not sure whether Tesco and LIDL use the evil zero-hour contracts, but I can't imagine Tesco being great to work for anyway, so I am always utterly amazed that the staff manage to be so really nice. All should have medals. (There used to be small shops near me and I used them, but they are gone - just getting my defence in first about using LIDL/Tesco)
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Post by celyn on Nov 22, 2014 0:17:09 GMT -1
... UKE taxpayers SUBSIDISE the profits made by these companies who pay such low wages because many workers qualify for top-up benefits such as housing, tax credits etc. Effectively our wage deductions every month are going into the pockets of the greedy, not the needy. The vast majority of people receiving benefits are NOT unemployed, but people in work.
This is a FECKING SCANDAL. I know, but I don't know how to convince the Daily Mail types that vote for the evil shysters.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 22, 2014 0:26:39 GMT -1
I am not sure whether Tesco and LIDL use the evil zero-hour contracts, but I can't imagine Tesco being great to work for anyway, so I am always utterly amazed that the staff manage to be so really nice. All should have medals. (There used to be small shops near me and I used them, but they are gone - just getting my defence in first about using LIDL/Tesco) Terror tactics, Celyn! Employees are supposed to be so darned grateful to have a minimum wage job. They can be sacked according to their employer's whim if they don't 'shape up' to that company's 'service ethic'. No recourse to employment rights if you're minimum wage and less than 16 hours a week, its no darned wonder you get fixed smiles and people trying to go the extra mile just to keep their darned job. I am feeling really angry, not for the first time, so I'm gonna shut up. For now
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Post by celyn on Nov 22, 2014 1:02:59 GMT -1
Oh, I'm sure there's a bit of terror tactics, but I mean staff being nice even when there's no boss-type in earshot. Last time in Tesco, there was a chap who had come down from Dundee to go to university and he said he was having great trouble with Glasgow accents. Oh, sympathy, and good luck with the course, blah, blah, but I couldn't help thinking "hang about - you're from Dundee and you complain about a different language?"
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Post by ozneil on Nov 22, 2014 19:02:40 GMT -1
Oh, I'm sure there's a bit of terror tactics, but I mean staff being nice even when there's no boss-type in earshot. Last time in Tesco, there was a chap who had come down from Dundee to go to university and he said he was having great trouble with Glasgow accents. Oh, sympathy, and good luck with the course, blah, blah, but I couldn't help thinking "hang about - you're from Dundee and you complain about a different language?" I can understand that
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Post by Deleted on Nov 26, 2014 20:00:09 GMT -1
Hey, Celyn, I don't know whether Lidl do those awful contracts or Aldi come to that. I shop mostly in the latter and staff are unfailingly good too.
SO, what is this US import that is Black Friday? Much retail hysteria this week or what? Shall there be US style shopping riots as people who've queued for three nights fight over the aftershave gift sets, multipack socks and pants and hideous useless must-have gadgets?
Crazy stuff.
Does it happen on Oz, Oz?
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Post by ozneil on Nov 26, 2014 20:12:20 GMT -1
Hey, Celyn, I don't know whether Lidl do those awful contracts or Aldi come to that. I shop mostly in the latter and staff are unfailingly good too. SO, what is this US import that is Black Friday? Much retail hysteria this week or what? Shall there be US style shopping riots as people who've queued for three nights fight over the aftershave gift sets, multipack socks and pants and hideous useless must-have gadgets? Crazy stuff. Does it happen on Oz, Oz? Yeah it does but it is a tad more laid back Its mostly on line stuff. Some retailers did try it but it was met with a massive yawn, wasnt a success No big adverts in Papers this week anyways I thought it was something to do with Friday 13th here But I am a mere male and dont know about such things
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Post by Deleted on Nov 26, 2014 20:23:53 GMT -1
Hey, Celyn, I don't know whether Lidl do those awful contracts or Aldi come to that. I shop mostly in the latter and staff are unfailingly good too. SO, what is this US import that is Black Friday? Much retail hysteria this week or what? Shall there be US style shopping riots as people who've queued for three nights fight over the aftershave gift sets, multipack socks and pants and hideous useless must-have gadgets? Crazy stuff. Does it happen on Oz, Oz? Yeah it does but it is a tad more laid back Its mostly on line stuff. Some retailers did try it but it was met with a massive yawn, wasnt a success I thought it was something to do with Friday 13th here But I am a mere male and dont know about such things That's kinda good to know, bit of sanity over by. Not so here. Black Friday's being hyped to the gunnels and it ain't pretty. Clearly the days of a tangerine in the bottom of your dad's sock and one main present are so last century....along with the Ktel hair magician and a packet of bath salts.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 26, 2014 20:41:21 GMT -1
But just to be serious for a second, most supermarkets have already started foodbank collection points. I'd not be surprised if we were to see an impromptu collection point in George Square in the coming weeks either.
That so many are really struggling gives the lie to those hideous ads where Xmas is portrayed as picture perfect and to which we are all supposed to aspire.
Scottish Gov is trying to dissuade folks from taking short term payday loans to 'afford' Xmas and pointing out better ways to manage expectations..and debt. For those who can only get the most exploitative kind.
New rules for payday loans don't come into effect till the New year, sadly. Too late for too many.
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Post by ozneil on Nov 26, 2014 21:10:03 GMT -1
Much the same here but without the Supermarkets having food banks. The food is needed but is collected differently as are toys for needy kids.
The local Charity Vans go round bakeries and and supermarkets picking up (given) "best before" stuff most nights.
The one saving thing is here is the weather it wont kill you so quickly
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