Unemployed bussed in to steward jubilee, unpaid and asked to sleep rough

[Jono]

I think pretty much ANY campsite would get a bit "swampy" after rain.
I've pulled 18 hour shifts at work then gone to sleep in my car, when it was -7. Then gone back to work a few hours later for another 14 hours.
The cheapest Travel Lodge type place at the time was £90.

Would work have reimbursed me for my 4 hour sleep in a hotel? No.
Did I wail? Yes, of course I did. But only to family and close friends.
Did I get recognition for my efforts from my employer. Yes.

Was it worth it, would I do it again? Yes, if I had to. I'm happy to have a job.
Would I have "Camped" under London Bridge if I didn't have a job, but wanted one.

Hell yes.
I'm with Dolph etc. on this one. We need to get rid of this entitlement culture.

 

[Rich_L]

Was your job title 'Doormat' or something?

I don't get the fervent employer worship and 'can do no wrong' personally and I'm always surprised about how much grovelling and *&^%-shovelling people are willing to put up with without getting something in return - that said equally for many people in less fortunate positions than myself in terms of both employability and reliance on their income they are far more susceptible to exploitation by unscrupulous employers. And to be honest I think most people are in that same position, even Dolph when he decides to hang up his Ayn Rand parroting and think about things for a moment

 

[Jono]

Was your job title 'Doormat' or something?

No. I'm just dedicated to the cause
TBH If I hadn't (had to do long days because I was dealing with South Korea and California in the same day)... I probably wouldn't have a job now, because the company wouldn't have sold any tools.

 

[FoxEye]

because they're morons.

DAMNNNNED JOBSEEKERS TAKIN ALL MA MONEYYYYY DURRRRR!1!1!!

brb spending 1 billion on nuclear submarine.

And nobody seems to care that the free labour is being used for the benefit of private companies? To boost their profits?

 

[Rich_L]

Which is fair, but you can be dedicated to the cause without presenting rear for ample bonage at every opportunity

Did you even try to get reimbursed in that situation or did you feel embarassed to ask as it was 'expected'? If it's the former and they said no then I'd say ok, the employer is a *&^%, in the latter situation then that is a seriously b0rked set-up I dunno, maybe when I was younger I might have put up with that for the 'greater good' but now I'd just look at that scenario and be on the phone to my manager/supervisor saying "ok this is the situation, if I'm needed to stay this long then I'm going to need accommodation and I think it's reasonable to be reimbursed" - and IMO if the latter approach is not respected then the people above you are *(&^s too.

 

[Jono]

I may have forgotten to mention that when the lovely lady at the local(est) hotel came back with £91 for the most basic room for what would only be a few hours, and no breakfast... I think I said "**** it, I'll sleep in the car", so it was a personal choice.

So no, I didn't try to get reimbursed. They probably would have, or at least contributed a lot towards it, and told me don't be such a **** in future and just go home at a sensible hour.

All I'm trying to say is there's no MASSIVE problem with what happened in the OP. It was mismanaged, apologies have been made, hopefully lessons learned, but I've had worse and I didn't feel the need to cry to the guardian about it.

 

[FoxEye]

I always find it funny that they are saying its unpaid work. They are getting paid through their benefits. Government actually getting something back rather than throwing it into a sink. Tbh every person that has been unemployed x amount of time should be required to work for government for periods of time.

They aren't working for the government. They're working for a private company.

From what I've read, it *costs* the goverment money to implement this Work Prgramme. If fact from what I've read it could cost millions annually.

Who does it benefit? Private companies who get free labour...

 

[Rroff]

All I'm trying to say is there's no MASSIVE problem with what happened in the OP. It was mismanaged, apologies have been made, hopefully lessons learned, but I've had worse and I didn't feel the need to cry to the guardian about it.

Yeah reading into it more seems they were only under the bridge for a little under 2 hours and not actually sleeping there overnight like some initial reports suggested.

Still very poorly planned by the sounds of it and they definetly should have got better facilities at either end of it.

 

[Hatter The Mad]

Yeah reading into it more seems they were only under the bridge for a little under 2 hours and not actually sleeping there overnight like some initial reports suggested.

Still very poorly planned by the sounds of it and they definetly should have got better facilities at either end of it.

STOP SPOILING THIS WITH FACTS

You'll upset scorza.

 

[Rroff]

They aren't working for the government. They're working for a private company.

From what I've read, it *costs* the goverment money to implement this Work Prgramme. If fact from what I've read it could cost millions annually.

Who does it benefit? Private companies who get free labour...

As I've said before, the whole system seems to be setup to manage unemployment NOT to help people back to work. Infact I think the system actually hampers people who need to rely on it short term and genuinely are trying to find work more than it helps. Needs to be much more flexible with regards to people who haven't been claiming very long and much more structured with regards to pushing people who are long term unemployed.

 

[Things change I've changed]

This trite phrase seems to be used by quite a few folk seemingly to justify atrocious work conditions offered to those not fortunate enough to be in employment.

Essentially are you saying it is ok to treat the beggar, the poor man, the unemployed person in a degrading fashion exactly because he is poor, is unemployed...he is less than the rest of us...the workers Let us exploit this condition of theirs for every penny of profit we can squeeze. And if they complain at their lot hey "beggars cant be choosers"

Its easy to oppress those with nothing and least able to fight back isn't it...

Bravo.

The staunch right wing attitude in this thread is disgusting and shameful, there are thousands of people on the dole that hate being on it and try their best to find a job, they are going through a difficult time in their lives and you people just want to treat them like **** because your so privileged in paying your taxes, the attitude in this thread isn't about about objective fairness and equality, it's about people that get off on feeling superior to others less fortunate than themselves.

You can't treat human beings like this, it's not like your allowed to pick a random field and make some shelter and live off the land and hunt for food legally, your essentially forced into accepting government help until you can find another job which is not always as easy as people seem to make out on here, we have job threads on this very forum that are proof of that, you can't always just grab a backpack and move and be guaranteed work, you'd be foolish to think so.

 

['Harry]

I'm unemployed (again). I started working 2 weeks after leaving school (June 2000), and up until 2010 I'd never been out of work longer then a week. 2010 all went a little wrong for me. I had health issues at the time (mental health/stress), and employers that didn't really give a ****, so I bailed from the job.

Let me give you a little back story about the job. I ran a section of 25-30 staff (we had varying amount of agency depending on how busy it was). This job required me to run to a very tight schedule. One wrong move would result in an order not being filled. If an order wasn't filled this would cost the company anywhere between 5-100k in fines. That is a lot of stress right there, I'm sure you'd agree?

Now if I said to you I was paid a little over £7ph to do this job what would you think? I worked hard, harder then most here who live comfy lives on above average salaries, yet because this was a 'menial' factory job most employers don't give me a second thought when I send in my CV.

I have really struggled since leaving said job in 2010 to find another full time job. I've attended interviews, but with no luck. Best I've done is agency work, couple months here and there, then back to being a "scrounger".

I don't have any formal qualifications as such mind. A few GCSE's at C to E. I was a bad student... I am changing this as I'm starting an OU degree in October. I know this isn't going to mean much, but it shows I have the ability to learn, plus it keeps the boredom away. Daytime telly anyone....? Yeah it's awful.

(This is for those that think all us unemployed are useless wasters...LOL at you. Don't tar us all with the same brush.)

Now, to the topic. I'd have done this. Something to do would have been greatly appreciated. Being unemployed brings the depression back. I hate not working. I want to work for my money. Though I have put money into the system, I really don't like claiming. Just walking into the job center makes me ashamed tbh

Unemployed should work for their money. I'd have no problem doing so. I'd go litter picking, cleaning graffiti off walls etc However, we/they shouldn't be working for private companies. All the work should go through local council as the work should benefit the local community.

/end

Peace.

 

[Tefal]

However, we/they shouldn't be working for private companies. All the work should go through local council as the work should benefit the local community.

/end

Peace.

one thing with this though how many council do you know with whole departments set aside to manage such a task?

it's much easier for them to go to a company and say "we need X doing with workers from work scheme how much for you to provide the management/equipment" rather than "Right we need to find and hire 20 people with expertise in <project area> and people management for some short term work managing a bunch of work scheme people along with all the required offices it equipment and equipment for the workers"....

 

[Things change I've changed]

I think their should be forced work apprenticeships, not forced on the potential employees but on the private sector, I think depending on the size of your company you should have to take on at least 'x' number of workers through an apprenticeship scheme and guarantee (provided they are capable) at least 'x' percentage in a full-time job, I think bigger companies should be taking a more active role in helping get lessor qualified people get trained and into work, people that are struggling maybe with confidence or self esteem, poor education etc.

Many people in this situation feel they are destined for menial work for the rest of the lives which is depressing in itself, if there was a national work scheme in the form of apprenticeships on a grand scale that companies had to adhere to and take part in I think it would have positive effects, more people would feel like they have the opportunity to get into a field of work that would be more satisfying and have a positive impact on them.

 

[Tefal]

I think their should be forced work apprenticeships, not forced on the potential employees but on the private sector, I think depending on the size of your company you should have to take on at least 'x' number of workers through an apprenticeship scheme and guarantee (provided they are capable) at least 'x' percentage in a full-time job, I think bigger companies should be taking a more active role in helping get lessor qualified people get trained and into work, people that are struggling maybe with confidence or self esteem, poor education etc.

they already do this, there is massive competition for good apprenticeships why should the people who've worked hard for the chance be put out by some random person whose only achievement is to have done nothing for a few years?

 

[Things change I've changed]

they already do this, there is massive competition for good apprenticeships why should the people who've worked hard for the chance be put out by some random person whose only achievement is to have done nothing for a few years?

To give some people a chance that are finding it to hard going down the conventional route, they would have to also work hard and be trained, they wouldn't be on the same salary, sometimes you have to hold out your hand and help someone get up, so many people are scared of doing that these days because it 'might' infringe on them in some negative way.

 

[godinman]

Serves them right for being poor tbh.

 

[scorza]

Probably already been posted in four pages of thread, but y'know...



Paid Apprentice wages.

Two camped under London Bridge. Two.

To be honest there were people who would have given quite a bit to have been that close to the pageant, and quite a few people slept out on the streets to see a lot of the celebrations. Voluntarily, admittedly, but still.

Yes, if you'd bothered to read the whole thread or even just the part of the article you quoted you'd have known that:

- Jobseekers weren't entitled to any pay for this as it counts as valuable work experience
- Two people spoke to the Guardian about being told to sleep under London Bridget. I guess it's possible that CPUK singled out two people out of 80 for needing a bit of extra sleep, just very, very unlikely.

Hey if you think all that sounds like a good idea, you know where to apply: http://www.close-protectionuk.co.uk/html/recruitment.html

 

[ubersonic]

- Jobseekers weren't entitled to any pay for this as it counts as valuable work experience

No it counts as part of a voluntary course they were doing in order to get a qualification in stewarding and potentially a job at the Olympics.

Two people spoke to the Guardian about being told to sleep under London Bridget. I guess it's possible that CPUK singled out two people out of 80 for needing a bit of extra sleep, just very, very unlikely.

Erm, why is it unlikely that only 2 out of 80 people had issues? you would think if it was as bad as the tabloids were making out they would have been able to fine more than 2 people, so in fact its not very very unlikely is it.

 

[ubersonic]

they already do this, there is massive competition for good apprenticeships why should the people who've worked hard for the chance be put out by some random person whose only achievement is to have done nothing for a few years?

My guess would be the is a large shortage of qualified stewards for the Olympics so they did this to try and train up some unemployed to fill the void. When you think about it busing in the trainees and kitting them out and doing the NVQ stuff will most likely be more expensive than just hiring qualified staff so its not like the company is actually saving money, so they must see this as an investment.