O/T:- Election

[SmiffyPie]

But are you sure the unions haven't changes their spots? Junior Doctors now making it clear that they intend to influence the political landscape.

No, not suggesting that for one minute, they have had to resort to pulling strings in the background. Junior Doctors have a case and are flexing their muscles because they assume they have public support (Everyone stand for the Holy Cash Cow the sacred NHS).

[maddogslater]

As a very poorly paid squaddie in the mid 70's I used to take part-time work when on leave in the UK. One job was driving HGV out of a distribution depot and delivering to Owen & Owen (remember them? Owen & Owen, C&A, BHS, Debenhams and others all gone to the wall). My first run was into Wolverhampton which I did no problem and got back to the depot about midday for another load. Put the wagon on the bay to be met by a bloke (union rep) who said quite forcefully "What are you doing back?", "Come for another load" says I, bloke turns purple and tells me nose to nose "Listen you, you go out at 8 and you come back at 4! understand?" (the union didn't like agency workers because they couldn't control them). Like a lot of others of my generation that incident put my back up straight away and I have never voted Labour (missed a few votes in silent (pointless) protest) until now. They will get my vote this time around to get these Tory buggers out.

Yes different times, Labour and working men's clubs full of miners working men being entertained by racist comedians.

[SmiffyPie]

Yes different times, Labour and working men's clubs full of miners working men being entertained by racist comedians.

Yes but like all stages of enlightenment we have come a long way since those days.

[Elite_Pie]

But are you sure the unions haven't changes their spots? Junior Doctors now making it clear that they intend to influence the political landscape.

That's a difficult question. Should a bit of the huge pile of money in this country go to junior doctors, or should we keep giving it to underperforming chief executives who set their own bonuses which could triple their salary?

I lose a lot of sleep wrestling with that one.

[SmiffyPie]

Bring back Matron!

[Old_pie]

That's a difficult question. Should a bit of the huge pile of money in this country go to junior doctors, or should we keep giving it to underperforming chief executives who set their own bonuses which could triple their salary?

I lose a lot of sleep wrestling with that one.

There are a lot of genuine and pressing demands on any huge pile of money that can be found, so once you get your hands on it then it needs to be distributed wisely and not just on the loudest mouth. I hope working that out doesn't cause you to lose too much more sleep.

Anyhow, it seems as if both parties have grown a Magic Tree as lots of things are going to get done with no increase in taxation and I think the cost of fixing things is way above what the underperforming chief execs (or indeed even Harry Arter) earn. I just hope that the Tree's yields are good and some thieving magpies don't peck at it.

Either way we're in need of at least 10 years of sensible government before a feel good factor can return, and even if world events allow it I don't see it happening, but then I'm unlikely to be around to see if I'm right.

[Elite_Pie]

There are a lot of genuine and pressing demands on any huge pile of money that can be found, so once you get your hands on it then it needs to be distributed wisely and not just on the loudest mouth. I hope working that out doesn't cause you to lose too much more sleep.

Anyhow, it seems as if both parties have grown a Magic Tree as lots of things are going to get done with no increase in taxation and I think the cost of fixing things is way above what the underperforming chief execs (or indeed even Harry Arter) earn.

I'm not so sure. This is from the ONS government website:

"Wealth is unevenly distributed between individuals in Great Britain, with the wealthiest 10% estimated to hold around half of all wealth, primarily in the form of private pensions and property. The UK has very high inequality of income compared to other developed countries; the 9th most unequal incomes of 38 OECD countries. The UK’s wealth inequality is much more severe than income inequality, with the top fifth taking 36% of the country’s income and 63% of the country’s wealth, while the bottom fifth have only 8% of the income and only 0.5% of the wealth according to the Office for National Statistics".

Somewhere in between there is a fair balance and I'm not clever enough to know exactly where. Although I will absolve Harry Arter of any blame, he was well worth every penny he 'earned' on the south bank of the Trent.

[Lullapie]

I think the movie 'Carry On At Your Convenience" portrays what work life was like in the last 60s, early 70's, as earlier stated, very well (although I wasn't working then). However, history has been re-written and for those of you that are easily offended we can't talk about Carry On films and their statement on society, because you'll all think that Talbot Rothwell was a racist and a ***ist - RIP satirical humour.

I mean, how many of you could watch Love Thy Neighbour without thinking it is racist against the Reynolds family?

[Lullapie]

That's a difficult question. Should a bit of the huge pile of money in this country go to junior doctors, or should we keep giving it to underperforming chief executives who set their own bonuses which could triple their salary?

I lose a lot of sleep wrestling with that one.

I shouldn't lose any sleep. You're generalising that all Junior Doctors work hard and some Chief Executives are underperforming. How about underperforming Junior Doctors - I suppose we don't know of any because they bury their mistakes.

[Lullapie]

But are you sure the unions haven't changes their spots? Junior Doctors now making it clear that they intend to influence the political landscape.

For a while in New Zealand I was running a plastic plant pot business. We were New Zealand's sole agent for this range of plant pots. Apart from Holland, New Zealand is one of the largest growers per capita in the world.

Anyway, the plant pot manufacturer was based in Melbourne, Australia. We were bringing over 1 -2 40ft containers each week. I always had to get my order in by the Wednesday for delivery the week after. Once we had a late, but important order from a big New Zealand grower. I emailed through at 6.00am Thursday morning as an urgent addition. It was for a full container load.

I had an email back about lunchtime (time difference) saying that although they could process the order, it had missed being dispatched on the Friday, because under Union rules, the warehouse couldn't pack containers on any days apart from Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday.

Now, all you die hard Trade Unionists, tell me what was the point in that? You know what? I bet the Union's decision made the Chief Executive underperform.