The last couple of weeks...

interesting, I don't think the US has such a "scheme" as you call it, I'm sure conservatives would support it, but our government is so slow and inefficient...

What type of charity? Are you bathing puppies?

[quote name='DigitalDeviant' post='3309620' date='Dec 5 2010, 07:03 PM']interesting, I don't think the US has such a "scheme" as you call it, I'm sure conservatives would support it, but our government is so slow and inefficient...[/quote]

The cons of the scheme are that it will contribute to unemployment rather than help to decrease it. Bigger companies getting workers for free for 4 weeks at a time will only lead to unemployment. My advisor has already told me that she's started denying placements to a few local companies as they've admitted to letting a couple of the workers go and replacing them with the Work Placement workers as it increased their profit margin.

[quote name='Sephxus' post='3309624' date='Dec 5 2010, 07:05 PM']What type of charity? Are you bathing puppies? [/quote]

I wish! That would be awesome! It's just working in a charity shop helping to sort donations out, filling the shelves, basic carrying and that kind of thing.

They don't pay you At least you might get employed after wards though
Sounds like the Community Service we have to do at school...

[quote name='shlong' post='3309695' date='Dec 5 2010, 07:43 PM']They don't pay you At least you might get employed after wards though
Sounds like the Community Service we have to do at school...[/quote]

Nah, no extra pay on top of my dole money unfortunately. But like you say, there's a chance of a job at the end of it so it's still worth the shot. I feel sorry for the ones who are basically just being used as free labour though and have no hopes of a job at the end of the 4 weeks.

You're working again? Yaaaay!

I'm happy for you Dave, but please be sure to get some rest. (This is coming from me)

[quote name='TrolleyDave' post='3309767' date='Dec 5 2010, 07:29 PM'][quote name='shlong' post='3309695' date='Dec 5 2010, 07:43 PM']They don't pay you At least you might get employed after wards though
Sounds like the Community Service we have to do at school...[/quote]

Nah, no extra pay on top of my dole money unfortunately. But like you say, there's a chance of a job at the end of it so it's still worth the shot. I feel sorry for the ones who are basically just being used as free labour though and have no hopes of a job at the end of the 4 weeks.
[/quote]

That's what really pissed me off. Employers are just going to use people as free labour. Its not much different to Labour's New Deal.

[quote name='phoenixgoddess27' post='3309773' date='Dec 5 2010, 08:33 PM']You're working again? Yaaaay!

I'm happy for you Dave, but please be sure to get some rest. (This is coming from me)[/quote]

Thanks PG! I've actually had rest the last couple of days due to being ill. lol They sent me home early on Thu cos I was looking a little peaky and have spent the last couple of days in bed. I was diagnosed with arthritis in the base of my spine last week and the pills the doc gave me for it last Wed triggered off gallbladder problems.
Typical my bloody luck. lol

[quote name='emigre' post='3309781' date='Dec 5 2010, 08:39 PM'][quote name='TrolleyDave' post='3309767' date='Dec 5 2010, 07:29 PM'][quote name='shlong' post='3309695' date='Dec 5 2010, 07:43 PM']They don't pay you At least you might get employed after wards though
Sounds like the Community Service we have to do at school...[/quote]

Nah, no extra pay on top of my dole money unfortunately. But like you say, there's a chance of a job at the end of it so it's still worth the shot. I feel sorry for the ones who are basically just being used as free labour though and have no hopes of a job at the end of the 4 weeks.
[/quote]

That's what really pissed me off. Employers are just going to use people as free labour. Its not much different to Labour's New Deal.
[/quote]

Yeah exactly mate. I had this debate with my advisor and a few other people. All of them told me it would lead to many new jobs etc. but anyone who knows how corporations work know this ain't ever gonna be the case. Paid unskilled jobs that need no training are going to be replaced by free workers from dole queues. Britain is quickly becoming a corporate state.

What is it with you and being sick old man?
I'm starting to think that is just your luck!

Now I'm worried all over again...

I hope you get better much quicker than you did last time.

[quote name='TrolleyDave' post='3309903' date='Dec 5 2010, 09:56 PM'][quote name='phoenixgoddess27' post='3309773' date='Dec 5 2010, 08:33 PM']You're working again? Yaaaay!

I'm happy for you Dave, but please be sure to get some rest. (This is coming from me)[/quote]

Thanks PG! I've actually had rest the last couple of days due to being ill. lol They sent me home early on Thu cos I was looking a little peaky and have spent the last couple of days in bed. I was diagnosed with arthritis in the base of my spine last week and the pills the doc gave me for it last Wed triggered off gallbladder problems.
Typical my bloody luck. lol
[/quote]
Damn...that seriously sucks D:

[quote name='phoenixgoddess27' post='3309910' date='Dec 5 2010, 09:58 PM']What is it with you and being sick old man?
I'm starting to think that is just your luck!

Now I'm worried all over again...

I hope you get better much quicker than you did last time.[/quote]

I'm already pretty much recovered. Eating is causing a little pain still though so I'll go to docs tomorrow morning to get something to solve it and should be alright then. I think it's life cashing in on the 10 years I never needed to even visit a doctor! lol

[quote name='shlong' post='3309931' date='Dec 5 2010, 10:06 PM']Damn...that seriously sucks D:[/quote]

Nah, it's just life. There are loads of people with loads more severe problems.

True
It's a good way to face things.

Sweet, been wondering where you were. At least it isn't something extremely bad. If anything I agree with the 4 week labor thing. What I disagree with though is that part about it being unpaid. If the US were to adopt such a program it would have to have a payrate (even if it is drastically lower). One that would supplement your continued benefits. If you get the job after those 4 weeks are up, you would automatically be jumped up to or past minimum wage due to you losing unemployment.

I have this looming over me too. The trouble is they can't find any placements for my usual line of work (basic warehouse/FLT driving) and have been suggesting that I should do it in a shop. So far I've refused on the principle that I don't ever intend to work in retail and therefore retail experience would be wasted on me.

Now you know how most people under a certain age feel when they can't get offered jobs for anything other than "work experience".

At least you get dole money though.


The idea behind work experience is terrible too and is just another plan corporations are using to get free labour.

[quote name='Sterl500' post='3309964' date='Dec 5 2010, 10:25 PM']Sweet, been wondering where you were. At least it isn't something extremely bad. If anything I agree with the 4 week labor thing. What I disagree with though is that part about it being unpaid. If the US were to adopt such a program it would have to have a payrate (even if it is drastically lower). One that would supplement your continued benefits. If you get the job after those 4 weeks are up, you would automatically be jumped up to or past minimum wage due to you losing unemployment.[/quote]

I do and don't agree with the 4 week labour thing. I'm totally against the principle of employers getting free labour for 4 weeks. If they're going to have you there on a placement they should pay you a full wage and for those 4 weeks you should be off the unemployment register. Free labour for corporations/companies is a backward step in society. It just brings the country closer to a corporatocracy, where you survive to ensure that companies earn massive profits. Imagine a company that runs say cleaning services. It's low skilled, needs maybe one or two days training tops. They could go on an endless cycle of free labour. However, if they are going to get a placement worker there should be a incredibly high chance of a job afterwards otherwise again it's just free money for the business. Placing them in charity shops like I am I can agree with, the charity needs as much help as it can get and the more profit they earn the better as it's more cash for a good cause (except the shamefully corporate owned charities, they should get no free labour at all). If business's and corporations weren't so corrupt and greedy I'd say the scheme was a good idea, but as it stands and the way it's run it's only going to lead to a higher unemployment rate. Unless of course they start pumping out Big Brother style propaganda teaching us that "Corporations are our masters".

[quote name='Depravo' post='3309980' date='Dec 5 2010, 10:34 PM']I have this looming over me too. The trouble is they can't find any placements for my usual line of work (basic warehouse/FLT driving) and have been suggesting that I should do it in a shop. So far I've refused on the principle that I don't ever intend to work in retail and therefore retail experience would be wasted on me.[/quote]

I don't have a usual line of work so it was pretty easy for them to find me something. I did ask to be put into local politics or television (behind the scenes type stuff) but they couldn't find me anything so ended up putting me in a BHF shop. I've got no FLT experience/license but have worked in plenty of warehouses (picker/packer type stuff). There's nothing like that around here though, it's mostly retail work. It's actually a self-defeating economy in a way. There's a 20% unemployment rate here so shops are opening up, creating a handful of jobs and then shutting down a year later due to a lack of trade as no-one really has any money to spend in them. lol

[quote name='Law' post='3309988' date='Dec 5 2010, 10:37 PM']Now you know how most people under a certain age feel when they can't get offered jobs for anything other than "work experience".

At least you get dole money though.


The idea behind work experience is terrible too and is just another plan corporations are using to get free labour.[/quote]

Couldn't agree more on that statement. Have you heard about the companies at the moment that are charging students to work for them so that they can have experience to put on the CV?

First sorry to hear about arthritis (especially in the back)- if the journals are to be believed there is some really good stuff coming on the matter.

Reading some of these posts I am glad I got out of that game when I did (at least the ones I dealt with had no real interest in getting anything done, were slaves to their script or some bastard had taught them about how to fudge stats- my less than ceremonious departure was twisted into a "win" I believe).

Nicely it seems that charity shops are not quite the breeding ground for retail horror stories that more conventional shops are. Should help stem the cabin fever thing a bit though.

I quite like the other side of things- I see agency type ads wanting true class acts with umpteen years experience for "meets national minimum wage standards" on the way to outsourcing.

This charging for CV fodder is a new one to me though. What ultimately amounts to under minimum wage or as "volunteers" or some token role is nothing new but actual cash going in the other direction*.... damn. I wonder how it appears on the P45.

*exceptions possibly made for something like a proper tradesman where insurance companies tend to break out into "we're in the money" should you ask about having an "unskilled" helper.

Better stop it there though or this could turn into a different thread entirely (which could ultimately be summed up as the entire situation from all sides is horrific).

[quote name='FAST6191' post='3310103' date='Dec 5 2010, 11:45 PM']First sorry to hear about arthritis (especially in the back)- if the journals are to be believed there is some really good stuff coming on the matter.

Reading some of these posts I am glad I got out of that game when I did (at least the ones I dealt with had no real interest in getting anything done, were slaves to their script or some bastard had taught them about how to fudge stats- my less than ceremonious departure was twisted into a "win" I believe).

Nicely it seems that charity shops are not quite the breeding ground for retail horror stories that more conventional shops are. Should help stem the cabin fever thing a bit though.

I quite like the other side of things- I see agency type ads wanting true class acts with umpteen years experience for "meets national minimum wage standards" on the way to outsourcing.

This charging for CV fodder is a new one to me though. What ultimately amounts to under minimum wage or as "volunteers" or some token role is nothing new but actual cash going in the other direction*.... damn. I wonder how it appears on the P90.

*exceptions possibly made for something like a proper tradesman where insurance companies tend to break out into "we're in the money" should you ask about having an "unskilled" helper.

Better stop it there though or this could turn into a different thread entirely (which could ultimately be summed up as the entire situation from all sides is horrific).[/quote]

Yeah the doc said it was nothing too serious and can be controlled with tablets so I'm not overly concerned. It was crippling me at the end of last week but a couple of Dicoflex sorted the problem out. He moved me onto the Ibuprofen though as they were supposed to have less side effects. lol I'll just go back on the Dicoflex and I'll be fine.

I've been quite lucky with my dole advisors, they've always been people that have actually cared about finding me a job rather than just doing their job and working off the standard script, apart from the Serco lot. They got paid bonuses for each interview they sent me on so they'd send me to some right shit that I never had the chance of getting. I lost my rag with them when they sent me for a night job 20 miles away. The shift started at midnight but the last bus there was like 10pm and the advisor said it wasn't unreasonable to expect me to hang around the town centre for 2 hours before the job started. lol

The charity shop work isn't so bad. The people there are really relaxed, they don't expect you to work like a Tasmanian devil or anything. In fact the first day I got told off for going too fast. lol The other thing of course is that you know that you're doing something for a good cause, so even if the work becomes slightly monotonous you know there's a greater good at play. I don't actually mind working in small shops so much as you get to meet some pretty interesting people alot of the time. You get some arses of course, but less so in a charity shop.

The charging for CV fodder is a relatively recent thing. It's mostly for grads looking to get jobs in bigger corporations who need "experience" on their CV. It's a pretty shitty tactic though as far as I'm concerned and a pretty dangerous step toward Corporatism. I mean, paying a company to let you work for them. That's just fucking insane really, but it must be making money as more and more "agencies" are appearing.