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[theowletman]

I feel for anyone who has a certain standard of living which is always determined by their income, and suddenly finds that this standard is being eroded through no fault of their own. Council workers, no matter how badly they think they are being treated, at least have some protection and the option to strike. Most people do not. Throughout the last 10 years we have all seen prices rise, but not wages. Spare a thought for the massive army of self-employed workers, and those, like me, who receive a small basic wage and rely on sales commission for the rest. My basic is £10k a year, the rest being made up of commission from cars sold. We used to sell 12/15 cars a week which more  than doubled my wage, nowadays we are selling 6 or 7 a week, my wages have plummeted, I can't strike,  I have no protection or guarantees,
no unions, no public sympathy. All of us will know building workers and HGV drivers who have been laid off, they are in a similar position. So please forgive me if I have few thoughts for council workers. None of those council workers  who received large payments for the difference in wages between male and female workers were complaining then, being able to retire early is also not an option for people like me. I am not trying to sound bitter or pompous but welcome to the real world economy, market forces will now determine civic pay. Despite council tax doubling in the last 10 years can any OOF member honestly say they receive a better service for the extra money?

[TheBoy]

I feel for anyone who has a certain standard of living which is always determined by their income, and suddenly finds that this standard is being eroded through no fault of their own. Council workers, no matter how badly they think they are being treated, at least have some protection and the option to strike. Most people do not. Throughout the last 10 years we have all seen prices rise, but not wages. Spare a thought for the massive army of self-employed workers, and those, like me, who receive a small basic wage and rely on sales commission for the rest. My basic is £10k a year, the rest being made up of commission from cars sold. We used to sell 12/15 cars a week which more  than doubled my wage, nowadays we are selling 6 or 7 a week, my wages have plummeted, I can't strike,  I have no protection or guarantees,
no unions, no public sympathy. All of us will know building workers and HGV drivers who have been laid off, they are in a similar position. So please forgive me if I have few thoughts for council workers. None of those council workers  who received large payments for the difference in wages between male and female workers were complaining then, being able to retire early is also not an option for people like me. I am not trying to sound bitter or pompous but welcome to the real world economy, market forces will now determine civic pay. Despite council tax doubling in the last 10 years can any OOF member honestly say they receive a better service for the extra money?

Not in anyway knocking the council 'workers', but I pay just shy of £2k per year, only to get my bins emptied 26 times.  Can't see what else they provide.

I rang a nice lady at the council a few years back to ask where my (then) £1400 was going.

Council "Upkeeping the verges"
Me "Residents do that on my estate"
Council "Err, upkeep of your road"
Me "You haven't adopted it yet, hence why you won't fix the ironwork"
Council "Library"
Me "It only opens when I'm at work"
Council "Police"
Me "Our station is part time, do we get a rebate for part time Police?"
Council "We subsidise the pool here in Towcester"
Me "I work, and you only allow swimming clubs in the evenings"

In the end, she admitted poor value for money, basically £56 to empty my bin.

[Kevin Wood]

In the end, she admitted poor value for money, basically £56 to empty my bin.

Same here. Although they do a round for rubbish, a round for recycling, a round for glass recycling, and a round for garden waste (for which people mugs pay extra).

Must be really good for the environment, this recycling, given that each round consititutes driving a huge great diesel truck around for most of the day.

Still it lets them tick their boxes, I suppose.

So, we're getting screwed, the guys at the coal face are undoubtedly getting screwed. Where's it all going?

Kevin

[TheBoy]

In the end, she admitted poor value for money, basically £56 to empty my bin.

Same here. Although they do a round for rubbish, a round for recycling, a round for glass recycling, and a round for garden waste (for which people mugs pay extra).

Must be really good for the environment, this recycling, given that each round consititutes driving a huge great diesel truck around for most of the day.

Still it lets them tick their boxes, I suppose.

So, we're getting screwed, the guys at the coal face are undoubtedly getting screwed. Where's it all going?

Kevin

**  Deleted  **

[rickyboy]

I can suggest where some of the money is going...

...Employing people to catch smokers.

I had a council worker stop me in my work van and give me a £30 fine for smoking.  He spends his whole day driving up and done a road near my work to catch smokers.  What a joke.  

Not only that there are loads of smoking patrol officers in the Glasgow city centre.  Also been done for dropping a fag doubt.  I personally think the council have more pressing matters to worry about and employing a workforce to catch people smoking is nothing short of ridiculous.  

I know a little unrelated to the original post but just the mention of the council starts my blood boiling these days.   Rant over...

[JamesV6CDX]

In the end, she admitted poor value for money, basically £56 to empty my bin.

Same here. Although they do a round for rubbish, a round for recycling, a round for glass recycling, and a round for garden waste (for which people mugs pay extra).

Must be really good for the environment, this recycling, given that each round consititutes driving a huge great diesel truck around for most of the day.

Still it lets them tick their boxes, I suppose.

So, we're getting screwed, the guys at the coal face are undoubtedly getting screwed. Where's it all going?

Kevin

**  Deleted  **

Was even your opinion too Blunt, TB?

[Andy B]

.....
Not in anyway knocking the council 'workers', but I pay just shy of £2k per year, only to get my bins emptied 26 times.  Can't see what else they provide .......

Can't say for around your way, but here around £1 a week goes towards your bin being emptied.
By far the biggest drain on your council tax is education and the small army in social services.

[TheBoy]

.....
Not in anyway knocking the council 'workers', but I pay just shy of £2k per year, only to get my bins emptied 26 times.  Can't see what else they provide .......

Can't say for around your way, but here around £1 a week goes towards your bin being emptied.
By far the biggest drain on your council tax is education and the small army in social services.

Actually, she did mention kids, and I asked for rebate for being a DINK, but she said no.

And the state spongers, including my fat lazy sister, should be left to sort themselves out. Or shot. That would lessen the burden on the taxpayer, and free up all those social services people to do something useful  


No, I'm not going to start on a rant....

[TheBoy]

In the end, she admitted poor value for money, basically £56 to empty my bin.

Same here. Although they do a round for rubbish, a round for recycling, a round for glass recycling, and a round for garden waste (for which people mugs pay extra).

Must be really good for the environment, this recycling, given that each round consititutes driving a huge great diesel truck around for most of the day.

Still it lets them tick their boxes, I suppose.

So, we're getting screwed, the guys at the coal face are undoubtedly getting screwed. Where's it all going?

Kevin

**  Deleted  **

Was even your opinion too Blunt, TB?

Bit harsh, even by my standards  

[JamesV6CDX]

And the state spongers, including my fat lazy sister, should be left to sort themselves out. Or shot..

You know, you are so un-PC, I find it very refreshing

Incidently, I also agree with what you say. I know someone on incapacity benefit that can't work in an office but can have a vigourous excercise routine every day  

[Kevin Wood]

So, that's 4 out of my 200 quid a month that's spent on something useful...

Ah, 2 quid. They only do our bins on alternate weeks.

Kevin

[TheBoy]

And the state spongers, including my fat lazy sister, should be left to sort themselves out. Or shot..

You know, you are so un-PC, I find it very refreshing

Incidently, I also agree with what you say. I know someone on incapacity benefit that can't work in an office but can have a vigourous excercise routine every day  

I used to live in a newbuild on a ex-council estate, that was mostly private by time I moved there.  The council seemed to fail to sell houses in one corner of it, as they put most of the 'difficult' families there.

Going to the local postoffice, that fat slags off the estate would pick up their giro, and slap £20 of it on the National Lottery and scratch cards (the PO were wise to fit a lottery machine!), and a load more on fags.

Thats were a shit load of your tax goes  


Now that same house of mine was built next to a load of old biddies bungalows.  I frequently used to end up chatting to a lot of them as I went for walks.  These pensioners, waiting to die, were on a bloody pittence, most of them couldn't afford to keep warm in the winter, let alone blow £20 a week on the rather lotto  

[Andy B]

Some people will always play the system if it's there to be played. I know others who could receive benefits due to ill health but go out to work. Re Job Evaluation. One of the council staff from the benefits office was working out what a particular claimant was entitled to. When he realised that he/she would be better off sat at home than he would be working for the benefits office, he packed up his stuff & resigned.  :-?

[TheBoy]

you are so un-PC

I do get in quite a lot of trouble, frequently  

[LaserLance]

AH well here we go down the crapper and pretty damn fast again ,I think we are gonna get a summer ,autumn and winter of disciontent this time ,only way you seem to get any where atm is to to a freeloader feral and breakless cos all the hardworkers get shafted .Last one out turn the lights out !!!!!