tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32841798.post3078606271477813617..comments2024-03-29T13:32:22.201+00:00Comments on Capitalists@Work: Slaves cost more than you thinkCityUnslickerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15929544047783163175noreply@blogger.comBlogger35125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32841798.post-38448291521794242292012-02-25T13:06:33.192+00:002012-02-25T13:06:33.192+00:00If your points, 1 to 8 were valid, Job agencies wo...If your points, 1 to 8 were valid, Job agencies would all be out of bussiness. Yet we know THAT is one "industry" that is booming.<br /><br />Explain the descrepency.Furor Teutonicushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13856575077967523322noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32841798.post-856751761558161712012-02-24T12:15:46.733+00:002012-02-24T12:15:46.733+00:00@Tim Newman - presumably not in the UK/Norwegian s...@Tim Newman - presumably not in the UK/Norwegian sectors though...Kynonhttp://kynon.livejournal.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32841798.post-3781702883946374892012-02-21T22:45:56.788+00:002012-02-21T22:45:56.788+00:00Timbo - better late than ..
I forgot the CCTV regu...Timbo - better late than ..<br />I forgot the CCTV regulations. That's another booklet on its own AND requires adherence to data protection and sensitive waste {another few hours in the lecture room with a powerpoint.}<br /><br />sconzey: I find that US slave/free society as fascinating as the east/west cold war.For historical study it gives an exact outcome. the North outproduced the South 10:1. Wage slaves performed better than slaves. The west outproduced the east. In arms the west was just deficient. In cars I think it was 100:1<br /><br />Tim Newman:I'm shocked.<br /><br />Anon 4:39 - yep. Its a lot of effort to take on a freebie.<br /><br />Dearieme: So that explains the Iranians sudden nuclear acceleration<br /><br />Ano+Anon. Well Michael + co have won the argument anyway. <br /><br />One of the things i would have added if the piece wasn't too long already was the negative coverage that is plaguing the scheme. Employers who now take on a free worker have to justify it to the media.<br /><br />Another reason BQ Industries won't be looking for any placements.<br /><br />{Newsnight just said Tesco have pulled out of the scheme. Sounds like they are going to offer the wage. So now its just -jobs.<br />Paxo is really laying it on. <br />DO YOU UNDERSTAND WHY IT IS OFFENSIVE TO TAKE AN EMPLOYEE ON FOR NO WAGES.<br /><br />Minister hits back -Does the BBC take on unpaid work experience and is that offensive? <br /><br />Not really the point though if the placements are to be forced.<br /><br />In my constituency village there is a local shop, entirely staffed by volunteers. A local information and police post entirely staffed by volunteers and at least three volunteer toddler groups and a bus to school.<br /><br />All volunteers.<br /><br />Is it just the compulsory nature of having to attend that upsets some people so? Or just because "evil big business" gains ?Bill Quango MPhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14861116614665461655noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32841798.post-44317235132131312252012-02-21T20:11:41.667+00:002012-02-21T20:11:41.667+00:00One of the criticisms of Greece is that their econ...One of the criticisms of Greece is that their economy is too inefficient to compete with, for example, Germany.<br /><br />The UK is already in pretty bad shape, but I can't really think of one other measure that is likely to destroy our competitiveness other than taking on employees that do not contribute to the company.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32841798.post-48707567646212271592012-02-21T18:56:15.022+00:002012-02-21T18:56:15.022+00:00Michael Fowke and others who moan about this just ...Michael Fowke and others who moan about this just do not understand that Tesco are doing these people a favour. <br /><br />I can't quite work out how it has happened, but when I was a lad (20 years ago) we were happy to do work experience for nothing, not for JSA or equivalent. Now you're somehow being ripped off.<br /><br />I'm now an employer and friends and acquaintances often ask if I can give their 17/18 year old some work ex. <br /><br />I can't - they'd get in the way, take an employee off to monitor them etc. <br /><br />In short, they're more trouble than they're worth - as I was at their age, hence I did it for nothing (and even that was too much).Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32841798.post-55928897319560793952012-02-21T18:14:50.693+00:002012-02-21T18:14:50.693+00:00Health and Safety: I used to work in a university ...Health and Safety: I used to work in a university science department where we treated visitors very seriously. They'd sign in, be given an identity badge and a quick briefing, and then be led off to see whomever they were visiting. Later they'd have to sign out and return their badges. Meanwhile armies of twenty-year-olds sloshed around the place, assumed to be students with good cause to be there.deariemenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32841798.post-48698979916844363132012-02-21T16:39:05.344+00:002012-02-21T16:39:05.344+00:00I work for a research/consultancy company.
but we...I work for a research/consultancy company.<br /><br />but we have a lot of low skilled work (like loading bits onto machines for testing, not "much" more skilled than shelf stacking).<br /><br />We get students offering to work for free all the time (I see weekly offers) so they can put something on their CV.<br /><br />I think in the 5 years I have been here, we took 2 up on the offer, and that was a few years ago.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32841798.post-87432784806246857792012-02-21T16:18:57.422+00:002012-02-21T16:18:57.422+00:00when I started in the oil industry you could go of...<em>when I started in the oil industry you could go offshore onto a platform after watching a half-hour helicopter-drills vid </em><br /><br />You still can.Tim Newmanhttp://www.desertsun.co.uknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32841798.post-76250328697555422152012-02-21T14:46:21.871+00:002012-02-21T14:46:21.871+00:00Hmm, started on that over an hour ago, interruptio...Hmm, started on that over an hour ago, interruptions, interruptions! - little late to the game :(Timbo614https://www.blogger.com/profile/14671168026195402267noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32841798.post-25809661714376151172012-02-21T14:44:31.001+00:002012-02-21T14:44:31.001+00:003442 x 4/3 x 3L: Box Contents markings?
Even tho&...3442 x 4/3 x 3L: Box Contents markings?<br /><br />Even tho' we have a retail shop we don't buy things in box quantities (they are generally too expensive) but I would imagine that 3442 x 4/3 x 3L means something like 3442 is a manufacturers code/stock code there a 4 Packs of 3442 in the box and each pack contains 3 x 3L(itre) or L(arge). Therefore there are 12 in the box total? <br /><br />On regulations, we are fairly lucky being a very small shop :) No food. We considered offering free Coffee to Customers (and possibly biscuits) but one look at serving food/beverages regs put me right off. Even so we have 'elf and safety and first aid posters on the workshop walls, Insurance certs on the retail walls, CCTV Camera notices. We had to buy official-looking incident record books, Employee notices and of course the inevitable No smoking signs (correct size and printing - or get a wrong-size notice-fine). Fire extinguishers (two types) and they have to checked by Chubb (£100-ish per hit). <br /><br />Thing is, there is actually only 1 employed person :( everyone else is self employed / casual / as needed. <br /><br />I would not touch a government sponsored "Free" employee - someone might want to see where/how they are working :( There probably is not the physical space in our tiny shop to accommodate "proper" working conditions. The Loo would have to go (the loo door open outwards onto a semi-spiral staircase, LOL) :(Timbo614https://www.blogger.com/profile/14671168026195402267noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32841798.post-91683668363174989952012-02-21T13:50:24.907+00:002012-02-21T13:50:24.907+00:00Anon: yep. That's it. Simple ratios. Many scho...Anon: yep. That's it. Simple ratios. Many school leavers can't do it as they have probably never needed to use it since the day they did the page on ratios.. <br />there are another number who can't do it even after they have been shown numerous times. they never mater it. If you ever go into a shop and see handwritten pieces of paper sellotaped to a shelf with long hand instructions, that'll be why.Bill Quango MPhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14861116614665461655noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32841798.post-22343344722195781062012-02-21T13:47:52.854+00:002012-02-21T13:47:52.854+00:00Great post and very informative. My quess at the ...Great post and very informative. My quess at the question is that it is a box of a dozen cans of Stella Artois.Demetriushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17198549581667363991noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32841798.post-54100486581322618742012-02-21T13:42:26.731+00:002012-02-21T13:42:26.731+00:003442 x 4/3 x 3L
OK..it was deliberately overly co...<b>3442 x 4/3 x 3L</b><br /><br />OK..it was deliberately overly complicated and unlikely to be needed. I thought some may have recognised the simple 3442.<br /><br />3442 is a ratio. Used in a decent clothing store for a size scale.<br />3 small<br />4 medium<br />4 large <br />2 x/large.<br /><br />4/3 means 4 colours with 3 patterns of each colour. So a merchansier looking at a new range might want to display all 4 colours and all 3 patterns 'face up' over 12 spaces.<br />{unlikely - it would look terrible.} More likely it would be 2/3 for 6 spaces. With each space having a ratio of 3442 <br /><br />The 3L would be for lengths. In jeans or trousers 3l means 30/32/34 leg lengths.<br />468 pieces in total -go get them from stock room 'B'! And use a trolley as they'll weigh about 60 kilo!<br /><br />Ahh - 2442 2/2kf - Even As I write it I can still see it in 3d.<br /><br />[this is all much less used nowadays. With the advent of colour printers its as easy to email down a unit plan and print a copy of which bit someone is to attend to. - but they still need to know quantity an space. ]Bill Quango MPhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14861116614665461655noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32841798.post-44177714193687572872012-02-21T13:36:51.217+00:002012-02-21T13:36:51.217+00:00BQ,
As Anon{10.34} I've had another think and...BQ,<br /><br />As Anon{10.34} I've had another think and I suspect that I do recall something similar that indicates how to merchandise a product (or 'shelf stacking'). If I recall the numbers are a combination of number of items across, deep and high. Looking at the example I'm not sure what the 3442 is, probably a length in mm but not sure.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32841798.post-48900355358182641692012-02-21T13:06:56.464+00:002012-02-21T13:06:56.464+00:00The economics of slavery is a fascinating thing. O...The economics of slavery is a fascinating thing. On the Southern Plantations they had to implement a kind of assembly-line, with each slave-gang assigned a simple straightforward task, so that the overseer could tell whether or not it had been done satisfactorily.<br /><br />I worked a lot when I was younger. First a supermarket, then a pub. I've scrubbed dishes, poured pints; stacked, stocked and faced-up, but I've no idea what 3442 x 4/3 x 3L means :P.sconzeyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01908181786934308463noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32841798.post-80123229560818742272012-02-21T12:38:38.971+00:002012-02-21T12:38:38.971+00:00Anon{10.34} No. Not the right answer. Its not an e...Anon{10.34} No. Not the right answer. Its not an equation. Your story was like many on the order-order comments. <br />I was a feckless, disloyal youth. But I always worked. Never unemployed until I was 40. And I left school in 1982 - the big 3 million that the media are salivating in anticipation of.<br /><br />Anon {11:16} Agree 100% with that. <br /><br />ChrisM. We like MF here. Even give him top billing link. but i think he's being deliberately obtuse today.<br />I have never known an employer chucking out a trained worker for an untrained, unless the trained was a pain. I HAVE known employers getting rid of a worker before the {in the old days} 3 month 'training' period was up. That was because they decided they were not suitable. <br /><br />Maybe some small firms do it. hairdresser trainees. Coffee shop washer up. As you say, if anyone has any examples I'd like to know of them.<br /><br /><br />EK: Have a look over at stumbling from the link. there's some good comments there.<br />I'm more in favour of those schemes too. But Its expensive to put people on social projects, as you highlight. Because its local councils who do clean the streets and repair potholes etc, the regulations are immense. <br /><br />but it wouldn't hurt to try. national trust might find a use?Bill Quango MPhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14861116614665461655noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32841798.post-68729930850724906962012-02-21T12:38:14.326+00:002012-02-21T12:38:14.326+00:00Michael Fowke,
I think the point is that Tesco d...Michael Fowke, <br /><br />I think the point is that Tesco doesn't really want them, the government is "encouraging them" to take them on.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32841798.post-7387796732751632392012-02-21T12:19:09.007+00:002012-02-21T12:19:09.007+00:00"Unwilling workers are a desperate remedy. Ev..."Unwilling workers are a desperate remedy. Even when they are free."<br /><br />Why does Tescos want them, then?Michael Fowkehttp://moneyistheway.blogspot.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32841798.post-72277354163206035682012-02-21T12:06:47.077+00:002012-02-21T12:06:47.077+00:00Michael Fowke.
What are they going to do, these f...Michael Fowke. <br /><i>What are they going to do, these firms? Employ someone they have to pay? Or employ someone they don't have to pay?</i><br /><br />They are going to take the best possible person they can get for the money on offer. <br /><br />The 19th century US Southern economy was slave driven. Proper slaves. No rights. Property of their owners.<br /><br />A southern farm was 100 times larger than a northern one. Maybe 1000 acres. They were farmed by slaves with a few white overseers. <br />A southern farm was 1/10 as productive as a northern farm that was paying a very minimal wage to its agricultural labourers.<br /><br />During WW2 the occupied French Morane aircraft factory produced planes for the Nazis. It was staffed by slave Russian POWs and forced worker french technicians.<br /><br />In 1940 it made about 2,000 planes for the french airforce.<br />In 1943, for the nazis, it made 60.<br /><br />History has as many examples as you wish to examine. And I expect they are the same. <br />Unwilling workers are a desperate remedy. Even when they are free.Bill Quango MPhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14861116614665461655noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32841798.post-34572894154790834072012-02-21T11:58:53.734+00:002012-02-21T11:58:53.734+00:00My boss tells me that taking graduates on to do th...My boss tells me that taking graduates on to do the level of highly skilled work that I do (well, some of it is highly skilled) means that it takes at least a year for the new person to be useful. We have people offering themselves for work experience the whole time, but we don't have the capacity to take on free labour. <br /><br />It's not quite as simple as most people would have it. Taking on someone who has been unemployed for five years is going to be a huge risk: will they manage to turn up on time five days a week, every week? Taking on a geology graduate to do low-skilled work may also be risky: will they be able to handle the injured pride?<br /><br />I think the best thing the government can do is make it easier to employ people properly: cut payroll taxes, make the first year or two more "hire and fire", etc.Old BEhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06974090439936326476noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32841798.post-62017632874288378172012-02-21T11:49:49.821+00:002012-02-21T11:49:49.821+00:00Michael,
Personal anecdata aside, that is somethin...Michael,<br />Personal anecdata aside, that is something to be demonstrated rather than something to be assumed. <br /><br />If a person is totally incapable of doing a job, then no they are not cheaper than paying someone who can do the job.ChrisMhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08226130030384590336noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32841798.post-4903753243249804272012-02-21T11:48:16.492+00:002012-02-21T11:48:16.492+00:00with a 3 hour safe and safety before we began. For...<i>with a 3 hour safe and safety before we began. For an Interview!</i><br /><br />sheesh<br /><br />when I started in the oil industry you could go <i><b>offshore</b></i> onto a platform after watching a half-hour helicopter-drills vid <br /><br />oh, & struggled into a bright orange jump-suit, of course<br /><br />(& when I was 16 I went solo in an RAF glider on Day 5 of the cadet training: the better ones did it on Day 3)<br /><br />never did me any harm, ahemNick Drewhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13670594203660051701noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32841798.post-83016952465647353072012-02-21T11:44:31.238+00:002012-02-21T11:44:31.238+00:00ChrisM, it's still cheaper to employ people yo...ChrisM, it's still cheaper to employ people you don't have to pay. And there are too many stories of these "slaves" being dumped for new workers at the end of their placement.Michael Fowkehttp://moneyistheway.blogspot.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32841798.post-22532803466758150972012-02-21T11:34:00.109+00:002012-02-21T11:34:00.109+00:00BQ - I can see your point. Taking on a person who ...BQ - I can see your point. Taking on a person who is a liability more than a help.<br /><br />I always thought a better idea would be to have these people doing a few hours a week sweeping the streets and clearing grafitti.<br /><br />Then I tried to get the council on board to help me set up a litter picking group "Oooh ... risk assessments ... Oooh ... hi viz vests ... Oooh ... insurance..."<br /><br />And I went "Ooooh ... fuck it..." and so I just go out and pick the litter up anyway and shove it in the nearest bin.<br /><br />Why is it always working people having to do the voluntary work ???Electro-Kevinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18073103431166273080noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32841798.post-35621063636584637852012-02-21T11:32:23.354+00:002012-02-21T11:32:23.354+00:00Michael, did you even read the article?
These wor...Michael, did you even read the article?<br /><br />These workers are not free, they are going to cost one way or another.<br /><br />In any event, the answer to your rhetorical question is that firms would rather employ and pay people who can do the job, than not pay people who cannot.ChrisMhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08226130030384590336noreply@blogger.com