Imagine if

Unfortunately the party of the self employed have screwed us all up by their magnificent performance in government by burning billions of our money and set the ball rolling for a race to the bottom. Of course it’s the public sector workers fault given that austerity never ended for them and the year on year mahoosive wage increases they didn’t get!

 

Good job your not in lockdown then!! Wasn’t that long ago all the barbers were at home to save lives and health service and care workers were the front line…..

 

My income never changed for 4 years to be honest before covid .. then that was the end of it for me urged by covid . I am officially retired now . But i don't wish to blame anyone for this double barrel war and covid kick in guts for everyone .
Blame is a comfort and certainly helps for people when peed off , it's human nature .

 

I'm sick of my boss doing what he likes while I don't listen and go home early, that's it I'm going part time . starting soon

 

i find myself striking at least 6months per annum

Sent from my Pixel 7 using Tapatalk

 

On a serious note. I haven’t had an actual “pay rise” for probably six years. During covid work was understandably quiet so making yourself more expensive then would have been a dumb idea. Now with the huge increase in materials and fuel etc, the small increases that I’ve made have been eaten up in business costs. If I look at my actual take home earnings, they haven’t increased for six years, yet my personal expenses on running my house, non business stuff has obviously gone up. So in effect I actually have less money than I did years ago. The discussions I have with other tradesmen on site and in merchants I’m not alone. This seems to be the situation for loads of self employed guys. Several have told me they were due van upgrades next year but aren’t in a position to do it.

I’ve seriously considered just jacking in self employment and working for someone instead. Cos in real terms I’d be no worse off, in fact I’d be better off as I think I’d earn about the same yet I’d get sick pay, holiday pay, pension contributions so in real terms I’d be earning more.

Not sure I could handle having a boss though at my age and I’ve had some customers over twenty years and seems defeatist to throw it in. But I do worry about what’s round the corner when this starts to bite next year.

 

Well firstly
In lock down (this was only for peasants apparently)
My wife who has been a nurse for her whole working life
Worked through the whole poo show,
Secondly I have been only self employed for about 3 years in my working life which is now, I can tell you I’ve never been so worse off.
I have been employed most of it with
Payed holiday’s
Sick pay (2 months of full pay pa)
Bupa health care
Company vehicle
Pension
I have Never been in a union
Never been on strike
Worked every Saturday and pretty much every bank holiday for 25 years
When I had my mortgage and the interest rate went through the roof
I took a second job probably did about 70 hours a week rather than give the keys in
That is what you do
If you don’t like a job don’t do it
Or if you feel like you are being persecuted get out .

 

careful. You’re sounding a bit Tory there. Next you’ll be telling people to get on their bike and find work.

I keep telling you. Working for the glory of the state is the only way. Own nothing. Be happy. All hail the greater good.

 

Ha ha well if you don’t work you don’t eat and
If you don’t eat
You don’t sh
And if you don’t sh
You die
Work hard and struggle comfortably Nipper

 

Everyone has a story to tell, to justify their opinions on work attitudes.

Some people see the way to get through life is by working for themselves, keeping their heads down and working until they drop. No unions, no solidarity, just a means to an end, although lots say they couldn't face having a boss and towing the line.....?

Fair enough.


Others prefer the security of employment, keeping their heads down and working until they drop, but prefer the support of unions and the solidarity of colleagues to ensure they don't get mugged off by having a boss.

Fair enough.


Public sector v private sector?

Ask yourself who'd be missed more by society

1000 bin men or 1000 middle managers?

One lot worked through covid and the recent snow.

One lot is still working from home, still hiding from covid.....

 

I think I’m roughly earning about 8k more than I did in 2001, when I left the printing firm I worked at…

 

I've had a good talking to myself years ago and ( looking back at all those years working) realised I'll never become rich working.
So... I decided to work much less, enough to do what i want to do, be content with a simple, happy life.
No chasing expensive possessions.

 

Generalising is an easy trap to fall into! Each to their own. Bit of banter is great but some people aren’t having a laugh! Balloon test works for me generally. So balloons losing hight and someone’s getting chucked out … as a balloon pilot extraordinaire and expert parachute improviser I’m happy to listen! You will be amazed how people can justify their place in the balloon with the oddest of jobs. Doctors, nurses, paramedics will be no brainers. Guess you need some diligent person to drive the thing etc. …Social media influencers will argue their case for maintaining morale. They will still be talking as you hear the distant thud!

 

Wouldn't life be far easier if we all worked for Amazon and sourced everything we consume from there aswell. The ultimate ponzi scheme.

That way we could even deliver it all to ourselves to save our own delivery charge.

 

Yep .. and the only tax paid would be income tax and vat by us to pay for the infrastructure to deliver it in the first place!

 

In our twenties I had two mates that lived in a bit of an out lying village. Taxis were expensive and a bit thin on the ground. There was one pizza firm that would deliver there from town. So quite regularly they would wander in there after an evening in the pub and then get the pizza and themselves delivered back home.

if they did it now they’d probably receive some sort of award from Greta for saving the planet.

 

I’m no econwottsit but even I reckon that in all those years that inflation must have gobbled up that 8k rise and some.

 

There'd be no income-tax because there'd be no social services/welfare state to pay for - we'd all live in Port Sunlight- type workers communities, with Amazon hospitals, schools and dentists.

Worker of the month gets a free trip to space.........