Do you want to discuss boring politics? (26 Viewers)

[Sky_Blue_Dreamer]

I had that one. Was working for a company whose client base was supposed to be entirely in Hampshire. They took on a client in London and expected me to travel there, with traffic it added 6 hours or more a day. Of course the travel time wasn't paid as "our quote wouldn't be competitive if we paid travel time". Don't quote then!

Months of doing that 3 - 5 times a week was not fun.

Would it have been more worthwhile to have found somewhere to rent for a short time nearby? Appreciate cost and time away from family but when you consider petrol and just the time and effect it has on you would it have been worth it? Or did you have jobs to do in Hampshire at the same time?

 

---

[Skybluefaz]

Got a couple of mates who are on 4 day weeks, one has been for over 10 years, the other more recent. Both say the same thing @Evo1883 mentioned on another thread, makes a huge difference as work no longer dominates your life. They also say their companies have seen increased productivity and employee retention since making the change.

They both live in other countries, one in Sweden, the other in Australia. Suspect it'll be a long time before we see many companies here bring something like that in. If my industry is anything to go by we're going in the opposite direction and expecting people to work ever increasing hours to cover the work of people who have been made redundant. When I started it was strictly 35 hours a week, now its 50 plus hours a week.

It's not going to be easy particularly for service industries. I do think if companies are willing to adapt they will see productivity benefits.

 

[skybluetony176]

Well, at least the Tories have missed out on looking hypocrites.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/uk-scotland-56442994

 

[wingy]

MPs defeat bid to save leaseholders from huge fire safety bills

Amendments to stop building owners passing on the costs of fixing defects were defeated in a Commons vote

www.theguardian.com

 

[chiefdave]

MPs defeat bid to save leaseholders from huge fire safety bills

Amendments to stop building owners passing on the costs of fixing defects were defeated in a Commons vote

www.theguardian.com

Sadly this kind of thing isn't in the slightest bit surprising anymore.

 

[wingy]

Sadly this kind of thing isn't in the slightest bit surprising anymore.

No,. have to envisage many personal bankruptcies

 

[shmmeee]

MPs defeat bid to save leaseholders from huge fire safety bills

Amendments to stop building owners passing on the costs of fixing defects were defeated in a Commons vote

www.theguardian.com

Any Tories around want to defend this?

 

[wingy]

Imagine living those aspiring lives as a result of this one vote ,the personal wreckage.

 

[shmmeee]

One for the Starmer haters. Labour’s polling vs a year ago. Closed the gap by 15 points during a time the government are handing out free cash to stay at home. Could be worse.

 

[clint van damme]

One for the Starmer haters. Labour’s polling vs a year ago. Closed the gap by 15 points during a time the government are handing out free cash to stay at home. Could be worse.

Either people are waking up to how fuckng useless and corruption this government is r what he's doing is working.
It still doesn't inspire me personally at the moment

 

[shmmeee]

Either people are waking up to how fuckng useless and corruption this government is r what he's doing is working.
It still doesn't inspire me personally at the moment

Same but that’s probably a good thing. I’m still hoping people want a bit of Biden style boring stability, but it’s a long time to the next election so who knows where we’ll be.

 

[Ian1779]

One for the Starmer haters. Labour’s polling vs a year ago. Closed the gap by 15 points during a time the government are handing out free cash to stay at home. Could be worse.

Not sure people are Starmer haters.... just find virtually nothing to be inspired about.

 

[Earlsdon_Skyblue1]

Got a couple of mates who are on 4 day weeks, one has been for over 10 years, the other more recent. Both say the same thing @Evo1883 mentioned on another thread, makes a huge difference as work no longer dominates your life. They also say their companies have seen increased productivity and employee retention since making the change.

They both live in other countries, one in Sweden, the other in Australia. Suspect it'll be a long time before we see many companies here bring something like that in. If my industry is anything to go by we're going in the opposite direction and expecting people to work ever increasing hours to cover the work of people who have been made redundant. When I started it was strictly 35 hours a week, now its 50 plus hours a week.

I lived in Sweden when they trialled the four day working week, and the six hour working day. Was pretty good.

Certainly for me, I noticed a difference even working from home one day a week.

 

[clint van damme]

I lived in Sweden when they trialled the four day working week, and the six hour working day. Was pretty good.

Certainly for me, I noticed a difference even working from home one day a week.

Did they implement it permanently?

 

[chiefdave]

Did they implement it permanently?

My mate who works in Sweden and he's been on it for years. Says it makes a huge difference. Don't think its mandatory or anything like that, down to individual companies. But as it seems to lead to increased productivity, less sick days and increased employee retention why would companies resist it?

 

[shmmeee]

Not sure people are Starmer haters.... just find virtually nothing to be inspired about.

Im only playing.

Just gave up reading a long read on him, which kind of proves your point

 

[Skybluefaz]

This from the man who wrote a column both for and against Brexit.

 

[Brighton Sky Blue]

Im only playing.

Just gave up reading a long read on him, which kind of proves your point

He's a bit like the Sunday lunches I had growing up. Overcooked, tough meat, boiled and bland vegetables with a side of cauliflower cheese, and everyone except BSB thinks it's delicious.

 

[shmmeee]

Again, I am not saying Johnson is a fascist, but he does keep doing the sorts of things fascists like to do.

Also: The Eton educated former Mayor of London talking about metropolitan elites.

 

[shmmeee]

He's a bit like the Sunday lunches I had growing up. Overcooked, tough meat, boiled and bland vegetables with a side of cauliflower cheese, and everyone except BSB thinks it's delicious.

I love cauliflower cheese

 

[Ian1779]

I love cauliflower cheese

Delectable, maybe not electable.

 

[Brighton Sky Blue]

I love cauliflower cheese

It's as disgusting as broccoli just more beige

 

[shmmeee]

It's as disgusting as broccoli just more beige

That’s what the cheese is for.

 

[skybluetony176]

Cauliflower is great. Takes on flavour, great in curries as a substitute for chicken and buffalo cauliflower wings are awesome. You just need to cook it properly.

 

[David O'Day]

Again, I am not saying Johnson is a fascist, but he does keep doing the sorts of things fascists like to do.

Also: The Eton educated former Mayor of London talking about metropolitan elites.

The New York born Eton educated former Mayor of London you mean?

 

[wingy]

I lived in Sweden when they trialled the four day working week, and the six hour working day. Was pretty good.

Certainly for me, I noticed a difference even working from home one day a week.

The question I guess is does it make people more productive which is the object of this trial .
I certainly know I couldn't have worked harder physically for the past 48 yrs .
I do know you can get diminishing returns by throwing too much at something.
But where flights and Hotel accomodation, expenses were involved longer days from a smaller crew were deemed a saving and a competitive tool ,among home and local contractors .
Doing all that while appearing well rewarded would have been drastically cut on a 40 hr operation.
In fact I'd have been as well rewarded as a tradesman on the council or similar , possibly more secure,not as knackered out definitely.
So that leaves the question of this trial as to whether you can maintain incomes via the hours reduction by proving it increases production .
I hope they can .
Unfortunately that French shift pattern in manufacturing wasn't aimed at reducing the hours .

 

[Brighton Sky Blue]

Cauliflower is great. Takes on flavour, great in curries as a substitute for chicken and buffalo cauliflower wings are awesome. You just need to cook it properly.

The flavour is abhorrent

 

[wingy]

The flavour is abhorrent

Nah it's delicate .
I love it's mushiness when it's overcooked Lol
Food for old folks ,will take on flavours be that introduced or alongside other ingredients .
How about celeriac, fantastic to introduce it's subtle flavour on other ingredients.

 

[Brighton Sky Blue]

Nah it's delicate .
I love it's mushiness when it's overcooked Lol
Food for old folks ,will take on flavours be that introduced or alongside other ingredients .
How about celeriac, fantastic to introduce it's subtle flavour on other ingredients.

You can have it all Wingy!

 

[fernandopartridge]

The flavour is abhorrent

It's brilliant in curries and roasted with spices. I'm gonna try a cauliflower steak as it goes.

 

[fernandopartridge]

I love cauliflower cheese

Me too, my missus' family don't have it with Sunday dinner, heathens

 

[Sky_Blue_Dreamer]

My mate who works in Sweden and he's been on it for years. Says it makes a huge difference. Don't think its mandatory or anything like that, down to individual companies. But as it seems to lead to increased productivity, less sick days and increased employee retention why would companies resist it?

I've wondered if we could do a system whereby each position has two people, each doing 3.5 days (or 4+3) paid pro-rata so we have an economy that works all the time. The idea of a weekend is an antiquated one now. Also many sectors where you could get 3 people on 8hr shifts a day to enable round-the-clock working.

Of course there's a problem with filling positions - if they're jobs people don't want to do you do end up without enough people to implement it.

 

[Sky_Blue_Dreamer]

Again, I am not saying Johnson is a fascist, but he does keep doing the sorts of things fascists like to do.

Also: The Eton educated former Mayor of London talking about metropolitan elites.

You missed out 'and Oxford' and member of the Bullingdon Club.

 

[clint van damme]

I've wondered if we could do a system whereby each position has two people, each doing 3.5 days (or 4+3) paid pro-rata so we have an economy that works all the time. The idea of a weekend is an antiquated one now. Also many sectors where you could get 3 people on 8hr shifts a day to enable round-the-clock working.

Of course there's a problem with filling positions - if they're jobs people don't want to do you do end up without enough people to implement it.

There was talk of something similar during the high point of the pandemic with people dropping a day to create jobs and the government subsidising the lost day.
At work but I'll try and find the article later. Worked out well economically if I remember correctly.

 

[fernandopartridge]

Yet more brilliance