Council Jobs to Go -10% Staff Saving Needed

neverdespairgirl

scousethife wrote: »

Denbighshire???

That has to be the crapest place name ever

Why?

My Welsh-speaking great-grandparents were born and brought up there.

Davesnave

scousethife wrote: »

Denbighshire???

That has to be the crapest place name ever

Whereas, 'Liverpool' conjures up such attractive images....

beingjdc

neverdespairgirl wrote: »

Why?

My Welsh-speaking great-grandparents were born and brought up there.

Happy Llanwcr.

Old_Slaphead

olly300 wrote: »

Like I get fed up of people slagging of the public sector I also get fed up off people in the public sector stating or implying that everyone in the private sector has ever gotten any of these perks.

Just because you hear of one example don't presume that every private sector employee is lucky enough to work in an industry or company that is well regulated.

Most people in the private sector work for small or medium size employers who either don't give perks or only give them to people over a certain level.

Time off is a problem whatever sector you work in. I know people who have had flooded homes told they can take two days out of their holiday and if they aren't at work after that they will be disciplined for unauthorised absence. (Yes some companies are really that nice.)

And flexible working normally consists of working out what time your employer thinks it's acceptable to turn up and leave the office.

Oh and in the private sector people can also be extremely nasty and vindictive when they have someone who has a complaint against you.


Depends on the employer.

1. The statutory minimum including bank holidays.
2. The statutory minimum excluding bank holidays.
3. 1-5 days more than the statutory minimum including bank holidays but that's because you regularly work evenings and weekends without time off in lieu.

Due to the interpretation of age discrimination laws it doesn't necessarily increase with the time worked for the company.

Also depending who you work for and your job like with the public sector employees you can find your holiday cancelled at the last moment even if you have worked the weekend before to ensure you can go on it.

Well said Olly.

The vast majority of employees don't receive any of the perks on Polly's list. No, I actually do get a Xmas bonus - a £2.99 bottle of wine - big deal - I'd readily swap it for the LA holiday entitlement !

Working for a manufacturing SME I don't receive any employer pension contribution - but do get the benefit of lots of unpaid overtime, job insecurity and unlike many in public sector, if I get made redundant I get statutory minimum payout. In addition I've had 1 x 4% pay rise in last 4 years so this harping on about only getting 2% per year sticks in the craw somewhat.

My situation is by no means unique in manufacturing around Midlands & North.

The majority of well paid private sector jobs are in ex-utilities and (probably) south east service/finance jobs??

As for overpaid and overperked teachers and police - well don't get me started on that lot.

adr0ck

scousethife wrote: »

Denbighshire???

That has to be the crapest place name ever

don't see why its got a nice romantic sounding name to it denbigh shire

like its from lord of the rings

Davesnave

Old_Slaphead wrote: »

As for overpaid and overperked teachers - well don't get me started on that lot.

Oh no, you've found out about the pencils!:rotfl:

Old_Slaphead

darich wrote: »

Generous pensions - incorrect again. Is something generous if you have to pay for it? It may be good but that's different from generous. Generous sounds like we local goverment staff get it for nothing. I pay almost £50 a week to my pension. Is THAT generous then?

Any praise for working FOR idiots like you who have no concept of what local government is like.

Pensions - if you pay in £50pw then your basic LA salary is £40,000+. For that you'll accrue approx £700pa pension.

Over say 10 years that's a £7000pa pension.

To get that with a private pension you would have needed a £100,000+ pension fund (that's right £100,000+ !)

Over 10 years that's contributions of £10,000pa which compares with your actual contributions of £2.600pa. Pretty good deal. uh? And who helps to contribute to your other £7,400pa - no prizes for guessing!

---

As for IDIOTS like me who have no idea what LA work is like - my partner has been a senior manager in LA for 25years (and some of the stories I get of waste are unbelievable - endless meetings. many of which are a waste of time - plethora of consultants endlessly changing things for the worse etc etc).

In fact, most people I meet these days work seem to in public sector - there's hardly anyone left in manufacturing businesses anymore (probably because our pay and conditions are even crappier than you perceive your's to be !)

nickmason

Old_Slaphead wrote: »

As for IDIOTS like me who have no idea what LA work is like - my partner has been a senior manager for 25years (and some of the stories I get of waste and mismanagement are unbelievable - endless meetings. most of which are a waste of time - pletora of consultants endlessly changing things for the worse etc etc).

This is a problem everywhere, frankly. In the last two years I have worked in a blue-chip charity and a VC-funded (and so very financial/managerially aggressive) marketing agency, and seen first hand the workings of a council (as a councillor).
Alongside that I have have had various training opportunities (self-styled charity MBA and public sector "mini MBA" as well as numerous in-house courses) - so I've had some exposure to all three sectors as well as to what the "experts" are teaching. In a nutshell*, hierarchical structures (aka "command") are being replaced by networks (aka "consultation").

The "consultative" state is a reflection of modern management schools and techniques, and meetings are the bread and butter of that. (There are all sorts of further implications of this mini-thesis - lack of accountability, etc. )

I am reminded of Boris Johnson talking to chinese graduates recently, asking whether they were keen to embrace democracy; their response was "oh maybe one day, but why bother now when the real drive is embracing capitalism and the wealth it brings?" Not for one second am I suggesting we should do the same, but I think it's interesting to note in the context of how we are "democratising" the workplace.

* obviously this is a simplification!!

treliac

Old_Slaphead wrote: »

[quotears =Davesnave;16776447]

Not an insignificant number also get tired of the poor conditions and go out, permanently, into this 'real world,' where they become richer & more successful.



Interesting that - 6 times in my working career I've applied for LA jobs (all of which according to the job description I've been eminently suited) but not even been offered an interview.

My partner, who's worked in LA for 25 years says most jobs are filled internally. She also says that recruiting is a nightmare with all the hoops that have to be gone through (including having 3 senior interviewers, at least 1 of both sexes, oven for the most junior position......how much time and organisation does that take?). Most positions are filled in as shoe ins from other depts. so external advertising is a waste of time. I also understand that disadvantaged minorities are guaranteed interviews even if they are not suited to the job.

So much for significant numbers of LA staff making it in the outside world. Same applies for private sector trying to get in. It's about time we stopped having this demarcation - a bit of cross-fertilisation of ideas and practices would be a good thing.

BTW conditions and pressures can also be grim in private sector - many employees are only on minimum rates of pay and get precious few 'perks'

So, through your partner, you're getting a 'one step removed' benefit from (according to your perception) the public sector gravy train.

She would have been able to help you if your job applications were just about form filling. Perhaps you just weren't the best applicant.

If she's so scathing about her employer, why doesn't she join you in the 'real' world?

Old_Slaphead

treliac wrote: »

1)Perhaps you just weren't the best applicant.

2)If she's so scathing about her employer, why doesn't she join you in the 'real' world?

1) Apparently not - but a letter advising me so would have been nice.

2) Because she loves her job (and gets reasonable pay and membership of a good pension scheme, which helps). Also there is no equivalent position in the private sector.