Return of the Workhouse. It's now Official

Percy1983

I will say as a none work shy type of person, this wouldn't bother me if I did end up out of work for a while.

As it is I have been unemployed for 2 weeks since I left school and did some voluntary work for a week of that, more recently I was staring unemployment in the face and I had made some arrangements to help a local primary school on a full time basis (I already help them out with events etc).

Basically as a worker I will seek out work anyway.

LydiaJ

sticky23 wrote: »

They've been doing this in Denmark for years... And it works. Current un-employment rate is 4%. If you are un-employed there, you have to be available for work the following day. If they can't find work for you, you have to report to the jobcentre every day, and apply for jobs from there.

That's interesting. Do you know what happens to unemployed single parents in Denmark? Do they get free childcare to enable them to spend their days in the jobcentre? And what happens about childcare if you get a job that starts the next day?

In this country a single parent could never be available to start work the next day unless their kids were old enough to supervise themselves, or their kids were at school and the job just happened to fit into school hours (allowing time to travel from school drop off to work). Getting a place at nursery or after school club takes time, and often there are waiting lists. And childcare is expensive, so you wouldn't want to start paying for it until you knew you had a job to go to.

jools27_2

:j

LydiaJ wrote: »

That's interesting. Do you know what happens to unemployed single parents in Denmark? Do they get free childcare to enable them to spend their days in the jobcentre? And what happens about childcare if you get a job that starts the next day?

In this country a single parent could never be available to start work the next day unless their kids were old enough to supervise themselves, or their kids were at school and the job just happened to fit into school hours (allowing time to travel from school drop off to work). Getting a place at nursery or after school club takes time, and often there are waiting lists. And childcare is expensive, so you wouldn't want to start paying for it until you knew you had a job to go to.

I live in this country, I was a single parent, I'm 44 this month and i've worked since I left school at 17! Ok, I had the help of my parents for child-care, but I would still have worked somehow without it, for my sanity, my self respect and mostly to help my children appreciate having a work ethic and know that they can achieve in life if they work hard.....I think it worked, my daughter has worked since she was 15, and for the few weeks 2 years ago she had no job kept asking what on earth people do all week without a job to go to!

Shakethedisease

Graham_Devon wrote: »

No, you started assuming stuff about me, and making out I was somehow biast against applicants sent from the job centre...

We can't "tell". We ask. It's one of the first questions "how did you find the vacancy". Many are open enough to state they have been sent, and many simply don't turn up for their appointment.

Some, it's not even worth conducting a full interview. A few months ago, we had one come along hardly dressed, whose mobile rang 2 mins into the interview, and he answered it and started laughing on the phone. His interview was cut short. Should we have taken him on? Am I now a biast, nasty person? Again, there is absolutely no point in sweeping these things under the carpet. I don't have issues, merely because I don't wish to ignore it.

I don't need to know your life story. Nor am I particularly interested in furthering any sort of 'personal' disagreement with you here. I run my own business. I didn't fall out of the tree yesterday. I don't like your attitude any more than you like mine. Let's not start getting personal. It was yourself that said you can 'just tell' who 'wants to work and who doesn't' like some sort of Derren Brown guru-type not me. I assumed nothing, I can only comment on what you publically post.

My gripe is with the unemployed who have chosen not to work because they are quite happy sitting on their backsides taking benefits from tax payers. I have known them and have lived among them. We cannot afford this attitude in this country anymore. If you are genuinely unemployed and make every effort to find employment then there is no problem.

The problem, is telling which is which. And legislating for it.

What do you suggest ?

I'm 44 this month and i've worked since I left school at 17! Ok, I had the help of my parents for child-care, but I would still have worked somehow without it,

Really ? Do enlighten us all with how that would be acheivable in 2010. Thanks.

treliac

vaporate wrote: »

LOL, A vile insult against a vile poster supporting such drivel policies and pretending its acceptable.

Communist style, do or else.

The people who clean your streets and the people who empty your bins..... they have self-esteem and dignity. Whilst you represent all that is wrong in Britain.

Your own attitude makes the strongest case for the implementation of the policies you don't want to see.

LydiaJ

LydiaJ wrote: »

That's interesting. Do you know what happens to unemployed single parents in Denmark? Do they get free childcare to enable them to spend their days in the jobcentre? And what happens about childcare if you get a job that starts the next day?

In this country a single parent could never be available to start work the next day unless their kids were old enough to supervise themselves, or their kids were at school and the job just happened to fit into school hours (allowing time to travel from school drop off to work). Getting a place at nursery or after school club takes time, and often there are waiting lists. And childcare is expensive, so you wouldn't want to start paying for it until you knew you had a job to go to.

jools27 wrote: »

:j

I live in this country, I was a single parent, I'm 44 this month and i've worked since I left school at 17! Ok, I had the help of my parents for child-care, but I would still have worked somehow without it, for my sanity, my self respect and mostly to help my children appreciate having a work ethic and know that they can achieve in life if they work hard.....I think it worked, my daughter has worked since she was 15, and for the few weeks 2 years ago she had no job kept asking what on earth people do all week without a job to go to!

Your post reads to me as if you think I'm saying that single parents can't work or shouldn't have to work. I'm not saying that at all.

I live in this country too. I'm a single parent too. I work too. But if I was unemployed, I wouldn't be able to start work at a day's notice, because I have no free childcare from parents, and it would take me more than a day's notice to book my kids into paid-for childcare. I'd need about two week's notice, I think, or might manage with one week's notice if I got lucky with childminders. It would be easier if the after school club at my kids' school had spaces instead of a long waiting list, and if they ran a before school club as well, but neither of those things is going to happen any time soon.

Two week's notice of the start of a job doesn't seem unreasonable, given the way childcare is organised in this country. I just wondered if it was different in Denmark.

Ms-Pacman

Is it just coincidence that this announcment has come shortly after the news of thousands and thousands of public sector jobs are to go.
Well there you go, that will stop the outcry when we can't get the service we need, no we'll just have unsuitable people doing it as a punishment for not having a job despite the fact the recession has caused so many job losses and we still continue to lend to banks!

And the next person who says well its only pen pushers losing jobs need to do a bit of research before they insult the lowest paid admins who keep systems running who are about to lose their jobs. Interesting how few senior management are being affected by the cuts.

Stop being so bloody naive. This is not about getting people into work, or getting people off benefits, its a pure politics game to smooth the path ready for of whats going to hit next!
If we need more funds why not have a look at tax fraud or is that too close to home?

Incidentally I am very lucky to be employed and I am very greatful for it.
I was unemployed for a period of 6 weeks and did not claim due to it being so complicated, and know that I was extremely lucky to get my job and yes I do mean lucky as over 150 people applied for it.

Shakethedisease

Well said !

treliac

Ms-Pacman wrote: »

Stop being so bloody naive. This is not about getting people into work, or getting people off benefits, its a pure politics game to smooth the path ready for of whats going to hit next!
If we need more funds why not have a look at tax fraud or is that too close to home?

Incidentally I am very lucky to be employed and I am very greatful for it.
I was unemployed for a period of 6 weeks and did not claim due to it being so complicated, and know that I was extremely lucky to get my job and yes I do mean lucky as over 150 people applied for it.

You must be very special......and, I'm sorry, it's hard to say that without sounding condescending.

Ms-Pacman

treliac wrote: »

You must be very special......and, I'm sorry, it's hard to say that without sounding condescending.

No just very very lucky and very good with computers.
I suspect I was offered the job though as the interview was by two elderly men talking about their experience about the industry I now work in and I was intersted in what they had to say.

Otherwise I dread to think how I would be coping right now.
I had applied for hundreds of jobs via internet, jobsite etc.
Out of the hundreds I applied for I was offered about 7 interviews.
I had a lot of bad nights constantly crying as I was desperate for anything so I dread to think how people are coping now with a huge lack of work.

Where I work we are going through a huge re-org but fortunately my post is not affected.