Nice people thread part 3- Nice as pie

silvercar

Wood pigeons nesting in the conifers near our house, again. :sigh:

Today and yesterday they seemed very upset by something, one was constantly perched on the edge of the nest and flapping about a lot and the other keeps diving in and out. Can't really see the nest without climbing a ladder and parting the branches, but I do wonder what is happening.

Masomnia

silvercar wrote: »

Just checked, my son doesn't have another exam til next week, I trust the strike will be over by then?

Sounds like a ploy to get another long weekend or a day off in half term week, but maybe I am cynical.

What happens if there is an exam scheduled? Does it get pushed back to next week or do the strikers never supervise it. If it was just pushed back, the strikers would have the same workload.

I really don't know to be honest, I don't even know which universities are affected, could just be mine in Sheffield.

As far as I know it's opening as usual, but there's so many support staff going to be off that I doubt it'll stay open.

chewmylegoff

tomterm8 wrote: »

What's to stop them if you don't?

nothing, but since sending it to auction is unlikely to produce any more interest in the property, it isn't actually going to be any different from 'sealed bids', except that as well as paying the agent you'll also have to pay the auction house - what are their fees? 20%?

PasturesNew

I'd volunteer to invigilate exams if I knew somewhere close by were striking. It's bl00dy outrageous to f*ck up the lives of others with such a cavalier attitude. They're not professionals, they're manipulative scum. They should keep their squabbles between themselves and their employer, not impact negatively upon the lives of hundreds at the drop of a hat.

tomterm8

chewmylegoff wrote: »

nothing, but since sending it to auction is unlikely to produce any more interest in the property, it isn't actually going to be any different from 'sealed bids', except that as well as paying the agent you'll also have to pay the auction house - what are their fees? 20%?

Except that it means all the neighbors are in the same room together, and they get to see who wins. You shouldn't underestimate how powerful that is.

lemonjelly

Hey everyone!:wave:

Had a break for a couple of days. A friend visited (he moved away 2.5 years ago for 6 months to "sort himself out". He is now in a sorted out position, but can't move back). So spent a fair amount of the weekend remeniscing and the like.

Decent weather for bowls at the weekend!

Been pottering in the garden (still nothing flowering - damn you davesnave et atl:mad:;))

Monday was terrible weather wise wasn't it? However, it was good froma gardener/bowler/much needed rain point of view. Rain for pretty much the full day here. Very needed. Not as thorough a soaking as we need though. Been dry since, & that is forecast into next week.

Garden is coming along though - lots of watering required. sping onions have sprouted, peppers coming along slowly, beetroot & onions steady. Beans climbing, and the peas are kicking in now. Tomato plants need repotting again, and I need to plant more lettuce.

The carrots appear to be the one thing really struggling.

I have been sorting hanging baskets an planting out morning glory flowers & the like. I'm also using my own compost for the first time.

Just read a great book called Paradoxymoron by Patrick Hughes. I'll post a full books review post soon when I have a bit more time.

I'm sadly addicted to a webcam showing the demolition of molineux stadium - updating every 10 minutes.

Tuesday I had an extremely pleasant and relaxing day here: http://www.bourtoninfo.com/ I have to say, the pictures are damn misleading. Those bridges are a lot smaller than they appear! Was nice to destress, & that was very needed - last week I started feeling that I was being a little more aggressive than I needed or was merited.

Anyhows, after that, went to Stratford to see The Merchant of Venice and the new theatre.

Inside, got to say wow! Comfortable seats, plenty of width/space, great views from pretty much everywhere. In layout it is very similar to the courtyard theatre which they've been using.

The play itself - something else truly. I had no concept of what the merchant was about prior to going (before, I've always known the play beforehand). I wanted to try out a new play. And of course, Sir Patrick Stewart was Shylock, so bound to be good.

However what a show! Great set, some exemplry actors, very very funny. I did actually work out the important bits I needed to know to follow the story, but there was so much good stuff in there. Different uses of the speech, some great costume ideas. I did walk out saying to my friend "I've no real idea what just happened, but I $#@!ing loved it!". I am sorely tempted to go again. I'd highly recommend it to any of you if you like the theatre. In particular, this production starts like no other production I have ever seen.

And elvis is in it!

Oh, by the way, I always struggle to measure how much pasta to cook!:D

leighton

PasturesNew wrote: »

I'd volunteer to invigilate exams if I knew somewhere close by were striking. It's bl00dy outrageous to f*ck up the lives of others with such a cavalier attitude. They're not professionals, they're manipulative scum. They should keep their squabbles between themselves and their employer, not impact negatively upon the lives of hundreds at the drop of a hat.

Nothing on the university's website, but the union website describes the strikers as 'around 2,000 cleaners, porters, caterers and clerical staff' (sorry, can't post link). Their pensions are being cut, the pensions of higher paid staff are not affected.

Not professionals, then. Probably not manipulative scum either.

lostinrates

everyone's tempers seem running high today...

I hope no ones exams are stressed too, like PN, I'd invigilate to minimise stress for students.

re cleaners and employment terms I noticed an advert in an employment agency advertising cleaning jbs fr £6ph. It seems a balance, because the domestic situations I know of are better paid, but through ignorance from both parties might lack in holiday pay and certainly pension.

LydiaJ

If it's the support staff who are striking rather than the academics, then invigilators aren't what's needed. The problem will be health and safety rules that say you can't open the buildings without xyz support staff in place.

chewmylegoff

lostinrates wrote: »

re cleaners and employment terms I noticed an advert in an employment agency advertising cleaning jbs fr £6ph. It seems a balance, because the domestic situations I know of are better paid, but through ignorance from both parties might lack in holiday pay and certainly pension.

cleaning e.g. an office is a bit different though, because you only have to travel there and back once, and can do a proper shift when you get there.

c.f. domestic cleaner, who might get paid £20 to do an hour or so but then has to travel to the next place, and (i) does not get paid whilst they are travelling (ii) may have to pay an incremental cost over and above the 'single commute' to get there.

plus you probably have to work harder for your money as a domestic cleaner. if the office cleaner doesn't bother to hoover into the corners, they aren't going to get the push - but if you employ someone to do your house and they do a shoddy job, you probably won't ask them back.

i regularly see our office cleaners at work, and most of their efforts seem to revolve around shouting at each other, having telephone conversations with their mates and generally avoiding doing any cleaning as much as possible. mind you, if i was only getting £6 an hour to do my job, i would probably put in even less effort than they do. i suppose you get what you pay for!

edit: i also wouldn't be surprised if all the cleaners on £6 an hour are actually agency temps who get no paid holiday and sick leave. as i understand it, the agency often advertises a headline rate, and then withholds some of your pay to build up a fund to pay you for holidays - i.e. you don't really get paid holiday!