As The Workhouse Approaches....How To Do Everything To Avoid It, the Old Style Way

littlecal

ginnyknit - fantastic result,I am so pleased for you and your family :j

elona

Reverbe

Saw candle Kittie lit and am sure I am not the only one hoping things get better for you and your flatmate. You deserve some good luck.

Have just ordered four more clear containers from amazon - they only had eight left in stock so fingers crossed I get them. I really want to get the kitchen cupboards organised so I can find things and then use stores up properly. Took advantage of Lakeland sale and ordered a really good shoe rack reduced by about £30 for Dd's room and also an ottoman type thingy for the tiny spare room that should match the sofabed and can be used for bedding.

ginnyknit

Glad DLA got sorted out.

oldtractor

Thats great news ginnyknit. Hello Elona, it was lovely to see you on Super Scrimpers t'other week. We have a film star in our mids peeps!

lizzyb1812

ginnyknit - that's fantastic news!!!!

Pesto - I had broad beans from neighbour, pasta and walnut pesto tonight. It was OK but I made it in the mortar and pestle and so it was quite, er, textured, because I got fed up of mashing it :rotfl:I've already got some cashew nuts in the cupboard so, as recommended by Seakay, I'll be using them next time and using the food processor as well. I've got loads of basil since I read a tip on here about taking cuttings from a supermarket living plant - they took ages to sprout roots in a glass of water but I just left them to it and after a couple of weeks they had lots of roots and now they've been put into a plant pot they've grown enough for me to take more cuttings. Lots and lots of free basil

Mardatha - that basil you chucked - grow some more and put it in any dish you make with tomatoes. Particularly nice is "insalata tricolore" - 3 coloured salad. The colours of the Italian flag - white = mozzarella slices, red = tomato slices, green = sliced avocado and plenty of basil - absolutely delicious with an olive oil and wine vinegar/lemon juice dressing. Any tomato dish also benefits from a pinch of sugar to bring out the flavour.

Haven't done too much the last 2 days because of the heat, but this afternoon we had thunderstorms and it's now a lot cooler - and only the pots/growbags to water thank goodness. The cat hates fireworks and thunderstorms and settles into a doorway when they come - presumably with her back against the door jamb the "threat" can only come from the left or the right and she has the option to run away from whatever side the "threat" comes from. The dog loves the fireworks/thunderstorms. I used to take my last dog out for a walk on bonfire night and she absolutely loved it. Mind you, my last dog and my current dog both came from gundog stock so the bangs mean excitement not something to be afraid of.

Charis

Reverbe wrote: »

I hit the link to it and tho I havent read it to me the following says it all. It was written by a Grad student in ENGLISH.. not a scientific expert etc..:rotfl:

Which means that she is used to researching and should be able to write a clear, coherent article on the subject. She does mention three of her sources, The US Food and Drug Adminstration, The Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service and the Australian National University Medical School.

If you doubt her credibility it's worth noting that she's not the only one publishing warnings.

elona

I don't want to claim someone elses glory

It was not me on the superscrimpers- she spells her name "Ilona" and mine is "Elona".

I blame my mum

anguk

Reverbe wrote: »

Oh dear. It seems the workhouse doth indeed approacheth.Things had begun to look up in that my flatmate who had also been unemployed following debts and a business collapse had landed a sales joblate last year (admittedly with a piddle poor basic) and was doing quite well. He just came home after lunch with bags of stuff saying his boss has told him to work from home and get out the office. Apparently after trying to do him out of the commission he has rightly earned a few times, boss has now decided to get some guy to relocate from India (yes INDIA)with a wife and 2 business partners.The office is tiny so there is no room for flatmate plus he is going to take away his basic salary- ok this was only 14k !!!!!! less than I'd get in one of my admin roles- but at least I no longer had the constant worry of impending homelessness. He has said he can continue to work for the company at home on commission only but it is the piddle poor basic we need to keep a roof over our heads. Not only this but he is finally able to make tiny headway with his debts.I'm trying to be strong but am beginning to wonder how many times life is going to do the dirty all over us. I am already feeling washed up and hopeless at my relatively youngish age despite considerable skills and experience and will not get much of a pension. Now I'm back to having to worry day to day about having a roof to live under and regretting any food i bought that wasnt value noodles.

Was having such a good day til now too..I remain totally shocked by the state of society and this country with the way they treat people and how there is nothing doing for well educated mature persons with skills and experience. How when I was young - tho I say this far too often - I never thought I'd have such a washed up lousy lifetime.

Oh Reverbe I'm so sorry, life does sometimes have a habit of kicking you just when you think things are getting better.

I'm sorry I don't know anything about employment law but it doesn't seem right to me that your flatmates employers can change him to commission only. At least if you're getting a basic wage (even if it is crap) you know where you stand regarding benefits, budgeting etc.

I hope you don't mind me asking but do you live in an expensive part of the country? I was just wondering if perhaps things aren't getting better and you've got no ties if it was worth relocating somewhere a bit cheaper for a fresh start. Maybe somewhere nearer your partner? My son lives in London and he pays more rent for his room in a flat share than we pay for a 3 bed terrace! :eek:

shelley_crow

really sorry to hear that Reverbe, I've been there too. My OH was sacked on the spot years ago for nothing when I was heavily pregnant due to a foreman being in an ars3y mood. OH was too gutted to take it further but the other people he did it to did and won a fair amount at a tribuneral at the time. Got all my fingers and toes crossed that something suitable comes up really soon x

ceridwen

REVERBE

Speaking of tribunals - that has got me wondering whether what happened to your flatmate would constitute a "de facto" dismissal and the possibility of taking the employer off to Tribunal for unfair dismissal. I dont know on that - just speculating - and Sar El would know if there was any chance of that approach winning.

The other thing is him reporting the employer to the National Minimum Wage Section at HM Revenue and Customs - as I would imagine that the job (if paid on a commission only basis) would come to less than that National Minimum Wage. If he does that - they will soon find out (he can make sure they do if he chooses - by telling them himself) and either hand over at least NMW to him or sack him. My guess is that they will sack him or make him redundant at that point - well at least that way the situation will then be quite clear and he can get some income and, hopefully, a pay-off.

Anyway - take SarEl's advice as to the best way to approach this. It is clear that what the employer has done is to, in effect, try to find a way to make him redundant without paying any redundancy money I would say...

Thats what it amounts to from what I can see - ie "Here you go - no workplace any more, no pay (ie basic pay) any more" but casting him the sop of "We'll give you the chance to earn commission" (eerrr..:eek: - in this day and age...I dont think so). He quite definitely has been made redundant - and they are trying to "cover the fact up" by in theory still having him "on their books" as an employee. In reality - he would be likely to try and try and try again to make enough commission to live on and would be highly likely to fail. They've quite deliberately put him "on a hiding to nothing" and are hoping he will fade off into the woodwork and regard it as HIS fault when he finds he cant earn enough on commission. The other thing is that whilst he is still technically speaking "employed" that he wont be able to get any benefit money. Therefore its wise for him to find a way to get THEM to end this situation - and then he will be eligible for benefit and should, hopefully, get some sort of pay-off from the job. They are trying to "set him up" - he needs to reverse this round 180 degrees and make sure that HE "sets them up" back in reverse instead.

Sorrees about being a bit "blunt" - but it is just as well to be clear how the land lies on this and I've had enough experience with employers to know an attempted set-up when I see it by now:(. He needs to make his motto "Turn the tables" (as in "They are trying to set me up - well THEY will find they have set THEMSELVES up instead").

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GINNY KNIT

:T:D:beer: - glad that this has been dealt with for you at last successfully. Shades of that Cliff Richard song "Congratulations" going through my head right now for you:D

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EDIT TO REVERBE: I think also that your flatmate needs to try and check out the circumstances more as to how/why his job has been taken over.

Memory_Girl

Another one fr the eco balls - although if anything is particularily sweaty / grubby then I "Top them up" with a dry mix.

Finely grate 1 bar of plain soap
Mix with equal quantities of washing soda

TOTAL COST 60p

Store in a plastic box with a good lid. One good tablespoon of this sorts out the smellies - and on towels its lovely as you get the "clean" smell of soap even if they are sky-dried.

MG