Mooloo's little tapestry of life, 2016

dktreesea

duchy wrote: »

Maybe the answer is incredibly boring food and no treats -whether you are dropping it off or arranging a home delivery when told they "have no money for food"

That's a good answer, and I have tried this, but it just makes an already depressing situation even more depressing for the recipient.


I think a lot of the problem, and for young people in general, is lack of job security. Zero hour contracts may suit the employer very well, but up here that translates into (care work) cover work for the permanent staff when they go on holiday in the summer, but no permanent run, plus being "on call" every morning for 6am even if there usually isn't any work. Care homes are no better. They tell you they need you , say, tomorrow and the next day but then won't need you for another nine days. Then, when you take different work over that time, they get all shirty that you weren't available for whatever staff shortage cropped up during the nine days and retaliate by not giving you any more work going forward, even though they "keep you on their books".



I did suggest waitressing, but it's no better. Full on over the festival then just cover for Friday and Saturday nights over the winter. Being a casual in today's world, in a job market incentivised by the government not to take on permanent part timers, let alone full timers, (e.g. incentives like not having to pay national insurance if the earnings stay under s certain amount), must be awful.


Thank goodness for self employment. So far today we've sold £8.10, easily the worst day of the year, but hey, the night is still young, the rent for this week has been earned, I've just got a whole load of new stock to list and the household bills all get paid at the beginning of the month.

dktreesea

Oh wow, Mooloo, that's good news about the work coming in. I was wondering if it made sense to have an express service? So normal turn around for alterations, say, is 5 working days, or whatever makes sense, but you could have a same day express service for 30% more?


I hope your kerb being dropped and the damp being fixed go smoothly and on schedule.

Savvy_sewing

Dktreesea, it's not good for zero hours. As an employer I see what advantage it would be, including no holiday pay etc.
So as a human with a conscience I have given a minimum contract to my staff and I pay them holidays.
The work for me is good at the moment. I spent all day on the curtains that I'm doing. They are nearly finished now, thank goodness. I've been worried that they have been taking longer then I'd like. One thing I have learnt is that I need a date to target, as if I'm told there is no rush everything gets pushed aside.
So I have learnt that I must do the job within my own time limit if the customer hadn't given me one, that keeps the job within my normal 7-10 day time frame.

Savvy_Sue

Mooloo wrote: »

Dktreesea, it's not good for zero hours. As an employer I see what advantage it would be, including no holiday pay etc.

That's not correct, even on a zero hours contract holiday pay is due.

It used to be regularly included within the hourly rate, but this is now not permitted unless you list it separately.

And some companies don't make it clear how you claim holiday pay that you've earned, so that's a question always worth asking early on in a zero hours contract: how do I book holiday hours? When does the holiday year begin and end?

dktreesea

Savvy_Sue wrote: »

That's not correct, even on a zero hours contract holiday pay is due.

It used to be regularly included within the hourly rate, but this is now not permitted unless you list it separately.

And some companies don't make it clear how you claim holiday pay that you've earned, so that's a question always worth asking early on in a zero hours contract: how do I book holiday hours? When does the holiday year begin and end?

And some employers are so unscrupulous they don't cough up unless the employee, or should I say casual contractor, asks for the holiday pay to be paid.


We're bringing up a generation of young people who are so grateful to have any work at all they will put up with anything. And the government is complicit, ensuring they have no rights unless they have worked for the same company for at least two years. Companies can even avoid this, by selling their company off to someone else, that other company then requiring everyone to apply for jobs in the new company. Their working history, for employees rights purposes, gone. I don't see this as a good way going forward.

Savvy_Sue

I'm not disagreeing with you, I think that in many situations zero hour contracts are appallingly exploitative - there are those it works for, and there are employers who do it well, but not all do.

But even on a zero hours contract, holiday pay is due, and our young people need to know this! And so do employers!

Savvy_sewing

Twin2 and BF went home yesterday. So I can have my house back.
However it still looks like a bomb has gone off etc as after I got in from work I was so tired that I just cooked DGD any my dinner and then went to bed at 7.30!! I'm running on empty!
I was fast asleep when the phone rang at 8.30!
Mind you I did get back to sleep quite quickly. DGD came in to use the cammode a couple of times!
( she doesn't like the dark and the loo is downstairs at the back of the kitchen). When we finally get the place sorted I will set it up in the spare room I think!
I had a few strange dreams, and woke around 6 am.
I've been drinking my tea, reading my email, and wasting time on Facebook!
But I shall need to get up soon as I have work to do.
There are so many jobs to keep me occupied, and of course it's Saturday so there are courses and lessons today.
DGD is going back to Staffs daughter this weekend, and my daughter next weekend. She didn't really like the babysitter that much so organising alternatives as best I can.
Looks like my housework will take up the rest of my weekend.
Heyho!

Savvy_sewing

I'm struggling with pain today. My left hip has flared up,and I was already struggling with pain in my left knee especially going up and down the stairs at work. Which as I do the two flights very often all through the day this is not a very good situation!
The busy work has meant the staff wages etc are high this week, and I'm just glad we banked over £900 this week.
My curtains are nearly done, just need the hems finishing now.
Tomorrow we have an appointment for DGD at Chams. She's not looking forward to it, but I hope it will help her get to the bottom of her issues, and get us back on an even keel.
Wednesday they are coming to remove the asbestos from the ceiling.
On Thursday the drive is being put in.
Then my Sewing Lesson course starts Thursday night.
My sister and partner are arriving from France, and they will be taking my Mum back to France with them.
I shall miss my Mum!
I may not go there every day, but we speak on Skype daily.

Savvy_sewing

Morning, trying to feel positive and in the positive zone, but it's not really working. So I must concerntrate on my health and wellbeing better or the support I give to my family, the business and everything else will suffer.
The business is going along well and I'm seeing growth in the retail side of the shop. Although it also means a higher wages bill. Not only because the wages have gone up by 50p an hour, both staff are regularly doing more hours then originally contracted.
I have finally paid myself back the £750 rent I'd lent the business in January/February. But I realised yesterday that I should have been putting it all back into savings where it had come from, but as it was in £50's each week, it just went into the bank. So last night I made the last payment and put it towards a few silver coins. That's a small way for me to put a little funds aside, that eventually should give me a higher return then the banks.
I've had my cup of tea, and I'm gearing myself up to face the day.
DGD will probably be a little reluctant to get up etc as we have the appointment with the mental health people. The social worker who was going to meet us has had to cancel.
Staff is opening up the shop, and will go home after I get in. She doesn't always work on Monday, but luckily she's flexible for me.
I was really lucky to find her.
On Saturday we were visited by one of the other dressmakers who gets recommended locally, especially on Social Media. She came in for threads, and told me that she now works full time in her other job and is stopping doing weddings and proms. She will continue to do ordinary alterations but not too the extent as she wants her weekends back. So she is sending people my way.
(Not that I have anyone who said they have come to me as a result, but nevermind), I have a continuing growth of clientele at the moment. So that's good.
I would like to get the life work balance better, and once all this work has been sorted in my house, get my house looking like a home.
I want to feel more relaxed at home, and more in control of things. I currently feel as if I'm back on that roller coaster.
It's days like today when I reflect on the way things are, and the why and wherefore that I realise that I have to continue to make changes and to tweek the routine etc and try to improve my world.
I'd so love to have less chaos and internal noise going on all the time.
How will I ever get to my end goal? No idea but I am on the journey of learning, studying and feel that I am changing. Running the business has changed me over the last 18 months.

Savvy_sewing

I am at home!
I should have been at work this afternoon, but my hip hurts, my head aches and I really am just going to stop now.
The shop will close as staff did her hours this morning, our busiest time.
I haven't taken the decision lightly, but I know when the pain has taken over and I need to just stop today! We had our meeting in town this morning, with camhs and the intensity of facing those issues haven't helped with my headache and so I'm battening down the hatches, taking a pain killer and going to rest for a few hours while DGD is at school and watching her film.
Hopefully I will feel better and be able to carry on tomorrow.
It looks like a nice day out there, but I just need to lie down in a darkened room!