I see that Portsmouth and the IOW are listed as areas that are at risk of going back into lockdown. With the IOW having trialled the track and trace app, it just adds another layer to the incompetence of the government.
The only reason that the IOW has been singled out is the age of the population...I doubt there will be a major problem myself as we lack big cities with crowded housing.
There's been a number of cases at meat processing plants in UK and worldwide. https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news...ported-at-food-factories-in-england-and-wales https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-52311877 https://www.euractiv.com/section/ag...cessing-plants-make-them-hotbed-for-covid-19/
I don’t think it is anything to do with age but the number of Pillar 2 confirmed cases, that aren’t being disclosed by the government. Leicester, based on government information, didn’t have a problem until they looked at the Pillar 2 infections, which is why it is locking down now.
Looking at the world figures the UK is not only still 3rd in total deaths behind the USA and Brazil, but more scarily today’s figures showed us also 3rd in newly-reported deaths, behind Mexico and Russia. It would appear that despite the very cheering “excess deaths” figures being apparently back to the 5 year rolling average, the Covid-19 deaths are nowhere near low enough yet. https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/
Just chatting to the wife about this as we both seen noticed it at the time, then noticed both our Bluetooths have now been switched on? I haven’t used that function for years.
I leave my telephone on the sidetable and on the very rare occasions I leave the house that is where it stays.
Every morning we are bombarded with the new unemployment figures as a result to job loses connected to C19. In the same hour we hear a sector of the work force demanding more help to get through the coming months. Today, live music. We need £46M (god knows where this figure comes from, they didn't elaborate) to weather the storm. The point was backed up by Paul McCartney & Ed Sheeran. Two stars I really like, just as a side note, but also probably worth mentioning they have a combined wealth of £1.7BN. Yesterday it was Air Craft manufacturing, the day before it was Performing Rights & the Theatre. I'd hasten to add there's not many industries who haven't been adversley effected by the dramatic turn of events that 2020 has leveled at us. But I'm getting rather tired at the sob stories & begging coming from the top. Companies who have posted millions in profit over the last couple of decades seem to be the first in line with cap in hand asking for bail outs, with the veiled threats of all the staff getting laid off if the money isn't fast incoming. Although I am directly affected by this crisis, I'm now reaching the stand point that I don't want the furlough payments to continue, because I don't think its safe guarding a large percentage of jobs. I think its postponing the inevitable loses while plunging us further into a debt that we can never pay back. Time for big industries to step forward and take a hit. Time for the shareholders dividends to be put on hold. Time for the people at the top to understand, we are all in this together.....or so they say. Rant over, Coffee time.
The one that really pissed me off was Richard Branson asking for a UK bailout of £500m.....when he hasn’t paid tax in the UK for 14 years https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/apr/21/richard-branson-bailout
Agreed. That one is still stuck at the back of my throat. There's no accountability. If you have made a lot of money for 20 years, then you will be able to coup with a down turn. Its just greed. And then they pass on to the workers instead. Time for change.
Another one is BA, they want to make thousands redundant, change some to zero hour contracts and pay cuts. https://www.itv.com/news/2020-06-01...taff-unless-they-accept-worst-pay-conditions/
All the big companies that want bailouts and tax breaks/don’t pay taxes etc, generally speaking, then carry on paying dividends to share holders. How does that happen?
I do think employees come first, but I also own shares which once gave me income and now don’t. A lot of shareholders are low income like me, so shouldn’t be lumped in with people who can take a knock or two. And I also have to point out that sometimes choices have to be made between sacking some employees or the business folding and everyone losing their jobs. There may be companies out there who deserve our disapprobation but many are just making hard decisions.
I knew my comments could be construed in negative way, but thought it would be worth posting anyway. Many of us are in the same boat as you Fran, from investing in small numbers of shares to having child trust funds. We are all going to lose out. This is not the group my angst is aiming at, and yet some of us will be collateral damage along the way. Many firms out there are using the the furlough scheme to string things out, when in reality there will not be the same amount of jobs to go back to. It is going to be painful. My advice would be start searching now, check the options, don't sit on the beach and wait for a resolution. I've been working a part time job of which I really despise. Something that is definitely having an adverse affect on my body (neck ache is really altering my moods). I'm going to use it as my motivation to make sure that my primary roll succeeds from this Saturday. But if it doesn't, you won't hear me complain on here, I'll be out making sure I'm viable. I'm hoping others are doing the same, and not relying on the Richard Branson's of this world to sort things for them. I just want a bit of parity, if we lose, they should lose, certainly don't take my comments personally.
This time next year I will be made redundant, hope the job market improves by then if not, I will be eating into my savings.
This time next year I will be made redundant ------------------ But I imagine you are already assessing options, and contemplating the adjustment in your future. As long as you just don't wait for the day, and anticipate the changes coming, I reckon you will be fine. Just feels like a lot of people out there are waiting for someone else to show them what to do. And there will be too many to help all at once. The world is changing, and we need to change with it.
