UK General Election - 12th December 2019 | Con 365, Lab 203, LD 11, SNP 48, Other 23 - Tory Majority of 80

[Fiskey]

Pretty much this.

I worked for a silver service agency as a student back in the early 90s, and it was a great way to earn whilst studying. I was also an adjunct lecturer for a while in the 00s, which was essentially zero hours and I would say more exploitative than the student gigs - universities take the mickey.

The idea of zero hours is actually good. It is just that the power imbalance is too far in favour of the employers. So rather than abolishing them, they should look instead to regulate how companies use them. For example, there could be contracts to ensure employers have to give sufficient notice of when they do or don't need you; perhaps even retention contracts, holiday/sickness pay as part of the hourly rate etc. Indeed, these are some of the things the universities union have been fighting for in the current dispute with universities.

Probably if you work over 20 hours in a month for two months running there should be a mandatory contract offer or something. The potential employee doesn't have to accept but can.

 

[sullydnl]

 

[Maticmaker]

people are going to seriously need to reassess what work means to them and what role it plays in their lives.

I think you may have missed the point, for a great many people its not about 'work' as such, its about self realisation/achievement, improvement, getting better, trying to escape, as it were from time to time the smothering effects of living in your comfort zone. Yes, people want good jobs, well paid, a sense of security where they deem it necessary, but all this needs to be earned in some fashion. No one is owed a living, never have been, yes there needs to be social safety-nets, by all means, for those unable to look after themselves; but even these need qualification so that those in receipt retain their dignity.
Labours traditional idea that the state should provide for people from 'cradle to grave' is fine in terms of safety-net provision, but it shouldn't smother all attempts to stop people making their own way. Much of what Corbyn has put forward is exactly that, we know what is best for you and who should pay for it! This didn't take the first time around in the 70's and it looks like it won't this time.

 

[Damien]

Mods. Isn't it about time that the poll was removed from this thread.
It is totally meaningless now.

No. The polls stay in previous election threads. It is the thread as a whole which is becoming meaningless as usually after an election people stop posting in the election threads after a few days and go to the Westminster/Corbyn threads.

 

[Buster15]

No. The polls stay in previous election threads. It is the thread as a whole which is becoming meaningless as usually after an election people stop posting in the election threads after a few days and go to the Westminster/Corbyn threads.

Thank you.

 

[Shamwow]

I think you may have missed the point, for a great many people its not about 'work' as such, its about self realisation/achievement, improvement, getting better, trying to escape, as it were from time to time the smothering effects of living in your comfort zone. Yes, people want good jobs, well paid, a sense of security where they deem it necessary, but all this needs to be earned in some fashion. No one is owed a living, never have been, yes there needs to be social safety-nets, by all means, for those unable to look after themselves; but even these need qualification so that those in receipt retain their dignity.
Labours traditional idea that the state should provide for people from 'cradle to grave' is fine in terms of safety-net provision, but it shouldn't smother all attempts to stop people making their own way. Much of what Corbyn put forward is exactly that, we know what is best for you and who should pay for it! This didn't take the first time around in the 70's and it looks like it won't this time.

To me Corbyn's agenda was not about giving people free stuff for no reason but instead making the tools that people utilise to find that self realisation/achievement (etc) free at the point of service wherever possible. The idea being that empowers people to make the best of their working lives.

Those tools including the means to live (eg benefits for those out of work and the NHS), transport, education, access to communication.

 

[RedChip]

Probably if you work over 20 hours in a month for two months running there should be a mandatory contract offer or something. The potential employee doesn't have to accept but can.

Yeah, there's gotta be a way to enforce commitment from employers as much as it is enforced on employees by needs.

 

[Damien]

Brexit: https://www.redcafe.net/threads/brexit-getting-done.418898/unread
Johnson: https://www.redcafe.net/threads/the-johnson-premiership.452248/unread
Westminster: https://www.redcafe.net/threads/wes...a-peer-and-stays-as-culture-secretary.429858/
Corbyn: https://www.redcafe.net/threads/jeremy-corbyn-loses-alternative-vote-table-title.409447/unread
Sturgeon: https://www.redcafe.net/threads/nicola-sturgeon-and-scottish-independence.443427/unread
Next Labour leader: https://www.redcafe.net/threads/next-labour-leader.452249/unread

The time has come for this thread to close. I think everything that has been discussed in here recently can be talked about in one of the above threads.