I watched Panorama last night. It's "Big Squeeze" episode was quite depressing if you could empathise with the families interviewed. Hopefully an eye opener if you couldn't.
People are getting poorer was the thrust of the programme with a big emphasis on wages. Peoples' frozen wages are worth less than they were two years ago. Some people are prepared to take a pay cut so afraid are they to lose their jobs.
"Ledge Dwellers" That's what people are called who might tip over the end of life any minute and find themselves in rent/mortgage arrears and imminent homelessness but I'm not here to post on that, for I am a "Ledge Dweller", dangling my feet, banging them together in deliberation, as you can do when they can't touch the ground.
No, I'm here to post about Annie's boss. Well, Annie's ex boss. She lost her job but has been working through to the end of her monthly contract. He mustn't lose a penny in these austere times. She of course, needs a reference. Only reason I can think of that she's sticking around (other of course than her low wage)
Her ex boss cut to the chase "I can employ someone with more experience than you for the same money." By way of apology he added: "Sorry, but it's an employer's market."
Well fuck me, yes it is. Wage flipping constraints; to raise people's salaries risks interest going through the roof and all hell breaking loose according to Panorama. Meanwhile, certain employers are rubbing their hands with glee because they've got a pool of over 2 million people to pick from. They don't have to pay them very much.
"You've got loads of fucking experience," I said to Annie, angry on her behalf. She said that her ex boss did say it was a shame he couldn't employ people like her and train them up. Bollocks. She's hardly slow my Annie. Totally overwork her and of course it'll look like she can't keep up.
With rent responsibilities as well as the rest, Annie's been using all her spare time trying to find another job, filling in application form after application form and feeling quite down in the process.
Then, last Thursday, an interview!! A job she really wanted which suited her politics down to the ground (off that fecking ledge)
She found out today she "did a very, very good interview."
It wasn't enough though, not in this "employer's market"
Makes me so angry.
Better will turn up Annie, it will. Don't lose hope x
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Oh, check this link out..
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/77feb5d8-598d-11e0-baa8-00144feab49a.html?ftcamp=rss&ftcamp=crm/email/2011329/nbe/Comment/product#axzz1I1sb1aAs
I lost this article half way down, the grrr of villages not wanting more houses (blame the wine, not the whine..), Was very happy tho, very happy, that to read it I had to register!! And I could!! The FT, for free!! Not many papers do that no more, the Guardian, bless it, but the Times, ooh you have to pay, so my lot, well, they don't want my lot reading it.... Just like villages don't want my lot living there either!
What does that say? What does that tell ya?
More wine (as opposed to whine)
but whine the country does, not just me!
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