[Politics] The Labour Government

[BadFish]

sure have you must be a conspiracy theorist tin hat, flat earth perhaps a branch davidian ha ha

Right Brain Ronnie, is that you?

 

[BadFish]

Fair play.

For what it’s worth I have worked in industries where there would be a hardcore of very reliable workers, turned up on time every time, happy to do overtime, etc

And then a cohort of ones where the only reliable thing about them was that they were unreliable . Always issues, always sick, always ringing in just before a shift.

So I do know your pain.

Most on zero hours contracts so were easy to just not bother giving hours to.

I do wonder if there is a correlation between shit wages and zero hours contracts and sick days (add in bosses/supervisors like Rhodge )?

My guess is it hard to find work ethic and loyalty with this conditions, and if you do they'll move on to better things as soon as possible.

You pay peanuts and all that.

 

[BadFish]

Here you go public sector 50% more sickies https://www.statista.com/statistics/290241/uk-sickness-absence-rate-public-vs-private-sector/

Just for balance can you post the differences in pay and bonuses etc?

I expect there is a correlation.

It probably needs a break down in sector too.

 

[Bodian]

Right Brain Ronnie, is that you?

He seems to be having a day off?

 

[Machiavelli]

The problem is that the policy doesn't properly recognise that the focus on wind and solar doesn't address the gap in electricity supply that appears on days like today, and yesterday, and tomorrow, and probably the day after that, when those specific renewables don't contribute in any meaningful way towards demand. We have to recognise that these calm dark periods happen in this country at this time of year, and that needs to be factored into the calculation.

The supply gap isn't going to be filled by more solar and wind power, though I am certainly not against more of both despite that.

Thank you for taking the time to respond. I think you and I aren't too far apart, but I'm a little confused about a few things you've said. I understand the broad aim as being electricity independent by 2030, a substantial amount of which is provided by renewables. So:
-- they're not trying to fill the supply gap with solar and wind. Their ambition (and it is ambitious in comparison to what has come before) is to 4xoffshore, 3xsolar, 2+xonshore (see p10) by 2030.
-- as you (go on to) say, nuclear (including new nuclear) and hydro will contribute to the mix (also see p10)
-- it's somewhat vague, but they also want to 'unleash tidal' (see p11)
-- they're committed to continuing homegrown oil and gas (see p19)
So, solar and wind are going to plug an enormous slice of the gap. The figures you originally quoted is for current figures, not the planned ones for 2030. You've also picked a bad day. There will also be movements on both battery technology and coverage to fill in for days in which either daylight is low or the wind doesn't blow (it's rare for them to coincide)

The question is really this, how do we replace the gas fired power stations? They mention nuclear and hydro (split that into pump storage and tidal) but don't seem to commit to how much we actually need - if we can get enough consistent electricity supply from nuclear and tidal we probably wouldn't need such a focus on wind and solar.

I also don't think the the energy policy is ambitious enough. The aim should be that we never have to import electricity. I also think we should aim for energy independence, and ban the import of coal, oil and gas - having to use and ration our own supplies of these materials protects jobs here and would encourage innovation in order to be able to use them more cleanly and efficiently.

Again, on the ambition point, I'd encourage you to compare the energy policy with predecessor governments (and I've been a Green Party member for 20+years). They're also aiming to export energy (p16) so would be odd to import at the same time.
So, I remain a little confused with much of what you're saying, despite not being too far apart on many of these issues.

 

[sussex_guy2k2]

I have worked private and public sector (legal) the public sector thought that they were worth the same as the private sector and should be paid the same but did not work the same. Private sector half the desks still occupied 7pm on a Friday, much less sick, less staff to do a much higher work load, more expected, better staff, and reprimands if you don’t pull your weight. Public sector 5pm office empty evening work needed for Monday, lower quality but many more staff, lots of red tape, people seemed to be able to do what they wanted without no recourse, could not care less about their. Clients or their role. This is my experience from one sector I get that but I have friends and family who have been in border force, HMRC and local council and their experience is not different

Whereas my experience of teaching was doing more hours than I’ve ever had to do in the private sector, for substantially less benefits and pay, with less progression, and substantially more stress, with much harder, often totally impossible targets, all whilst having to manage stakeholders who had no bleeding idea.

My wife also works as a nurse, and the hours they’re expected to work, often whilst being under immense pressure and being hugely under staffed, often with peoples’ lives in their hands (due to the department my wife works in) is much more stressful than pretty much anything I’ve seen in the private sector.

And just so you’re aware, to add my two cents, my Dad ran his own business when he grew up, and I run my own business on the side of my normal PAYE job. So I’ve a pretty good experience of both sectors.

 

[Bry Nylon]

Tokyo Joe was even worse - he’d ring up and say I’m not coming in today and then hang up on me before I could hang up on him… no explanation

Hardly seems worth coming in all the way from Japan tbf

 

[BrightonCottager]

Well, MrsBC was told today that 400 jobs are to go in the bit of the Civil Service that she's in. She works bloody hard and has had about 2 days off sick in the 4 years she's been there. Happy f***ing Christmas!

 

[Bodian]

Well, MrsBC was told today that 400 jobs are to go in the bit of the Civil Service that she's in. She works bloody hard and has had about 2 days off sick in the 4 years she's been there. Happy f***ing Christmas!

Best wishes. Here's hoping she isn't one of the 400.

 

[Curious Orange]

Thank you for taking the time to respond. I think you and I aren't too far apart, but I'm a little confused about a few things you've said. I understand the broad aim as being electricity independent by 2030, a substantial amount of which is provided by renewables. So:
-- they're not trying to fill the supply gap with solar and wind. Their ambition (and it is ambitious in comparison to what has come before) is to 4xoffshore, 3xsolar, 2+xonshore (see p10) by 2030.
-- as you (go on to) say, nuclear (including new nuclear) and hydro will contribute to the mix (also see p10)
-- it's somewhat vague, but they also want to 'unleash tidal' (see p11)
-- they're committed to continuing homegrown oil and gas (see p19)
So, solar and wind are going to plug an enormous slice of the gap. The figures you originally quoted is for current figures, not the planned ones for 2030. You've also picked a bad day. There will also be movements on both battery technology and coverage to fill in for days in which either daylight is low or the wind doesn't blow (it's rare for them to coincide)


Again, on the ambition point, I'd encourage you to compare the energy policy with predecessor governments (and I've been a Green Party member for 20+years). They're also aiming to export energy (p16) so would be odd to import at the same time.
So, I remain a little confused with much of what you're saying, despite not being too far apart on many of these issues.

Apologies for any confusion, that is certainly not my intention.

I'm not going to get drawn into comparing the ineptitudes of previous governments in comparison to this one, as I'm more interested in pragmatic solutions to the current situation (how to reduce dependency on fossil fuels as a major energy source), and I think we're heading in the right direction.

I'm not sure why you seem fixated on my raising the issue of the lack of sun and wind today, as if it was unusual, it isn't , and even if it was we'd still need the means within the infrastructure to cope with such an extreme as it is not acceptable to brown/black out in the middle of the coldest months.

Incidentally we already do both import and export electricity - mostly exports are to Northern Ireland, but to other countries also. The uk energy production site I linked earlier is excellent for monitoring that sort of thing in real time. It is fascinating and worrying in equal measure.

 

[Thunder Bolt]

Of course it is, you've just stumbled onto a Brighton and Hove Albion fans forum, thought that's definitely the forum for me, signed up and dived straight into the Labour Government thread for your first three posts.

Happens all the time

With a gap before the punctuation, comme ça !

 

[BadFish]

Whereas my experience of teaching was doing more hours than I’ve ever had to do in the private sector, for substantially less benefits and pay, with less progression, and substantially more stress, with much harder, often totally impossible targets, all whilst having to manage stakeholders who had no bleeding idea.

My wife also works as a nurse, and the hours they’re expected to work, often whilst being under immense pressure and being hugely under staffed, often with peoples’ lives in their hands (due to the department my wife works in) is much more stressful than pretty much anything I’ve seen in the private sector.

And just so you’re aware, to add my two cents, my Dad ran his own business when he grew up, and I run my own business on the side of my normal PAYE job. So I’ve a pretty good experience of both sectors.

You can add to this the fact that schools and hospitals/medical centres are bloody germ factories. Noone wants some sic at work in these situations, spreading illness about (we get enough of that from the kids).

For me comparing the 'public' and 'private' sectors is impossible as the work environments may be completely different.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

these are stories of staff I worked alongside BEFORE I had my own business… and they were some of the laziest workers I’ve ever worked with !! Didn’t want to do anything when they were there and called in sick whenever it was busy

Distrustful boss and staff running a chaotically resourced department. I think I’d be calling in sick more often than not if I had to work at this place. In fact I’d have quit long before you’d have enough time to come up with a hilarious handle for me.

 

[abc]

Why?

Hydro power technology is looking promising and should eventually be able to cover some periods like these, and nuclear clearly should have a greater role too.

The answer is financially viable, large scale commercial battery storage. It’s coming but a few more years before the technology catches up with the need. No need for nuclear with all its downsides of cost, risk and nuclear waste.

 

[Chicken Run]

Many people in the NHS suffer from stress, which affects their sickness record. I mean real stress not just a bit depressed. One of the GPs in my local surgery stood in front of a train a few years ago.

Sad story that, Dr Barker right, laid down in front of an oncoming train at the Southease crossing, 17 years ago iirc.

 

[Burlinggap]

You can add to this the fact that schools and hospitals/medical centres are bloody germ factories. Noone wants some sic at work in these situations, spreading illness about (we get enough of that from the kids).

For me comparing the 'public' and 'private' sectors is impossible as the work environments may be completely different.

Could you describe how a working environment in say HR at HMRC is different to HR at Shell ?

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

these are stories of staff I worked alongside BEFORE I had my own business… and they were some of the laziest workers I’ve ever worked with !! Didn’t want to do anything when they were there and called in sick whenever it was busy

I’m sure we’ve all worked with them Only difference is with my job as soon as someone calls in sick it means everyone else has to work longer because of it because it’s not a job where you just stop what you’re doing and go home at the six oclock whistle

So this is all in the past....which is good news because I like to think we have now moved on from these working environments. Even Gordon Ramsey has realised you do not need to be a macho.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Sad story that, Dr Barker right, laid down in front of an oncoming train at the Southease crossing, 17 years ago iirc.

Crikey. What a sad story.

 

[papachris]

Ed Milliband (Energy Secretary) just interviewed by Naga on BBC Breakfast.
Faced questions relating to wind and solar energy and his part in approving schemes when there might be local protests. He mostly pushed the UK's energy security and becoming less dependant on oil and gas states.
Later he was also questioned about his decision not to attack Syria on a previous occasion given what we know about the Assad regime now.
I thought he faced the questions head on and gave honest answers (whether you agree with his opinion or not)

 

[Thunder Bolt]

Sad story that, Dr Barker right, laid down in front of an oncoming train at the Southease crossing, 17 years ago iirc.

Yes, it was a great shock, and one I’ve never forgotten. We should never take the NHS workers for granted.