Re: How's the UK doing? : Tue Jul 02, 2013 8:07 am  

cod'ead wrote:

It will be interesting to see what happens in China now that labour costs are increasing, to the point that more UK companies are bringing manufacturing back here. Couple that with China's increased investment in Africa, the Chinese population aren't going to be too happy when they lose their jobs to black children, working on subsistence wages

Funny isn't it, that since China has adopted capitalism, the West is less bothered about the shortfall of democracy in China and less critical of the still-all-ruling Communism there?

Re: How's the UK doing? : Tue Jul 02, 2013 10:29 am  

El Barbudo wrote:

... apart from, of course, the usual handful of more enlightened (often Quaker) employers.
(Just giving credit where it's due).

Like this chap, who recognised that legislation was the way to do it , otherwise those who incurred cost to their business and reduced the competitiveness of their business through their philanthropy would eventually go out of business, helping no-one...

Again, from the perspective of accuracy, one could point to the fascinating case of the first example of state pensions and sickness benefit etc – a creation of Bismarck in late 19th-century Prussia. It was enlightened, but also done to help the possibilities of a repeat of 1848. Which attitude and understanding seem strangely missing from anything we're seeing now.

Re: How's the UK doing? : Tue Jul 02, 2013 2:04 pm  

cod'ead wrote:

It will be interesting to see what happens in China now that labour costs are increasing, to the point that more UK companies are bringing manufacturing back here. Couple that with China's increased investment in Africa, the Chinese population aren't going to be too happy when they lose their jobs to black children, working on subsistence wages

Investment being acquiring mineral rights. Canny mob, the Chinese.

Re: How's the UK doing? : Wed Jul 03, 2013 7:31 am  

Anyone seen Sal in the last day or so?

Re: How's the UK doing? : Wed Jul 03, 2013 10:42 am  

Mintball wrote:

Anyone seen Sal in the last day or so?

Lol. Well he made a post recently didnt he? So it's hibernation time for Sal and hope everyone forgets it.

Re: How's the UK doing? : Wed Jul 03, 2013 12:28 pm  

Great news hey Sinbinners.... http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-23158587

Great news hey Sinbinners.... http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-23158587

Re: How's the UK doing? : Wed Jul 03, 2013 12:49 pm  

Ajw71 wrote: Great news hey Sinbinners.... http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-23158587 Of course it is, and not before time either. The only slight problem with this, and its not to be dismissed because of it, is that the service sector in the main employs a huge number of agency staff on a casual basis especially during times when the employer calls the shots - its only when the imbalance tips towards the employees that contract conditions improve. I have some experience of this being as my job involves a lot of liason with all of the UKs major staffing agencies and I visit such offices frequently - currently the bog standard service industry jobs like warehouse picking and FLT operators are still (in the main) on low or zero hour contracts, agencies can pull in as many candidates as they need to fill these posts at the moment, one sector that is currently in demand is HGV drivers, I confess to not knowing what the grades all represent but I was in a recruitment office the other week that specialises in placing drivers in companies and they had three agents ringing dozens of drivers phone numbers who were registered with them trying to get them placed in a contract for a major retailer, during the two hours I was in that office I only overheard them get one candidate to accept the rate and conditions they were offering, all of the others were either currently working or knew of better offers - thats the point at which ordinary working people (and not statisticians) will start to notice that this five year long recession is coming to an end.

Ajw71 wrote: Great news hey Sinbinners.... http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-23158587 Of course it is, and not before time either. The only slight problem with this, and its not to be dismissed because of it, is that the service sector in the main employs a huge number of agency staff on a casual basis especially during times when the employer calls the shots - its only when the imbalance tips towards the employees that contract conditions improve. I have some experience of this being as my job involves a lot of liason with all of the UKs major staffing agencies and I visit such offices frequently - currently the bog standard service industry jobs like warehouse picking and FLT operators are still (in the main) on low or zero hour contracts, agencies can pull in as many candidates as they need to fill these posts at the moment, one sector that is currently in demand is HGV drivers, I confess to not knowing what the grades all represent but I was in a recruitment office the other week that specialises in placing drivers in companies and they had three agents ringing dozens of drivers phone numbers who were registered with them trying to get them placed in a contract for a major retailer, during the two hours I was in that office I only overheard them get one candidate to accept the rate and conditions they were offering, all of the others were either currently working or knew of better offers - thats the point at which ordinary working people (and not statisticians) will start to notice that this five year long recession is coming to an end.

Re: How's the UK doing? : Wed Jul 03, 2013 12:58 pm  

JerryChicken wrote:

Of course it is, and not before time either.

The only slight problem with this, and its not to be dismissed because of it, is that the service sector in the main employs a huge number of agency staff on a casual basis especially during times when the employer calls the shots - its only when the imbalance tips towards the employees that contract conditions improve ...

And there is, in general, an increase in zero-hours contracts at present.

Re: How's the UK doing? : Wed Jul 03, 2013 1:10 pm  

An Economist friend of my son's says the present signs of recovery are akin to a surgeon just about managing to stem the blood flowing from one bullet wound, when the patient has been shot with a machine gun.

He reckons that, barring a full scale war with us staying neutral, it will take 17 years, maybe longer, before any sense of normality returns, especially for the poorest in society. He went into a load of facts and figures as to why this is but my brain couldn't absorb them.

Re: How's the UK doing? : Wed Jul 03, 2013 1:15 pm  

Ovavoo wrote:

An Economist friend of my son's says the present signs of recovery are akin to a surgeon just about managing to stem the blood flowing from one bullet wound, when the patient has been shot with a machine gun.

He reckons that, barring a full scale war with us staying neutral, it will take 17 years, maybe longer, before any sense of normality returns, especially for the poorest in society. He went into a load of facts and figures as to why this is but my brain couldn't absorb them.

I think Cameron himself has been quoted using 2020 as a turning point hasn't he ?