[joeysteele]

Originally Posted by Toy Soldier

I have little sympathy for anyone who is truly "workshy" although aid question how "healthy" those people actually are, emotionally, socially, mentally... Because the town I work in (thankfully, no longer LIVE in...) Has a high level of unemployment, and it looks like an absolutely miserable existence. There's no reason fathomable that anyone would choose it unless they've totally given up on life and on themselves as individuals.

I have sympathy for those physically unable to work who are currently being pushed to the brink, but also, for the millions who want nothing more than to work and bring in half decent money but are unable to find employment, or get full time hours. The figures are being fiddled at the moment, showing unemployment dropping in certain areas, but all that means is that people "have a job". Too many of those jobs are just a few hours a week. it's not "true" employment. And while its true that at any given time there are "jobs out there", the truth is, there simply aren't enough working hours for everyone who wants them. If anything, I feel the MOST sympathy for someone who is truly ready, willing and able to work hard but is turned down time and time again because the jobs they go for have hundreds of applicants. and then they're branded "lazy" or "a "scrounger". It's completely unfair.

How totally accurate again Toy Soldier,it is ridiculous that part time work and work that only gives a few hours a week are called being in full employment now.Also of course the scandal of zero hours contracts too.

The other fact is that although many jobs have been saved by this move,the only thing in its favour,I know for instance from the staff in the supermarket I use that they used to have 37 hours a week as their working hours.
However,now with new contracts and new assesmments, just about everyone in the company has lost between 1 and 3 hours off their working week.
That leaves them at least between £8 and £25 worse off then they were before every week.

As you say the unemployment/employment figures are being likely heavily distorted and a great deal more people than ever before are only in part time work.
In fact also a great number of the 'new' vacancies are only part time jobs too.