I have a certain amount of sympathy with your view; the protests are misguided and wrongheaded, and have largely missed the actual issues involved. We should be discussing how world oil markets are structured and how the producers and governments interact. We should be (especially in a forum like this) trying to find ways of getting our elected representatives to address the issues of how our road and fuel use is taxed, as businesses and individuals. We should be investigating variable road pricing and fuel tax rebates for hauliers. We should be highlighting the fact that UK haulage is facing competition from operators elsewhere in Europe who are not obliged to pay the same taxes to use British roads. Unfortunately, as a country, we’ve reverted to our usual ‘it’s all the government’s fault’ stance, and made a complex issue overly simplistic.
However, I must take issue with you on some other points. From some of the language in your posts, it seems that you believe this government to be in some way unsympathetic to ‘the bosses.’ In fact, nothing could be further from the truth. If you thought you’d elected any form of socialist government, please think again. Whatever gains have been made for workers since 1997 (and yes, there have been some) must be offset against the extent to which ‘New’ Labour has got into bed with business, and created a climate in which it is easier for corporations to take our money than ever before. If you want me to be specific, I’m mostly referring to the PFI con.
Although I voted for them in '97 and would never like to see Thatcher’s party in power again, Mr Blair has ensured that there is now a moral bankruptcy at the heart of British politics. I don’t know what the answer is, but they’re not it.
Finally, and totally off-topic, there’s really no need to be so patronising. Perhaps people’s spelling isn’t up to scratch (or their keyboard skills leave a little to be desired - have you never hit the wrong key by mistake?) but schoolmarmy attacks on spelling and grammar carry the whiff of ironed newspapers about them.
Incidentally, I’ve checked mine for any mistakes, but I may have missed some - after all, the language is always evolving isn’t it?
I hope this hasn’t been seen as worthy of a red card. The issue should be kept open for debate.
paul b:
meatpaste,
you’ve got me interested and a little confussed, you say you hate your boss, you don’t care about the price of fuel and you don’t care if the firm you work for goes bust. you then also say that you turn out every day and do a good job for which you get paid what you consider good money! theres also a vast amount of work in your area, so much so, you could walk down the road and get another job tommorow, but your still in the same job?
have i missed something?
I’m glad I’ve got you interested. No, you haven’t missed anything. I haven’t said I hate the job, I just don’t feel that loyal to it or the company.
I have a certain amount of sympathy with your view; the protests are misguided and wrongheaded, and have largely missed the actual issues involved. We should be discussing how world oil markets are structured and how the producers and governments interact. We should be (especially in a forum like this) trying to find ways of getting our elected representatives to address the issues of how our road and fuel use is taxed, as businesses and individuals. We should be investigating variable road pricing and fuel tax rebates for hauliers. We should be highlighting the fact that UK haulage is facing competition from operators elsewhere in Europe who are not obliged to pay the same taxes to use British roads. Unfortunately, as a country, we’ve reverted to our usual ‘it’s all the government’s fault’ stance, and made a complex issue overly simplistic.
However, I must take issue with you on some other points. From some of the language in your posts, it seems that you believe this government to be in some way unsympathetic to ‘the bosses.’ In fact, nothing could be further from the truth. If you thought you’d elected any form of socialist government, please think again. Whatever gains have been made for workers since 1997 (and yes, there have been some) must be offset against the extent to which ‘New’ Labour has got into bed with business, and created a climate in which it is easier for corporations to take our money than ever before. If you want me to be specific, I’m mostly referring to the PFI con.
Although I voted for them in '97 and would never like to see Thatcher’s party in power again, Mr Blair has ensured that there is now a moral bankruptcy at the heart of British politics. I don’t know what the answer is, but they’re not it.
Finally, and totally off-topic, there’s really no need to be so patronising. Perhaps people’s spelling isn’t up to scratch (or their keyboard skills leave a little to be desired - have you never hit the wrong key by mistake?) but schoolmarmy attacks on spelling and grammar carry the whiff of ironed newspapers about them.
Incidentally, I’ve checked mine for any mistakes, but I may have missed some - after all, the language is always evolving isn’t it?
I hope this hasn’t been seen as worthy of a red card. The issue should be kept open for debate.
At last, a decent reply. I’m off to bed for a few hours now but what I will say is that I don’t for one minute think that New Labour is some sort of Socialist Utopia. I lost all hope that this country would somehow meet the expectations of Labour supporters after the war when I came across police from Somerset trying to break the Miners Strike at Orgreave. What I will say about New Labour is that the minimum wage (which employers hate so much) has helped countless people out of the poverty trap. If the Tories returned, it would be the first thing they got rid of
paul b:
meatpaste,
you’ve got me interested and a little confussed, you say you hate your boss, you don’t care about the price of fuel and you don’t care if the firm you work for goes bust. you then also say that you turn out every day and do a good job for which you get paid what you consider good money! theres also a vast amount of work in your area, so much so, you could walk down the road and get another job tommorow, but your still in the same job?
have i missed something?
I’m glad I’ve got you interested. No, you haven’t missed anything. I haven’t said I hate the job, I just don’t feel that loyal to it or the company.
ah, now thats a different thing, we all get out of bed in the morning for one reason and thats to earn money! i’m an o/d but i sub full time off of one firm and as good as the work is, if another firm rang me on monday and offered better rates, i’d be off!
by the way, it’s figures you send to the inland revenue not a written essay!
Lucy:
Ok. Enough. I’m too tired to mess about editing out every single dig and bite, so I’ll stick to saying that one more off-topic/personal attack laden/otherwise childish post and this thread will be pulled without further notice.
THIS IS A YELLOW CARD
its open day today though Lucy and Rikki will be at Haydock
Lucy wrote:
Ok. Enough. I’m too tired to mess about editing out every single dig and bite, so I’ll stick to saying that one more off-topic/personal attack laden/otherwise childish post and this thread will be pulled without further notice.
THIS IS A YELLOW CARD
its open day today though Lucy and Rikki will be at Haydock
meatpaste:
2] north surrey haulage: I’ve no idea what an amployee is, perhaps you’ll let us know. I wouldn’t want to work for someone who was bothered about their employees using the company phone, don’t you want them speaking to their families? Would you pay them if they were off sick? Perhaps it’s as well you didn’t start up a fleet
I asked if the employee would spend hours on the phone - I was implying everyday If an employee spent 4 hours a day @ 10pence a minute that’s £24 per day or £120 per week which would come out of my pocket.
I have no problem with employees using the phone but I do when they extract the urine.
I never said I wouldn’t pay anyone if they were sick I asked whether they would ring in -Thereby giving me a chance to cover the job with another driver instead of losing the contract through poor performance
Oh I do agree with one thing you said it is just as well I didn’t grow the fleet
p.s I wrote the original post on a pda phone which has a very small keyboard so I hit the wrong button and made a spelling mistake so obviously my whole point of view is now irrelevant
p.s I wrote the original post on a pda phone which has a very small keyboard so I hit the wrong button and made a spelling mistake so obviously my whole point of view is now irrelevant
