Today I'm angry about.....

[Lord Kangana]

I foresee another Daily Mail infinite irony loop rearing its ugly head. Those lazy spics, frogs and krauts? Yup, all more productive than we and the US with our "working hundreds of hours proves you're a good worker" bollox.

I await the (almost audible) implosion.

edit: sorry I meant wops not spics. Dirty europeans.

[Dujon]

If you enjoy your job you'll accept the odd 'out of hours', surely?

If you don't enjoy your job do your best to change it. By that I mean do your best to explain to the manager ("boss") that s/he is expecting too much from one person and that a more equitable distribution of responsibility would/should result in a better result for the organisation. To do that it would be necessary to 'spell out' (probably in words of one syllable) your reasons as to why it would/could benefit the organisation. I wonder what Raleigh or Drake would have thought of sailors who refused a double watch?

The British (Bitchiest) Bulldog? In your dreams.

[thebish]

If you enjoy your job you'll accept the odd 'out of hours', surely?

If you don't enjoy your job do your best to change it. By that I mean do your best to explain to the manager ("boss") that s/he is expecting too much from one person and that a more equitable distribution of responsibility would/should result in a better result for the organisation.

am not really sure my current job is at all typical - but I have done others. There are some jobs where there is a coincidence between work and enjoyment - not just "vocations" (however that is defined) - but a genuine affinity with the work - and - yes, then you are right - it is more than pay or conditions - and you are happy to see a job well done - in some ways it is its own reward...

but... the - "if you don't like it change it" attitude to people who don't enjoy their work misses the mark in so many cases.

the least enjoyable job I did was as a pressure die-caster doing piecework in an aluminium foundry - it was hot, hard, heavy, dangerous manual labour for relatively small pay - and being piecework - dependant on your machine working properly and the fitters sorting you out...

in that case - most of the workforce had no easy or ready option to go elsewhere in Burnley and find better pay and conditions - many of them were ex-cons, most of them had next-to-no qualifications. Nor did they have ANY control at all over how the foundry operated - there were no staff focus-group-hug-express-your-feelings meetings... what Mr Ashworth said went.

for those people - then i am glad that there are EU working time directives and minimum wage legislation - because if there wasn't - they'd be screwed.

[BWFC_Insane]

Since when did staff get set hours?

Since the The EU Working Time Directive - a European Union Directive, which creates the right for EU workers to a minimum number of holidays each year, paid breaks, and rest of at least 11 hours in any 24 hour period, while restricting excessive night work and, a default right to work no more than 48 hours per week. (the last clause has an opt-out if you so desire.)

It does, but beyond being signed off the EUWTD, I'm quite comforatable with the line in my contract - 'Although you're contractually paid to work 37.5 hours per week, you agree to work whatever hours are required by you in the fulfillment of your role within the company' (basically that).

Bless you Bruce. The proper attitude to work.

Fecking WTD is an imposition by the EU plutocrats to make every country as inefficient as the others. Shame is we aren't competing with just the EU but the rest of the world ... who are pissing on us.

The ultimate was the French 35hr, with a plan for 32 ... the UK has dodged it so far, thank God, but it ticks the French & Germans off.

The EU's attempt to commit economic suicide.

Oh dear, oh dear.

If anyone can explain to me why someone can sign a Contract with you saying "this is what you get for X hours work" then expect you to work double and more for the same amount, I'll be delighted to hear the explanation.

Don't get me wrong, I regularly put in 60-90 hours, because like many people, I need to work until the job is done, but on what basis do you think it's a good idea? Other than the US/English we're taking the pi$$ concept?

Remind me how many Contracts your Company signs with Customers for "30 hours worth" and doesn't charge them for the extra "30 hours worth" per week?

Agree with W4E here. If you are a contractor then you bill for your hours worked. Its not fair to penalise permanent staff by saying they have to work all hours and still get paid the same. I think its fine to expect people to do longer than their hours on occassion but I'm damned if I'm going to work 60 hour weeks without some compensation for my time and effort.

[Worthy4England]

If you enjoy your job you'll accept the odd 'out of hours', surely?

If you don't enjoy your job do your best to change it. By that I mean do your best to explain to the manager ("boss") that s/he is expecting too much from one person and that a more equitable distribution of responsibility would/should result in a better result for the organisation. To do that it would be necessary to 'spell out' (probably in words of one syllable) your reasons as to why it would/could benefit the organisation. I wonder what Raleigh or Drake would have thought of sailors who refused a double watch?

The British (Bitchiest) Bulldog? In your dreams.

I think most people would accept the odd "out of hours" to be honest Dujon.

Dunno what it's like in Oz, but in the UK, it seems to be expected all the time.

I sign Contracts with customers for my company, if the customer farts higher than the Contracted values, they get charged extra - the Company doesn't let them off.

What is the point of having a Contract that says you work X hours and we pay you Y, if, within the Company it's culturally unlikely you'll ever work anything like as low as X?

For my own situation, if it really caused a problem, I'd be sat in the Director's office waving my Contract at them. As it happens, I am fortunate enough to enjoy what I do, so it's not usually a problem and I do take TOIL and when it's needed.

But let's get this right, a Contract between Employer and Employee should be every bit as binding as one between your Company and another one, and they shouldn't be able to look at you like you're stupid, if you seek to enforce its terms and conditions.

Edit: Oh, and the "explain the benefit to your Manager" bit - I agree, could help, but it shouldn't be a requirement. They've Contracted you to work X and to pay you Y for doing so. You should have no obligation to explain anything.

[Bruce Rioja]

I suppose that it also depends on what comprises 'work'. Is travelling really work? Sure, it's time spent away from home, but if it's nececassry in order to do what you're paid to do? For me - it's certainly no hardship and can often be enjoyable.

[Worthy4England]

I suppose that it also depends on what comprises 'work'. Is travelling really work? Sure, it's time spent away from home, but if it's nececassry in order to do what you're paid to do? For me - it's certainly no hardship and can often be enjoyable.

I'm starting to think someone got drunk at a Christmas party and promoted you to a job that has Manager in the title!

It all depends on your T's and C's. I wouldn't take a job down South, because I don't want to live there. The Company knows this and should either a) employ people in the locality that they're trying to do business if they don't want to pay travelling time or b) accept that me having to get to London is a cost of doing business.

Given that I spend most of my journey working, how can it not be work?

[superjohnmcginlay]

37.5 hours? Are you on a two day week or something Worthy?

No that's just what my Contract says. I think it must've been written by Hans Christian Andersson.

Since when did staff get set hours?

Since the The EU Working Time Directive - a European Union Directive, which creates the right for EU workers to a minimum number of holidays each year, paid breaks, and rest of at least 11 hours in any 24 hour period, while restricting excessive night work and, a default right to work no more than 48 hours per week. (the last clause has an opt-out if you so desire.)

It does, but beyond being signed off the EUWTD, I'm quite comforatable with the line in my contract - 'Although you're contractually paid to work 37.5 hours per week, you agree to work whatever hours are required by you in the fulfillment of your role within the company' (basically that).

My last lot had something similar. But the contracted hours were 45 (construction bastards). Rarely did 45 more like 40 so I was never that bothered.

You could engineer an early finish with a spurious site visit.

[thebish]

the new TV adverty for the Acer laptop called Aspire One

it has the tag line...

Want one? Aspire one...


aaaaaagggggghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!

[2399]

Foxsports hasn't fixed the viewers choice...who cares

I was going to tape Wolves - Newcastle but it's not on (it's meant to be) and so is Blackpool - Fulham, which is what I'd tape seeing Wolves Newcastle isn't on.

Just Spuds Wigan and Chelsea Stoke.

Blackpool went on after 23 minutes

[thebish]

whoever decided that Robbie Savage was a good addition to the Radio5 sports commentary team???

whiny, irritating self-important toss-pot...

[thebish]

Foxsports hasn't fixed the viewers choice...who cares

I was going to tape Wolves - Newcastle but it's not on (it's meant to be) and so is Blackpool - Fulham, which is what I'd tape seeing Wolves Newcastle isn't on.

Just Spuds Wigan and Chelsea Stoke.

Blackpool went on after 23 minutes

why would you tape ANY of them??

[2399]

My partner likes/liked Newcastle

[boltonboris]

Today, I'm angry about drivers who don't stop when running over animals. We found one of our Cats (the youngest a just over a year old) last night in a bush. He'd somehow managed to drag himself off the road and to relative safety. God knows how long he'd been there. Poor little thing has a broken femur and pelvis. It's touch and go with him today and it's not looking good. Bastards

[thebish]

Today, I'm angry about drivers who don't stop when running over animals. We found one of our Cats (the youngest a just over a year old) last night in a bush. He'd somehow managed to drag himself off the road and to relative safety. God knows how long he'd been there. Poor little thing has a broken femur and pelvis. It's touch and go with him today and it's not looking good. Bastards

sorry to hear that mate....

[Raven]

Today, I'm angry about drivers who don't stop when running over animals. We found one of our Cats (the youngest a just over a year old) last night in a bush. He'd somehow managed to drag himself off the road and to relative safety. God knows how long he'd been there. Poor little thing has a broken femur and pelvis. It's touch and go with him today and it's not looking good. Bastards

Hope it pulls through, thats bloody horrible, saw a cat run over once and had to hold it whilst it passed away, other driver did not stop.

[CAPSLOCK]

I wouldn't stop, either

Why do I want to watch an animal suffer?

The question here is what the animal is doing on the road

Pets should not be roaming loose

[boltonboris]

I wouldn't stop, either

Why do I want to watch an animal suffer?

The question here is what the animal is doing on the road

Pets should not be roaming loose

What if I ran over a member of your family and didn't stop? Because that's what the animal is.. A member of my family!

It's natural for animals to be 'roaming loose' they are by nature 'wild' afterall and their instincts determine this. They're a living, breathing species with emotions and brains, why wouldn't they be allowed out when they usually return home? Or is this one of your 'look at me, I'm being controversial, look at me, look.... LOOK' moods?

Something or someone must have scared him for him to attempt getting across the road, which he's never done before. He's quite a confdent kitten and often approaches people for a fuss and some attention. I think on this occasion, he's chosen the wrong person/people to approach.

Besides all that, we've been told that he's showing some good signs and he's comfortable. Still issues over the functionality of his bladder though. If he doesn't pass water today, it may be the end.

[CAPSLOCK]

I hope your cat is OK

No, not in a mood

I wouldn't let my kids cross a road until I was sure they were up to it

I'm seriously considering letting my eldest cross the road soon as she's 15

In future, keep the cat in the house/garden

Your garden...not mine

[thebish]

Besides all that, we've been told that he's showing some good signs and he's comfortable. Still issues over the functionality of his bladder though. If he doesn't pass water today, it may be the end.

hope he pulls through then, boris....