The ADs get ready to rumble then have a nice cuppa tea

[BogRollBOGOF]

Watch us wreck the mike, watch us wreck the mike, watch us wreck the mike.
Psych.

Now gather nicely in groups of no more than six...
Unless you're outdoors in Wales...

Oh well, come on in whatever the laws where you are. Plenty of space in this bubble of sanity

@Funkypolar General strike?

In one of our local supermarkets last year i watched a young girl climbing a ladder to hang a giant Christmas bauble/disco ball on the ceiling. This memory entered my head when they announced the mask rule for supermarket workers yesterday. Its what those previous comments were in response to. The last thing you need is a mask slipping riding into your eyes when you are doing this. The laughter and denigration of retail workers documented here was the response.

I think it says a lot about someone by the way they treat staff at restaurants, shops etc.

Don't get me wrong it works both ways e.g. I expect good service but I can't stand people that treat hospitality or service staff as inferior but I think that comes from the fact that I used to see the difference in behaviour by some people when I was working behind a bar compared to when I was in what they considered a 'professional job'. I had to do both jobs to pay the bills but one was praised and the other wasn't.

It gets better folks

www.politicshome.com/news/article/serco-contract-tracing-concentrix

Exclusive: Serco Have Subcontracted Contact Tracing Jobs To The Company Embroiled In The Tax Credits Scandal And Debt Collection Companies

The firm behind last year’s tax credits scandal as well as companies linked to debt collection services are among those who have been handed contact tracing roles by Serco, PoliticsHome can reveal.

The outsourcing giant was handed a lucrative £108m contract earlier this year to run a major part of the government's contract tracing work, but has come under fire for subcontracting dozens of firms to conduct the bulk of the work.

In June, ministers confirmed that Serco had subcontracted approximately 9,000 staff out of the total 10,500 required to run the service to a panel of 29 subcontractors, but refused to reveal the list of firms because of commercial sensitivity.

But PoliticsHome can reveal that Concentrix, the US company behind a major tax credits debacle, are among those who have been handed contracts by Serco to provide staff to run the scheme.

Concentrix had been hired by HMRC in 2014 to tackle fraud and error in the tax credit system, but were removed just two years later following a swathe of complaints from MPs and claimants who had had their benefits reduced or halted by the firm

Ministers later admitted that 87% of the 36,000 people who lodged an appeal against the firm's rulings had their complaints upheld, while HMRC revealed that the cost of conducting mandatory reviews and closing the 181,000 cases left open by Concentrix had cost a further £30m in staff time.

Last year, the firm faced further criticism over their handling of the UK's Action Fraud call center after an investigation by The Times revealed staff handling calls had described fraud victims as "morons", "psychos" and "screwballs".

Speaking to MPs after the reports, then-civil service chief executive John Manzoni said officials would "make sure" the firm were not awarded further government work "unless they could persuade us that they had got better".

But despite the scandals, the company appears to have been contracted by Serco to run Tier 3 contact tracing services, which involves calling people who have come into close contact with an infected person and telling them to self-isolate.

Meanwhile, Serco have also handed contracts to two companies whose work is connected to debt collection services.

NCO Europe is a debt collection company that bills itself as “the UK's leading customer service provider, from Contact Solutions to creating Payment Plans”, while Arvato CRM UK says it delivers “award-winning customer service and back-office processing services for some of the world’s most respected brands”. It is part of the global network of Arvato, owned by Bertelsman. Its sister company, Arvato Financial Solutions, offers debt collection services.

Ministers have already faced criticism over the use of private firms to conduct contact tracing after it was revealed in August that the system had reached just 54% of people who had been in close contact with an infected person in the 20 worst-hit parts of the UK.

A spokesperson for Arvato declined to comment. A spokesperson for the Department for Health directed PoliticsHome to Serco. A spokesperson for the outsourcing firm said: “We went through a due diligence process for all our subcontractors that looked at their contact centre and customer service experience.

“Some of the subcontractors were already also on the Cabinet Office’s Crown Commercial Framework for Contact Centres.”

NCO Europe and Concentrix did not respond to requests for comment.

Responding to the story, shadow cabinet minister Rachel Reeves said: "As if continuing outsourcing to a company with such a bad track record wasn't enough, this government didn't even ensure that those it was subcontracting were up to the job.

"Instead of outsourcing to tier upon tier of private companies, this Tory government should have put money into our public services which know local communities better, and are far more efficient.

"With the testing system on the brink of collapse when we need it most, the government has serious questions to answer on why this subcontractor - embroiled in scandal and with a track record of failing government services - was given responsibility for part of one of the most systems in our country."

I agree with this article about helping the vulnerable, why are they not dementing about this? Whenever I have mentioned this to dementors they just moan 'it's not fair to treat people differently'

www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/sep/23/shielding-pub-disabled-people-covid

@AgentCooper

HelenaDove people are so horrible about and to retail workers. My years in retail showed me just what gritty wee pricks some people truly are. Those are nasty responses on Twitter. One thing I really resent about all this is that it has made stupid, nasty people feel that they are intelligent and highly moral because they like shouting at people.

DON’T YOU UNDERSTAND EXPONENTIAL GROWTH??

Probably not, mate, but you definitely don’t.

Every time someone asks about understanding exponential growth, I laugh to myself. I not only understand it, I've taught it. I've also got over 10 years' experience in statistics in a professional capacity. But I'm sure you understand it better than me.

I 100% judge people by the way they treat service/retail staff.

I’ve had good stuff from writing to my MP @wanderings - to the point he flew 700 miles to meet me and the hospital board hired new staff for the department I complained about. I write a wicked “angry letter”. 😂

My current MP sadly is a 12 year old SNP foot-soldier, although my Tory MSP is fantastic and had been out in the thick of it since day 1.

How dare those cunts look down on “Karen behind her Perspex screen”. Must be that WFH spare room Ocado luxury we’ve spoken of.

Ding Ding! BINGO!! Anyone else reading the thread about the woman who was told by booking.com that she shouldn't travel for her holiday, even though it's perfectly legal?

All sorted out now. Except there are still muppets popping up telling her she's "selfish" and that one person going on a self-catering holiday is exactly how "it spreads". And the latest gem of it being AGAINST THE LAW.

May have got a little sweary.

The masks definately affect your vision. Your area of vision seems smaller, things at the side of you are not as visible as they should be never mind depth perception.

Yes some customers are fecking idiots and vile. We have to have a host at the entrance yo get the form filled in before you come through and be allocated a table number. People sneak past when they are talking to
another customer then lie through their teeth to us at the till about tables. Had one today a bloke took the fecking table supposed to be for disabled customer's that was then given to someone specifically. Wankers.

Next time sod it I am.having it out with them they think we are fecking stupid. It's bad enough we have to stand there freezing trying to keep on top of empty tables without them taking the p.
Thankfully have had many more nice customers today for a change . Had quite a few crap ones lately.

Hi everyone! Will catch up with the thread soon, just wanted to share this from the phe weekly surveillance report.
As it shows most new cases in care homes (such is my understanding of this) given they can't have any visitors, can anyone explain to me how exactly we are going to the pub or to school and passing it on to Granny.....
Am I missing something or being a bit thick.

Home from work, as I suspected we have to wear masks or face visors behind the till screens, or else we get a fine and so does the company, so I was told. Not official, mind you, but I'm waiting for that to be confirmed. No loo rolls, can't start rationing until told by head office, sometimes I wonder what managers get paid to do!
Fed up telling people to stand in the correct place- WE'VE BEEN DOING THIS FOR MONTHS, YOU MORONS! I suppose if i wear a mask I can mouth that under the mask, my worry is it's that I'll snap and start yelling it at people.

@Supermarketworker06

Home from work, as I suspected we have to wear masks or face visors behind the till screens, or else we get a fine and so does the company, so I was told. Not official, mind you, but I'm waiting for that to be confirmed. No loo rolls, can't start rationing until told by head office, sometimes I wonder what managers get paid to do! Fed up telling people to stand in the correct place- WE'VE BEEN DOING THIS FOR MONTHS, YOU MORONS! I suppose if i wear a mask I can mouth that under the mask, my worry is it's that I'll snap and start yelling it at people.

Masks do have thier uses as i discovered🤣🤣 Only fear is once we aren't wearing them I will forget and still say stuff under my breath😉

You could do with cards to hold up like at airports telling people to stand in the correct place. Save your voice. The wording at your discretion.

Justasking
They wouldn't let me write the cards well maybe once!!!

@Supermarketworker06

Home from work, as I suspected we have to wear masks or face visors behind the till screens, or else we get a fine and so does the company, so I was told. Not official, mind you, but I'm waiting for that to be confirmed. No loo rolls, can't start rationing until told by head office, sometimes I wonder what managers get paid to do! Fed up telling people to stand in the correct place- WE'VE BEEN DOING THIS FOR MONTHS, YOU MORONS! I suppose if i wear a mask I can mouth that under the mask, my worry is it's that I'll snap and start yelling it at people.

It might help if you picture some of them as me. A dyspraxic woman with no peripheral vision on one side who never knows where she is in space, an autistic woman who feels she is getting all the social mores wrong because she is physically unable to wear a mask, and is afraid of some corona stasi yelling at her for her bare face which ups the anxiety which exacerbates the dyspraxia which means she is more likely to stand in the wrong place. But she will be nice to you and appreciate all you do. Which I do.

www.braintreeandwithamtimes.co.uk/news/18728385.everything-need-know-deadly-strep-outbreak-mid-essex/

A report was unable to find a single source of an outbreak of streptococcus that killed 15 people, but what actually happened?

In February 2019 Public Health England identified an outbreak of the invasive strand of Group A streptococcus (iGAS) in the Mid Essex area.

A total of 39 people were infected, 33 of who were confirmed from a blood test to be a part of the outbreak, with a further six possible cases.

Sadly 15 of those infected died.

Of those, 12 died at Broomfield Hospital and one at Colchester Hospital

The infection is caused by a bacteria that can be found in the throat and on the skin, which can become deadly if it enters the body and organs such as muscles, lungs, or the bloodstream.

All but one of the individuals were having treatment from primary care providers, supported by community nursing services for skin/pressure ulcers or other kinds of wound.

All of the individuals were aged 76-95, nine were female and four male.

In March 2019, Public Health England established an incident management multi-agency team to work to control the transmissions of the infection and to prevent more people from becoming infected

Since August 2019, no further cases have been identified.

The incident management team stepped down in January.

To read about the outcome of the report, click here

And yet they use Serco.

Masks definitely affect your vision! If DS is being good and staying next to me then I can’t see him because he’s where my mask cuts off my line of sight. But thankfully he’s not often being all that good

ISaySteadyOn I really do try and help everyone, especially the elderly customers who come in a lot. It's the impatient ones who can't wait 5 seconds for customers who are still stood there packing their shopping to finish that get on my wick.
I had a couple last week, first time out in 13 weeks, not sure of what to do, so I explained where to stand, how to use their loyalty card etc. She was a bit nervous but that's ok, let's take it slowly. Whilst she was sorting her shopping out, the next customer, (huffing and sighing) marched over, banged down his basket and stood about a foot behind her. I could see she wasn't happy so told him to move back and stand on the correct spot. Ignorant shit. Mind you, he moved when I told him, wasn't in the mood for arseholes, must have shown in my un masked face!
I've had so many customers lean round my screen, stand in other people's way and get too close to others in the queue. I've been shouted at, had customers swear at me, bang on my screen, call me names and my experience is minor in comparison to a lot of others (must be my face that puts them off!) or more likely the fact I'm very part time so I'm not dealing with the public full time.
99% of the public are lovely, but you get the one arsehole that sets you on edge. God knows what Christmas in retail will be like, we have door staff limiting the numbers coming in so if it's still the same at Christmas the store won't be any busier but the carpark and queues will be carnage.
I'm due to have an operation which I'm hoping that i have soon so I won't have to work then. That's sad, isn't it?

Agree that masks do things to your vision. I've nearly lost my footing on escalators more than once whilst wearing a mask. The first time I wore one in a supermarket I lost my balance.
And I wear masks a lot at work, in clinical settings, but I'm usually doing something very straightforward & sitting down, so I think my brain is used to it. Moving stairs, less so.

Yes some customers are fecking idiots and vile. We have to have a host at the entrance yo get the form filled in before you come through and be allocated a table number.
DD has a story about customers who have complained bitterly on social media about not being given a track & trace form to fill in at any point during their meal in a restaurant, even though they could see the forms on other tables & had the usual interaction with the waiting staff. As DD said, "If you're that keen to fill in the form why don't you ask for one, not complain on the internet afterwards!"

I think that anyone doing a job where you provide a visible service to others gets abuse at some point. It's a master-over-servant power trip for many unpleasant people.

@TheOrchidKiller One of our local Tescos was built in the 70s It has an upstairs which sells homeware , books clothes etc. It has two ways of getting upstairs. An escalator that only goes up and stairs. Its difficult navigating it in a mask that rides up.

DD has a story about customers who have complained bitterly on social media about not being given a track & trace form to fill in at any point during their meal in a restaurant, even though they could see the forms on other tables & had the usual interaction with the waiting staff. As DD said, "If you're that keen to fill in the form why don't you ask for one, not complain on the internet afterwards!"
We got that too even when the forms were on the counter for them to take or you know they could just ask.

We are running ragged taking orders out and you will get some tosser complaining that they had to wait for thier food then ask for sauces and 'proper milk's so we have to go back and forth then they ask foe something else they 'forgot' and make other customers wait! Just ask at the till it's obvious there are no sauces out for customers just sugars. 😠

I'm another introvert who hates wfh longterm. I liked one day a week of peace and the house to myself before this. But now I never get the house to myself anymore and I miss the 121 chats with colleagues, that no longer happen unless I initiate them.
Waiting to see if I will be able to go in 2 x week as I have been doing since August. We were told the office would only be open for people who couldn't do their jobs at home or had 'acute welfare needs' . I've told my boss I want to continue going in and she's supportive but had to check.

I find steps weird very hard to guage where to put my feet without concentrating on looking and putting one foot in front of the other.

Still arguing the toss.

"Protecting us not harming us despite what uninformed people tell us. Masks do not cause any breathing problems FACT. masks do not ride up if you have one that fits correctly FACT. and the idea wearing one impaired vision is ludicrous"