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Original poster

Fruit picking? Are they f***ing serious?

677 replies

emmcan · 26/04/2020 20:31

So whichever hapless muppet got dragged out today to do the daily lying to the gullible has suggested that furloughed workers could br picking fruit.

Fuck me, how fucking badly run is this shitshow?

The reason that we have had a two decades of migrant workers doing these jobs is because British people are too lazy and incompetent to do them.

And now they expect furloughed workers to head out into the fields and get their hands dirty?

It will happen, in a fashion, as they will just stop paying money to people who refuse to work, but it will be an appalling form of slave labour.

OP posts:
firstmentat · 27/04/2020 08:33

@Mintjulia
After hearing the fruit-picking news, I also mentally multiplied by two the number of strawberry plants to plant out this year Grin Not because I think British workers are lazy or anything, but the situation must be really dire to find way into the official daily briefing. And any solution they will source now at the 11th hour is likely to be expensive and inefficient, feeding into the price of the produce.
I also had time to go through last year's household spending and was quite amazed to see that I was able to grow around £700 worth of fruit and berries, in my maybe just a bit larger than average garden in London. Granted, it is an average estimate, the summer was great and I was comparing in-season to out-of-season prices, but still.

1forsorrow · 27/04/2020 08:34

point of correction, it was the Jockey Club (who own the Cheltenham racecourse) who pressurised the UK Government into maintaining the Cheltenham fixture. In addition the UK Government's advice at the time would not have supported cancelling that fixture. I think the poster I was agreeing with was making the point it was kept open but thanks for the detail.

Hairyfairy01 · 27/04/2020 08:34

No peppa, that would depend on your skill set. However there will be some kind of work out there suitable for everyone. Our local animal shelters need dog walkers, people to clean out the cattery / kennels etc. All I'm hearing are a lot of excuses about why people can't do work as they haven't had the training etc. Ironically a lot of the jobs mentioned were classed by many as being 'unskilled' only a month of so ago. I'm genuinely sorry for all of those who have been furloughed. Times are shit. However maybe take a look and see how you can put your skills, passion, interests into helping others.

Port1aCastis · 27/04/2020 08:35

Offensive OP
Please do not criticise those of us who have actually worked on farms while sitting on your arse whingeing.

1forsorrow · 27/04/2020 08:36

1forsorrow is more likely than not a lazy bastard who would see it as her life’s ambition to get paid for doing nothing and is just jealous she can’t, so having a go at running others down to make herself feel better. Bitterness and jealousy isn’t a nice trait, dear. I've always worked, worked past retirement age. I have always done voluntary work as well. I eventually gave up work and retired as looking after my disabled husband was a priority.

I don't think I'm the bitter one.

Hopingtobeamum · 27/04/2020 08:36

@1forsorrow sorry!

MrsMGE · 27/04/2020 08:38

Some attitudes here are terrible. People are paid 80% of their wages for sitting at home whilst others are working extra hard and there are gaps in resourcing for certain work too. Why not get off your high horse for once and do it? No one is "entitled" to be paid for nothing, you are only paid because otherwise your employer, and the whole economy would collapse, not because you've contributed to it by paying into the system. Everyone else who continues working full time also contributes to the system and is not "entitled" either, they too are supporting the businesses and working extra hard so everyone can return to work and keep their job. So there's absolutely no reason why you shouldn't work, be it fruit picking or anywhere else.

MigginsMs · 27/04/2020 08:39

I don't think I'm the bitter one.

Who is then? I’m as happy as a pig in shit, still working for my full salary while my husband gets free money off the government and does all the cooking, housework and childcare Grin

MigginsMs · 27/04/2020 08:40

No one is "entitled" to be paid for nothing, you are only paid because otherwise your employer, and the whole economy would collapse

Get everywhere open then and just let the virus burn through the population.

1forsorrow · 27/04/2020 08:41

Hopingtobeamum, thank you, not sure what you are sorry about though.

Allnamesaregone · 27/04/2020 08:42

40 hours a week at minimum wage is not illegal. Lots of people work minimum wage jobs. To say it’s not worth it suggests you feel it’s beneath you @Veganella.
One option is to advertise to students for the jobs. If you go to Aus on a short term work visa (417) one of the conditions is that you spend a 3 months in agriculture, construction or mining. As well as students, those who were planning to visit Aus this year would be well suited for this and are unlikely to have childcare issues etc.

MrsMGE · 27/04/2020 08:42

Aw, MigginsMs, I see a short and pointless answer aimed at avoiding the inconvenient truth that you've just been told.

Peppafrig · 27/04/2020 08:42

@MigginsMs Grinbest comment I've read on here for a long time .

1forsorrow · 27/04/2020 08:44

Get everywhere open then and just let the virus burn through the population. I think you need to speak to Boris about that, unless he is on here I don't think any of us can do much about that.

Helmetbymidnight · 27/04/2020 08:44

22,000 EU workers have gone.

You Brexiteers should be having a party (in isolation, natch) You did that! Sitting around insisting anyone but you takes over their work is not a good look.

MrsHuntGeneNotJeremyObviously · 27/04/2020 08:45

It was me who said the govt was pressured by gambling companies. I read it in one of the papers but now can't remember which one. Whatever the govt reasoning, sporting events ought to have been cancelled, since the govt couldn't claim ignorance of the dangers at this point and even of they genuinely thought the risk was small, with much of Europe in lockdown it was madness to take that risk.

1forsorrow · 27/04/2020 08:45

I'll leave you to it, I've got work to do for the care home.

MigginsMs · 27/04/2020 08:46

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

Hairyfairy01 · 27/04/2020 08:49

If you want to be back at work then there is work out there for you, often voluntarily. So off you go.

MigginsMs · 27/04/2020 08:49

I'll leave you to it, I've got work to do for the care home.

Oh well done.

I’m out too, these furloughed people had better be grateful for me sitting in my conservatory single handedly keeping the economy ticking over. Better get a list of tasks done for my “manny” first!

MrsMGE · 27/04/2020 08:50

MigginsMs, your posts are very sad indeed. I don't rise to insulting bullies like you - give yourself a clap on Thursday 8pm for your thoroughly disgusting attitude.

MarieQueenofScots · 27/04/2020 08:50

I'll leave you to it, I've got work to do for the care home

It really makes me smile when people make statements like these.

As if it’s some irrefutable fact that makes their point perfectly and everyone should automatically believe Grin

Waxonwaxoff0 · 27/04/2020 08:50

Simple answer, reopen the schools and I'll be able to go back to work.

I'm a single parent. Everywhere I look there are people lambasting me for taking DS to the supermarket with me (I have no choice), sitting down on a bench for a few minutes in the park, taking him on a daily walk because we have no garden (Keep your children at home, they're killing the vulnerable!)

Then in the next breath I'm being told I should be making extra trips to the shops to pick up shopping for the elderly, going out and doing jobs, presumably taking DS with me as I can't leave him at home. Can't win either way. Grin

JohnMcCainsDeathStare · 27/04/2020 08:52

You rea right about attitudes being terrible but for the wrong reasons - it is surprisingly hard to get a job even when volunteering and even entry-level jobs.

Fruit picking - you need to be fit and also have some knowledge of fieldcraft so you only pick the ripe ones. I would have so done this when I was at Uni since my parents' house was semi-rural but they didn't advertise jobs (a) in English and (b) in Britain.

Entry level jobs - particularly factory work. I used to wonder if recruiters had to (a) lie through their teeth and (b) leave basic manners at the door when recruiting casual temp labour. It was a bit too much like dating except less sex, no meals out but plenty of job catfishing.

Also I don't have an issue with furloughing since an economy that cannot look after its people = a pretty shit economy

MrsHuntGeneNotJeremyObviously · 27/04/2020 08:54

Brexit was about (in part ) being able to tailor immigration to the specific needs of the country. Not about no immigration at all. But no one should be working in those conditions for that pay, wherever they are from. It exploits foreign workers and keeps wages artificially low for our own.
We must stop exploiting people, pay wages that people can actually live on and look at business practises of large supermarkets in relation to farming. Maybe the state could subsidise food production in order to keep cost to the consumer reasonable, since it seems able to find plenty of money for the things it wants to spend on.