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

[emmcan]

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.

My DS who is a uni student applied. He got a call, asked if he can work full time. He shared he could until he returns to uni. Was told they wanted full time and hung up on him!!

@bellinisurge I think we're all aware that we all pay for the generation before us, rather than for our own retirement. And there is ample evidence available that the current retired generation as a whole will take out more than they contributed. That of course doesn't mean that every individual pensioner is a net taker. Or that it's the fault of individuals, the system was never meant to cover decades of retirement, expensive nhs treatment or long term care for so many, and the situation isn't the making of those in it. And I think we're all equally aware that working age people as a whole won't get the opportunity to take as much back when they retire because it simply won't be available.

Let's also not forget that pensioners aren't any different than working age people. Some will have been net contributors through hard work and luck, or as lazy but lucky people. Others will have always been net takers, either through hard work and misfortune, no fault of their own, or because they were always work shy. Exactly the same mix as working age people are now.

I don't understand why some of those who are furloughed are so opposed to doing things that are needed right now, for the good of everyone. I really don't. Unless you have a genuine health reason, there are no excuses. Some people clearly struggle to grasp that times of crisis require everyone to go an extra mile and do things you wouldn't normally do. This is called doing the right thing. I can't imagine how you lot would cope throughout the war and afterwards, tbh, and I'd only hope not to be surrounded by people with this kind of attitude. We're not far off a crisis of this scale economically and yet you just don't get it.

Lining other peoples' pockets for less than minimum wage is 'for the good of everyone'? Funny how so many expect others to go 'the extra mile' to line the pockets of those who don't. This isn't the bloody war! There's NO comparison at all. And FFS, it ended SEVENTY-FIVE years ago! It's the past, shall we go the whole hog and go back to Victorian times, bring back Maids of All Work and workhouses?

We're not all in this together, that much has become patently clear.

@MrsMGE because I have a young child and there is no childcare open. That's why I can't work right now. What's so difficult to understand? Shall I lock him in a cupboard for 9 hours a day and go out to work?

And no one is picking up my slack because my entire company is shut down, so all of my colleagues are furloughed also.

Oh, now, Wax, 'no excuses*. Someone else suggested just leaving the children in a hedge up the thread.

Some people clearly struggle to grasp that times of crisis require everyone to go an extra mile and do things you wouldn't normally do

Mmm Totally! Like the employers who wont lower their expectations about how their employees hair looks even though all salons are shut!!! Funny how people higher up are allowed to keep their expectations but as usual its people lower down the ladder who get shat on.

And what part of the fact that HA tenants cant live away do you not understand.

To do these jobs tenants will need to be granted more rights so they dont lose their homes But im willing to bet you wouldnt want that would you In fact id lay money on it.

@Waxonwaxoff0 There's nothing stopping you from working if your child could be in school and you were doing keyworkers' job on a temporary basis, is there? How else do you cope when you actually work? No one is saying to lock your child in a cupboard, but you seem so stuck in your frame of mind that you "cannot" do anything. Whereas the reality is that if the Govt makes reasonable provisions and request furloughed workers to work, there are no excuses.

Peppermintcapsules still doesn't get it, I see. The good of everyone is the good of all of us, not just business owners. It is in the interest of all of us, yourself included, to have fresh produce in shops and eat well, especially now. It is in the interest of all of us to have key services delivered right now, so if there's a shortage and you have the time and ability, just do it. It's laughable not to see the similarity to post-war time economically. Today's press has published numerous articles about the forecasted depth of the recession and it is indeed as bad as after WW1. Think about it for a moment.

peppermint ah yes, I've also been told that if I get a keyworker job then I can send my child to school. Simple as that. Not sure how I'm supposed to attend an interview mind you, I suppose I could take DS along. And by the time I'd got a job and gone through training then my own workplace will probably be back open again. I'm sure that will go down well.

I don't understand why some of those who are furloughed are so opposed to doing things that are needed right now, for the good of everyone.

Quite right! Know your place! You clearly are socially irresponsible if you don't want to live in a bunk bed in a caravan miles away from your family and spend 12 hours a day bent double picking fruit. What do you mean that you have young kids, no childcare and that you are normally an office administrator with no experience of manual labour?

Gosh these people who are less well off are just so selfish, aren't they. Life really was so much easier when money talked properly, and the proles did what they were told and didn't have ideas above their station.

@MrsMGE yeah, all those keyworker jobs that I'm unqualified for and will be leaving in a couple of months when my own workplace is open again? I'm sure they'd be desperate to hire me.

School is only for 6 hours a day, so the government's going to provide Mary Poppins to look after the minor child whilst the parent is living in the caravan working 12-14 hours a day then, MrsMG?

HelenaDove, I'm sorry, the first para of your post makes no sense. Secondly, I never made any references to social housing tenants at all? I said that furloughed workers who have no reason not to work should assist when required. You do realise that it doesn't have to be fruit picking? This is the current proposal, yes. My comment was a general one. And of course if the Govt introduces such a requirement, then it will have to follow up with additional provisions that enable furloughed workers to work - be it childcare provisions or relaxation of other rules, such as those you mention.

If that's what's needed, the Government will do it and everyone will need to accept that instead of having hissy fits and finding out hundreds of reasons "why not".

There are hundreds of workers furloughed in my business. None of us knew whether we might be affected and we still don't know - it might me be next week. That's find, I'll have to accept that. The moment the furlough scheme was announced, I was looking at options to work elsewhere (if possible) and volunteer to help out. As it turns out, I'm pregnant now and would not be allowed to do everything - but I'd still find ways to help out and certainly would do so if requested by the Govt. I don't understand your attitudes at all.

Why, in the name of fuck, would someone put their children and themselves at greater risk, to do a job they have no experience or skills in, for a farmer who doesn’t want them there, when they’ll be needed back in the jobs they’re trained and experienced in, to restart the economy that needs to get going again?

It’s absolutely bonkers. Only terminally bitter and resentful would suggest it.

MrsMGE is Jacob Rees-Mogg and I claim my £5.

Gawd, yes, the Government, funny how you capitalised it. The same government that kack-handed handled this crisis and back non-dom billionaires rather than bog standard taxpayers. And we need to just 'accept' whatever shit they tell us? Yeah, right! Of course, people who throw this shit out about 'excuses' always have one themselves. Fine to volunteer others to do it.

There's a theme of focusing on what you can't do instead of being ready to do the right thing, understanding that the Government will request that alongside making necessary provisions to enable you to do it.

The reality is, if it wasn't for the furlough scheme, most people would be unemployed in a few months, with no prospect of getting their lives back on track. We will all be hit hard repaying the furlough scheme money. There's no reason not to do work when requested to do so, and with appropriate provisions in place. You can argue all you want, but that's the reality.

The whole point of shutting schools and nurseries is to keep as many children as possible at home. The government aren't going to announce that everyone who is furloughed must now find keyworker jobs and send their children to school. They may as well just reopen the schools in that case.

Oh, go away, peppermintcapsules, you're shouting away without even reading properly. I said I'd do work regardless and it's still not good enough for you. It's just sad, really.

that don't live near to farms are likely to live near to some place that requires essential workers, care homes, hospitals, shops, recycling centres to name a few

@Hairyfairy01 If people are working in these jobs they should be paid a wage from the place they are working at/in

And if you are advocating this for care homes then why not childcare?? Why is it always elderly people suggested as guinea pigs for these grotesque experiments. Why is only these places people like you want to send conscripts "volunteers" to.

PMSL at this all hail the 'Government' (there's no need to capitalise it). Hilarious! But not as hilarious as this ridiculous assumption they'll make adequate provision. Haahaaaa!!

Wax, but they will reopen schools? Also it's clear that not everyone on furlough will be needed, you can't work on that basis. It's clear what the Govt is saying that some assistance is needed, but it won't be millions of workers.

LOL, you don't have the right to tell anyone what to do and how to post on a thread just because you don't like it, Mrs. . You've got your excuse, 'I'm not allowed, but if I were . . . ' Shouting is when you use all-capital letters, dear.

So where is Wax supposed to leave her child? Wax remember the hedge!

A couple of months ago half of MN couldn't see how keyworkers would be able to work as there were no provisions for schooling in lockdown. In fact, the term keyworkers didn't exist at the time. The Govt introduced provisions for their children to be looked after to enable them to work. They too often work long/odd shifts. So it's unfair to assume no provisions would be put in place to assist those of furloughed workers who would be requested to help.

peppermint I'll have to put a gag on him too, he never shuts up.