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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

"I'm alright Jack" mindset.

156 replies

Donnsssfaa · 19/01/2021 19:38

Shoot me now, but I was just reading an article about furlough on Daily Mail ().

Most of the top comments are people saying

"Get those workshy people back to work!"

"Furlough should be a loan that only those who are furloughed should be paying back"

"I've been working throughout, why should I pay??"

But I doubt these people would be saying this if they didn't have "secure jobs".

Of course you get some who take advantage, like everything.
But I have a waitress friend who rang me crying when restaurants were forced to close and she's now furloughed. She would rather be working but there are lots more applicants for jobs these days so not easy.

But AIBU to think it's wrong to want to punish people who were basically forced out of work because of lockdown by claiming they should be the only ones paying it back? Especially when a lot of these waitors, bar staff, beauticians, hairdressers probably aren't on amazing wages anyway! And to top it all off: recession so harder to find a job.

People need more sympathy and empathy, especially during this time when the virus has been around for almost a year so mental health will be declining.

OP posts:

Summersun2020 · 19/01/2021 20:07

@Iknowwhatudidlastsummer but honestly, what difference does it make if they’re vocal about enjoying time off? Other than making you feel jealous (which I get), it makes no difference to anyone’s situation, yours or theirs. It is what it is, people were likely looking for positives in an uncertain and worrying time. I don’t begrudge anyone that.

Mamamia456 · 19/01/2021 20:07

Yabu for actually reading the comments in the DM and taking them seriously!

Waxonwaxoff0 · 19/01/2021 20:08

[quote Donnsssfaa]@Waxonwaxoff0 my job involves a lot of mixing with children and adults. Throughout Autumn I was worried about catching covid, Now i'm back on furlough, i'd rather be back at my job.[/quote]
Work is the only place I see other adults at the moment (I'm a single parent). For that reason alone I'm glad to go in every day!

Iknowwhatudidlastsummer · 19/01/2021 20:11

[quote Summersun2020]@Iknowwhatudidlastsummer but honestly, what difference does it make if they’re vocal about enjoying time off? Other than making you feel jealous (which I get), it makes no difference to anyone’s situation, yours or theirs. It is what it is, people were likely looking for positives in an uncertain and worrying time. I don’t begrudge anyone that.[/quote]
when you only have friends, nothing. I don't begrudge others having a good time. Unlike many on this forum, I actually LIKE looking at my friends holiday photos from amazing destinations!

But when you read the bitter posts on here about anyone who is seemed to have anything slighter better, you see the problem:
the abuse against SAHM, people with a holiday home, people who holiday, people who dare earning more than you, teachers who don't work in the summer...

I am not surprised people on furlough get so much nasty comments. I am not saying it's right, but it's not surprising.

Oblomov20 · 19/01/2021 20:12

Can't believe you are surprised by this. Some have been made redundant and money is so tight they are struggling badly.
Some furlough workers are bothered, many aren't. Some workers have had to take the slack.
Many furlough workers have taking second jobs, so are earning a double Salary.
Many people resent others on the other side. That's not uncommon.

islockdownoveryet · 19/01/2021 20:13

Yabu for starting another thread on this , it was done to death last year .
Are these the same people complaining about people going to takeaways but in the next breath don’t agree with furlough, I mean make your mind up .

Summersun2020 · 19/01/2021 20:13

@Iknowwhatudidlastsummer ah ok, sorry then I think I’ve misunderstood you. Yes I agree, people can be very bitter. It’s a shame.

Draineddraineddrained · 19/01/2021 20:14

I think those on furlough have the least choice and control over their lives at the moment and that sucks a lot.

However my neighbours have no kids and were both on furlough last spring.... I was SO JEALOUS. Beers in the garden at 3pm every day, no work and almost all their usual money, no home educating, no WFH. From our side of the fence it looked like bliss. But I'm well aware it probably wasn't. We've all got challenges in this shitty bastard of a time.

Ludoole · 19/01/2021 20:18

I'm not furloughed now but I was through the first lockdown. I was paid 100% of my wages for a while but I automatically lost my night shift allowance which was 25% of my regular wage and then when it was reduced to 80% that meant overall I lost 45% of my usual income. It was bloody hard.
As much as I hate my job I'm glad I'm not on furlough this time around!

PaddingtonsSister · 19/01/2021 20:28

Sat at home being paid 80% of your pay but not expected to do anything for it Yes i think they are having it easy Yes i am jealous

Iknowwhatudidlastsummer · 19/01/2021 20:31

Many furlough workers have taking second jobs, so are earning a double Salary.

that's a problem too, why is this even allowed?

Summersun2020 · 19/01/2021 20:31

@PaddingtonsSister wonder if you feel jealous of those who will be made redundant following furlough. Very petty and short sighted of you.

Waxonwaxoff0 · 19/01/2021 20:32

@PaddingtonsSister

Sat at home being paid 80% of your pay but not expected to do anything for it Yes i think they are having it easy Yes i am jealous

And probably going to lose their jobs very soon. Still jealous?

maddiemookins16mum · 19/01/2021 20:35

My colleague simply refused to come to work (in the office) on the 23 March despite 95% of the office WFH from the 24th. Her role needed her in the office (admin, post, scanning etc). She refused.
The company reluctantly furloughed her.
By October she was ‘bored sh*tless’, begging to return as it was winter and she couldn’t get out in the garden, or wait for it, have days out.

geckogirl13 · 19/01/2021 20:36

@PaddingtonsSister

Sat at home being paid 80% of your pay but not expected to do anything for it Yes i think they are having it easy Yes i am jealous

Easily fixed! Get yourself a job in the hospitality industry where you work evenings and weekends on your feet for peanuts! Then you too can be furloughed for 80% of your minimum wage and spend everyday worrying your place of work will go out of business knowing you won't get another job, because everywhere else has gone out of business too!

geckogirl13 · 19/01/2021 20:38

@Iknowwhatudidlastsummer

Many furlough workers have taking second jobs, so are earning a double Salary.

that's a problem too, why is this even allowed?

I am extremely sceptical that "many furlough workers" have second jobs. Where are these magical jobs?? Actually, no I'm not sceptical, I just don't believe it. Probably read that on the daily mail website

Liking80 · 19/01/2021 20:42

I think this needs to be seen from a wider point of view. I was furloughed in the first lockdown but I am now in the work full - time with a redundancy along the way.
The fact is furlough keeps money in people's pocket & means people have some disposal income. This in turn means they can spend on things which keeps other people in jobs. Those complaining about furlough because they are working, do you really think your job would be viable if no one could spend?

Iknowwhatudidlastsummer · 19/01/2021 20:42

A couple are currently working in my local supermarket and make no secret about their situation!

Miramour · 19/01/2021 20:44

Nailed it OP. In fact I'd go so far as to suggest it's the I'm alright Jack attitude that has led to both the pandemic and the environmental crisis.

Only when we work together can we flourish. But humans are remarkably dense. All this greed and for what? To lavish upon our graves?

The planet is self cleansing. A big clear out of people and it maybe has a chance to regenerate.

geckogirl13 · 19/01/2021 20:46

@Iknowwhatudidlastsummer

A couple are currently working in my local supermarket and make no secret about their situation!

How has the "couple" that you supposedly know about become "many"?

Waxonwaxoff0 · 19/01/2021 20:47

My company furloughed people during the first lockdown and we were not allowed to get jobs anywhere else, our directors said no.

Changemaname1 · 19/01/2021 20:49

The people I know on furlough can’t wait to get back . 20 percent of your pay can be quite a lot of money unless you normally have loads of disposable income . Regardless of any of this people didn’t exactly choose to be furloughed so I genuinely don’t get the venom thrown at them . I say this as someone who has worked throughout ( not at home ) doing extra hours for no extra pay

Dentistlakes · 19/01/2021 20:53

No job is secure. People are in for a shock if they think that’s the case. The fallout from COVID and then brexit is going to be catastrophic.

catsjammies · 19/01/2021 20:53

YADNBU. Our neighbours who have become good friends over the last year have been furloughed while my DH has been cosseted away in our home study working 'as normal', still getting a bonus last year and applying for promotion. They, on the other hand, are in absolute financial dire straits. I consider us to be so fucking lucky and really feel for those furloughed. So many will work in industries which are completely decimated now, I bet it would be very rare to find a furloughed worked who'd not rather be at work.

wanderings · 19/01/2021 20:54

I won't be surprised if Saint Boris resigns just before furlough ends, because he won't want to be "blamed" for the job losses from his lockdown.

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