What kind of fucked-up, dysfunctional workplace is our government operating in?

[noblegiraffe]

Downing Street and the Houses of Parliament? Can't get through the day without a suitcase of wine in Downing Street, drugs everywhere in Parliament? Subsidised bars on work premises?

I guess the fact that they tried to make an exemption for the bars in the Houses of Parliament when introducing a curfew for pubs should have been a warning sign that there's far too much reliance on alcohol in our ruling classes.

There was a lot of talk about standards in public life during the Owen Paterson scandal. Surely not being pissed or high on the job is a basic standard?

Aside from the issue that they couldn't even stop having massive piss-ups during lockdown, AIBU to think that something needs to be done to introduce basic rules like 'If you're not safe to drive, you're not allowed to vote in new laws'?

If you wouldn't be happy with a teacher teaching your kids half-cut and would expect rules to prevent this, why should we tolerate our government ruling the country while making their way through the contents of the wine fridge?

People have been posting 'oh yes, it's always been like this'.

Well it shouldn't be in future.

I've got no experience of work outside teaching, hospitality and retail. However none of those roles ever involved having alcohol at work. The only time I have is half a glass of champers on NYE. I don't know why it's accepted that the people in charge of the country are drinking whilst working.

I even pointed the legitimacy of the teachers' shots scenario out but it's a pub really near the school, I know some parents would be shocked and think it is unprofessional if they are then seen staggering to the Coop to buy more booze and dinner by the local children but why should they be held up as higher mortals than they are!

I know a civil servant who pre covid would go to lots of meetings around the Country. They always pick a a good gastro pub with private dining/meeting rooms - because they’re all travelling to meet for ‘govt business purposes’ the tax payer picks up the cost of the room and food…they just pay for their booze and boy, do they get slaughtered. Alcohol should be banned from all govt & civil service buildings and also from all meetings & business evenings. How the f@ck can they run the Country pissed?! So sick of this. Also notice my mp hasn’t said anything about all this yet - will be writing shortly!!

I mean do you never question the motovations of the people that are delivering this news to you- it is money and I for one remain cynical of most BS on the news and radio anymore! Even Omicron, the media were literally salivating over whether this was doomsday again.

@Goldenbear

I even pointed the legitimacy of the teachers' shots scenario out but it's a pub really near the school, I know some parents would be shocked and think it is unprofessional if they are then seen staggering to the Coop to buy more booze and dinner by the local children but why should they be held up as higher mortals than they are!

The "teacher (nurse/other public sector worker) as hero" myth is a great one for keeping us in our places. We are expected to set the moral tone. It grates that that's used to as reason for shit conditions of work as well as being held to a higher standard than the private sector.

As far as I was concerned, the only thing I wanted to do after a parents evening, was to go home to my bed.

I think the fact we subsidise food and Alcohol in a work place where most have a well above average wage WITH expenses, and we still have millions of kids going hungry at school (sometimes where both parents are working, but in low paid jobs), and the government refuse any extra funding, is an absolute disgrace for our country! 😡

@Goldenbear So you avoided the pub yet you knew the teachers were "downing shots". Why shouldn't teachers have a drink together in a pub at the end of the school year?

It isn't subsidised any more (though it used to be). They aim to break even on the catering, though that can be a challenge as parliamentary business is unpredictable - sometimes the business all goes through very quickly and there's no-one around at dinnertime, when they might have expected a 7.30 finish.

I didn't avoid the pub my friends wanted to, I agree with you, why should they not - that is literally my argument, holding the public sector workers to high moral standards when your own aren't the same. Civil servants are public sector workers so even if there aren't many doing this I don't know why people are shocked!

@Hercisback

I've got no experience of work outside teaching, hospitality and retail. However none of those roles ever involved having alcohol at work. The only time I have is half a glass of champers on NYE. I don't know why it's accepted that the people in charge of the country are drinking whilst working.

I think I may mark all future assessments, mock exams and TAGs under the influence. I do those at home (alcohol not allowed at school) so it’ll be fine.

Am sure parents will be very happy I’m assessing their children half cut.

My friends (parents of kids at the school) felt awkward about it - i suppose your child's teacher downing shots whilst you buy a beer is a bit awkward as you don't know them in that capacity. Plus this pub is always pretty much frequented by parents so it is an odd choice.

I'm not shocked at all.
I don't think public sector workers should be held to a higher standard. We're just as human as everyone else.
I'm angry that whilst the rest of the country were being held to a different standard, our elected representatives and those who work with and for them were thumbing their noses at us - and that it's being excused because "that's how it is". It shouldn't be.

@Goldenbear

Loads of privileged idiots in journalism as well!

Like Johnno and his 'column' for the Telegraph.

Not rtft so apologies if I'm repeating anything but as a Civil servant who works very hard and has never witnessed any of this type of behaviour amongst my fellow workers it really pisses me off that this just feeds the 'lazy civil servant' stereotype. It makes a mockery of the work that all the rest of us do.

Didn't know he had a column in the Telegraph but it's not my paper of choice. I would say across all the broadsheets, the tabloids and TV media.

it really pisses me off that this just feeds the 'lazy civil servant' stereotype. It makes a mockery of the work that all the rest of us do.
Exactly. It doesn't shock me that some people are absolute pisstakers. But it bothers me that some people are trying to say "ah but that's just how it is in the civil service" as an excuse.
If it is, it really shouldn't be.

It might have changed quite a bit as worked in Whitehall 10 years ago now but I don't recognise this culture. Younger people would go to certain bars after work where civil servants flocked but ultimately it was never that wild and I would head of to now meet DH to have some proper party time!

I work in a "pseudo" government culture and have never seen dodgy goings on, parties etc. At most, people might go for an unscheduled coffee in the canteen. They must be a very entitled little pocket of people.

They must be a very entitled little pocket of people

Which is why they’ve pissed off the rest of the public so much.

Drinking in the office hasn't been usual for national newspapers for at least 10 years, but was part of the culture when Johnson and Gove was there. It's not part of the Civil Service culture either. Where it IS still a culture is start-ups, which SPAD culture (special advisors) and the Tory central office have been modelling themselves on since Cameron's days. Ditto drug culture (except journalists are well do it, but never in the office)

What kind of fucked-up, dysfunctional workplace is our government operating in?

Just take the 'in' out of that sentence.
Johnson et al are trying to deflect and blame the civil service. Its not a civil service problem this country has. Presumably the civil servants in no 10 got caught up in the Johnson way of things and forgot themselves. They need censured but to blame the civil service for the workplace environment that operated in no 10 is ludicrous. It's all part of the narcissists pointing the finger at someone else.

If I had to work with Boris and co I'd want to be pissed while i did it.

@Goldenbear You seem desperate to minimise shitty behaviour, by claiming that we/ they all do it, when clearly that's not true. You question the motivations of the media, but what are your motivations for excusing such a shambolic setup?

I recall the Labour ex MP Dennis Skinner talking on Woman's Hour once. He said that as a miner you were not allowed to go down the pit drunk because you would be a menace. He felt strongly that the same rules should apply in Parliament.