The road to recovery? (1 Viewer)

Gaz

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Hi, as I'm sure many here like myself are pretty sick of the recession that we've been going through for nearly 2 years. But apparently it is officially over. I've noticed alot more temporary jobs being advertised but there risky in my opinion. If I took one on and it came to an end and I couldn't find something else quick enough, I wouldn't be able to keep up with my car insurance, therefore wouldn't be able to get to the next job.

What I'm wondering is, is work actually starting to pick up again :blink:

I know some of you are managers of companies or are pretty knowledgeable and high up. How long do you think things are going to stay quiet for?

I might be asking a stupid question like how long is a piece of string but I would like to know others opinions on this.

Thanks
 
Most jobs seem to be temporary because non of the firms are prepared to take a risk at the moment,just incase the work or promise of it dries up again.Things will get better but just have to take anything at the moment to keep our heads above the water,patience is a virtue.
 
Gaz m8
In my opinion, this will have lasting repercussions for at least a decade, we all know about the shortage of work, and the Gaffer crap about " Your lucky to have a job" then the Scenario of "Due to the Economic Downturn" we are reducing 'Target/Price work by 10 %. No Pay rise this year, However, Staff got a rise.

A lot of the Major if not all still have there little secret get-togethers, where they sit in their Ivory Towers, and wonder how they can make more cash for not a lot of dash, Up pops the 'Recession'. In my opinion Our Money might start to gradually rise, but the days of the big Pay-day in my eyes are finished.

Personally i am £200.00 a week worse off, as of 2 years ago.

Rant over.

Paddy
 
Yea, me 2. Im about £150 to £200 a week worse off compared to 2 years ago :cry:
 
The word recession will be on most gaffers lips for a long time as soon,especially when the words pay rise are mentioned,personally i would rather remain getting paid as i am,than be out of work,for the sake of asking for a few quid a week more,think we all have to accept times have changed,and wages are not going to be as good as they were a couple off years ago,for a while yet..
 
Gaz

As Paddy has eluded to thing will never get back to the pre-crash days, new and more prudent economic strategies are already in place to proceed with caution---therefore, the Scaffolder must adopt new and innovative strategies to make him self a more attractive, effective and efficient Operative for prospective employers by EDUCATING them-selfs in Scaffold Design and Tine Management Administration.

Scaffolding Orginisations can no longer afford to employ via the old school tie method, pure Fiscal considerations has forced a re-jig and there are moves afoot to remove a tear a Line Management Posts, Employers will be recruiting Value for Money Candidates---those who know the game from the bottom to the Top---So, my advise to you is to invest in yourself, identify what you want to specialise and Study.

Garry...
 
Daz m8
That is what the Gaffers are hoping for, a compliant no backchatting submissive workforce.

However i do agree we need to provide for our wifes,kids and families, plus to pay for our little bits of home comforts,I,E Car,Holiday and social life.

Had 1 over the 6 now, so the 'Militant Head is on' those Tossers that are designated to manage, that dont even know what a 'Barney Rubble' or Elsie Tanner is are going to dictate to me, NNNOOOOOOOOOooooooooooooo

We as a forum should recognise the potential we have installed within this bonding of scaffs, this is the future, we are the future, we are not small men we are all human and deserve the right to be treated as Equalls.

Better put my Arthur Scargill Photo under the bed, stop humming, 'Keep the Red flag flying' and go for a chill session, zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzlol
 
Gaz, agree with you mate regarding that you should attempt to make yourself a must to employ,by attemting to get as many courses,and as much knowledge behind you as possible,but to many of the forum members it is not through lack of wanting to achive this,it is a lack of funds to enable them to progress further,only so much can be learned through papers and books,eventually that has to be transfered to certification,which in the majority of cases costs money and time of work that many of us can ill afford.Its a vicious circle at the moment until the oppourtunity to earn good cash comes calling a lot of peoples plans to better themselves are put on hold..I know its the only option so i suppose its speculate to accumulate.
 
Same here down 40 snots a day and no weekends , but at least I'm working .

Did any body got a start at Ratcliffe (ad in The Sun before Xmas) ?
 
Daz m8
Its not the only option, go down the TUC route m8, it costs nowt, and the Certification is recognised m8. Look at me Hairy arsed Scaff Patrick Carr Tech IOSH, it means sweet FA to me, however if a future or current Employer see this, is not a case of mmmmmmmmmmm this lad knows a bit, it has worked for me m8.
Paddy
 
I have realised that I am going to need more than just a part2 tkt to give me an edge these days. I've sent off for a 7.5 tonne provisional licence which I think will help a lot because most firms I ring these days always ask if I have one.

Also looking into the courses Paddy has mentioned to do with H&S.

Maybe this recession is a blessing in disguise for many of us.
 
Thanks Phil m8
This forum is quite a eye opener for me, i thought i was the only sad git, that liked doing courses. But the overall consensus within this SF is the majority of the guys want to give and get that little extra bit.

As you can appreciate m8, all that material you so readily donated to the Scaffolder Support/Study group, will be invaluable to some of these guys, who want to access further learning/Education.

Thanks once again Phil.

Paddy
 
A Company down here in Norfolk, have just gone down to a 3 day week for their guys .
Hubby has looked into many courses and of course they do cost, but when your unemployed, food and clothing come first for the family. We were told to ring the unemployment office up to see if they could pay for some, but was told " you need to have been unemployed for 6 months before we can help you ". Our other option was to ring a few numbers that they gave us , and apply for a grant .......you can only get this grant if you have a drug or drink problem . Biggest crap i ever heard, someone pass me a vodka bottle, so i can start getting help for my hubby's job prospects LOL
The things us women are prepared for our husbands huh LOL,

It's a hard job being a wife .......... but i love it :D
 
Bish
Pass the Vodka here, i am also willing to help.

On a more serious nature, yeah, its disgusting, the people like your hubby who want to work, and have not through no fault of their own, have been made unemployed, have been categorised with the people that do not want to work.

Bish, get your hubby/soulmate on here, leave a few details:-
Location
Experience

There are some great guys on here, who will aid a scaffolder in need.

Dont be shy, we dont bite, unless asked.;)

Paddy
 
Hiya Paddy :)
He won't do forums, even though i show him everything , he is intrested but so down at the moment . Ill pass on any information that people wish to know about him . Ill pm, you are location and other useful info, thanks :)
 
Thanks Bish
We will help your guy.

Howay lads, this family need our support.
Lets show our support, after all this could only be the tip of the 'iceberg'.

Looking for work in the Norfolk area PM Bish

This is what this forum is about guys.
Hoist the flag, and show what we can do.

Yours sincerely
Paddy

---------- Post added at 10:20 PM ---------- Previous post was at 10:01 PM ----------

Guys
After further PM Communique with Bish:-
Advanced Scaffolder
23 years Experiance in Scaffolding
Street works
Gas plant
2 year off shore (where Employment currently ended).
Current Med and Survival tkt
Prepared to work abroad.

Quite a impressive CV in my eyes. Lets get this bloke back on the 'Elsies'.
Paddy
 
I genuinely feel for all the lads who are currently out of work and wish them all the best of luck in being gainfully employed again.

I would just like to respond to a few comments made in earlier posts.

As to when we effectively come out of this recession? Well put simply it is when the financial institutions start lending again, but in reality we all know they have been burned severely (By there own doing may I add) and are in self preservation mode. We have Developers who we have worked with for years and are solid companies in their own right, furthermore they have been regularly doing business with their same bank for years and then have their funding pulled or drastically reduced as they have now jumped a risk rating due only to the banks mismanagement of its own business!!

I don’t want to be the harbinger of doom but as many of you know you need 2 quarters of growth to officially state the country is out of recession, the last quarter of 2009 obviously included Christmas which as you are aware is when we tend to spent the most and a lot of people have temporary jobs i.e. Post Office etc, that spend has stopped and all those Temps hired before Christmas will be now unemployed, so the smart money is on another dip for the 1st Quarter of 2010 which will result in more pain for us all.

I would predict that it will be a good few years until we are moving again but be assured it will be nowhere near what it was 2 years ago.


As for Temporary contracts Daz is spot on, there is just no confidence out there, projects are being shelved/cancelled at the last minute or they will complete a phase and leave the next one till funding has been raised, doesn’t help one bit but sometimes a bit of work is better than none.

As for a compliant none back chatting workforce, I have got to admit this has been the easiest time in my Management career in regards to Labour control and I have little if any problems with our lads (Apart from the PPE issue we talked about in another post) but besides the recession I’d like to think that was down to the fact that firstly, we are a small business and know all our lads as a person and not a number and most have worked for us for a long time, secondly, we have not had to lay anyone off, not dropped rates (And hope we don’t have to) and we do cover the lads short days and odd day off (At great expense to the business may I add) when work is short, there is always one who moans about not getting overtime etc (There simply isn’t a lot and when it does come we like to share it around so everyone feels the benefit)
but on the whole I think the lads feel the same way as we in the office do, times are very tough and we have to battle for everything to keep us all going and they are doing their bit. We may be the exception to the rule because I know lots of companies around us that will drop lads like hot bricks but we believe that when things do get a bit better hopefully our core lads will stick with us and not just f*ck off with the first t*at that tries to poach them for an extra tenner a day.!! I as a Manager may not have to work so hard in regard to the lads but let me assure you trying to get the work in to keep those lads going is 3 times as hard as it was 2 years ago.

As for Government assistance…Don’t get me started!! They are just not intrested in the normal working man or woman of this country, which is strange as Labour are supposed to be the party of the working man!! You have to have a self inflicted problem to get any assistance from them I mean rehab/detox programmes they will dole out in droves, I speak from personnel experience as I have a brother in law who is always in and out and is nothing but a drain on society, but ask them for a grant to further a working persons career which ultimatley will help contribute to our society with taxes and economically they just don’t want to know!! What is going on???
 
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Paul,

Well said my friend, couldn't have worded that better myself.
I take it 'L' is still shooting-up for a living then? I think government rehab at the tax payer's expense is one of the biggest growth industries in the UK at moment..!!!

Cheers,
Phil.
 
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