| Profiteering in a National Crisis Part Deux 11:42 - Apr 3 with 251 views | BringBackTheRedRoom |
1) Just before Lockdown I got a letter off my power company informing me of price increases. For the last few weeks the price of Oil and Gas on the open market has been on the floor. Let's see if they cut their prices in 4 - 5 months time when that price works through the system. I wont hold my breath.
2) Had a letter off a Bank today informing me that their savings rate on my account was dropping to 0.01%. Moved my money out of that account quite awhile ago. Also notice how all the Banks upped their rate on unofficial overdrafts to around 39.5%. If it acts like a cartel, looks like a cartel....... | |
| ‘Where there is harmony, may we bring discord. Where there is truth, may we bring error. Where there is faith, may we bring doubt. And where there is hope, may we bring despair’ |
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| Profiteering in a National Crisis Part Deux on 13:22 - Apr 3 with 236 views | spudgun |
Ditto Calor Gas... | | | |
| Profiteering in a National Crisis Part Deux on 19:58 - Apr 3 with 223 views | spell_chekker |
What can you say?
The UK is a right wing country and doesn't show any signs of changing direction.
It's a question of who people vote for.
Rigt wing policies have a simple, and selfish, logic that gets them past the post in the UK. | |
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| Profiteering in a National Crisis Part Deux on 18:23 - Apr 4 with 214 views | BringBackTheRedRoom |
I had a message earlier today saying I'm eligible for a "US Federal Government Grant worth up to $1600 dollars, just phone this number and leave your bank details" | |
| ‘Where there is harmony, may we bring discord. Where there is truth, may we bring error. Where there is faith, may we bring doubt. And where there is hope, may we bring despair’ |
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| Profiteering in a National Crisis Part Deux on 20:52 - Apr 6 with 204 views | BringBackTheRedRoom |
Worried Waitrose workers have warned that customers and staff are being put at risk during the coronavirus crisis.
The firm expects staff to recover time they take off for sick family members.
Its 'time bank' system "will mean that some people will continue to show up for work," putting people at risk, a concerned worker told the BBC.
Waitrose said: "Where possible we are asking Partners to time bank, however we are being flexible about when time can be paid back."
Self-isolating problems
The problem affects workers who self-isolate because a family member displays COVID-19 symptoms.
The supermarket chain said: "If they are physically well enough themselves to work, then we will explore the option of working at home in the first instance."
But few supermarket workers can work at home.
It means while they are paid in full during the time they take off, they are forced to pay that time back by working overtime for no extra pay when they return to work.
They have to cover the days they miss in full, up to two week's worth of hours.
Technically unpaid
A Waitrose worker - who asked to remain anonymous because of fears for their job - told the BBC: "It means someone on a 35-hour contract would have to work an extra 70 hours if they had two weeks in isolation.
"They would be technically unpaid as the company would say they've already paid them for it."
The worker also claimed that John Lewis staff - part of the same business - are being treated differently.
"Front line Waitrose staff are being pressured to work back hours in order to protect the business, at least that's what they're telling us.
"But some John Lewis and Head office staff are being paid 100% salary to stay at home."
Meanwhile another member of staff told the Sunday National newspaper: "My biggest concern around this is that really vulnerable people will not self-isolate or shield, and those who need to self-isolate due to family illness will put society as a whole at risk due to these punitive measures."
Flexible about pay-back
A Waitrose spokesperson told the BBC: "We are being flexible about when time can be paid back, including into 2021, and we understand that isn't possible for everyone - particularly where partners may need to isolate for more than one period.
"So we are being as flexible and supportive to our Partners as we can and everyone will be looked at on an individual basis and discussed with their manager."
The Waitrose worker who contacted the BBC said: "The message is that time-banking is being translated as being mandatory at store level, with paid absence only for exceptional circumstances.
"But nobody has been able to discover what these circumstances are as it doesn't appear to be up for discussion."
What are other supermarkets doing?
Other supermarkets appear to have been more generous when it comes to supporting staff during the coronavirus crisis.
Marks & Spencer said: "Any colleague who needs to self-isolate for seven to 14 days can do so on full pay.
"Colleagues who are pregnant, 70+ or with the health conditions specified by the Department of Health, are already on leave for 12 weeks on full pay."
At Asda, boss Roger Burnley said: "We've committed to supporting our colleagues that have been identified by the government as needing to self-isolate for 12 weeks, ensuring these colleagues receive full pay for their isolation period."
The supermarket is also offering 12 weeks fully paid leave to those over the age of 70, or who are pregnant and classed as vulnerable, as well as the carers of extremely vulnerable people.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-52191147 | |
| ‘Where there is harmony, may we bring discord. Where there is truth, may we bring error. Where there is faith, may we bring doubt. And where there is hope, may we bring despair’ |
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| Profiteering in a National Crisis Part Deux on 07:21 - Apr 7 with 182 views | spell_chekker |
Employers now a a choice of what kind of contract they offer to an employee.
It's like they go to the shops and select whetever type of off the shelf contract suits them.
Welcome to the world of work in the private sector.
And still they turn out in force to vote tory. | |
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| Profiteering in a National Crisis Part Deux on 13:02 - Apr 7 with 168 views | Imperial |
The Labour party has a history of not being trusted in times of national crisis whether it be wars, winters of discontent, brexit or pandemics. | | | |
| Profiteering in a National Crisis Part Deux on 15:27 - Apr 8 with 154 views | BringBackTheRedRoom |
Churchill lost two elections after WWII. 70s were messy, Heath famously lost an election after asking "Who runs Britain?". Blair won an election in 2005, two years into the Iraq war and at the height of the protests.
Glad to see Tesco looking after their shareholders in this time of crisis.
Tesco has said that most food will still need to be purchased in-store amid the coronavirus pandemic.
The supermarket giant said it wasn't able to meet demand as more shoppers stay at home, despite the fact it has increased its online grocery shopping capacity by more than 20%.
It said in the first weeks of the virus, there was "significant panic buying", with sales up almost a third.
Tesco said that had now subsided with food stocks "returning to normal".
"Between 85% and 90% of all food bought will require a visit to a store and here significant changes to the store environment have been implemented to maximise safety for colleagues and customers," chief executive Dave Lewis said.
Mr Lewis said that during its peak week of stockpiling, Tesco sold:
3.1 million containers of liquid soap, an increase of 363%
6 million tins of beans, more than double the usual amount
3.3 million tins of tomatoes, up 115% compared to a typical week
3.6 million packets of toilet roll, an increase of 76%
In contrast, he said sales of clothing and fuel both fell by 70%.
The chain said it would continue trying to "prioritise home delivery for the most vulnerable in society".
Mr Lewis said that Tesco normally operates 660,000 home delivery slots but it is now running around 805,000.
He said that last Friday night, the government gave Tesco a list of 110,000 names of people it classed as vulnerable. The supermarket has contacted these people and offered them slots.
The statement came as the chain reported a sharp fall in pre-tax profit for the year to the end of February, down almost 19% to £1.3bn, largely due to restructuring costs in Europe.
The chain also said it was impossible to forecast sales for 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Tesco said the virus could add almost £1bn in extra costs due to extra staff and store expenses. It said it had already experienced a "significant absence" of staff amid the virus and had recruited more than 45,000 new staff over the past two weeks to cope with the heightened demand.
Mr Lewis said some 50,000 colleagues have been absent out of about 320,000 employees.
The supermarket has also agreed to pay a dividend of 6.5p to shareholders, based on its last financial year.
This has attracted some criticism as the grocer has benefitted from a business rates holiday to the tune of £585m while seeing record sales during the coronavirus crisis.
Tesco also intends to pay a dividend on the current financial year, though at a lower level.
The supermarket giant reported group sales up 1.3% to £64.8bn.
Like-for-like sales, which strips out revenue from new shops opened during the year to February, fell 0.6%. Same store sales in the UK fell by 0.6%.
Russ Mould, investment director at AJ Bell, told the BBC's Today programme: "Some people will ask if [paying dividends] is appropriate" at the moment.
"If you're seen to be benefitting from emergency measures such as state aid or the furloughing scheme, companies need to be very careful in terms of perception right now."
"But it's not an entirely straightforward question, there might be some staff who are investors who are looking forward to those dividends," he added.
Lifting restrictions
All the major supermarkets had restricted customers to buying fixed numbers of individual items to keep shelves full amid stockpiling.
However, Tesco and other retailers such as Aldi, Morrisons, Asda and Sainsbury's have since removed some limits and changed others.
Tesco now operates a three-item limit on its most sought-after items including pasta, toilet paper and hand sanitiser.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-52211912 | |
| ‘Where there is harmony, may we bring discord. Where there is truth, may we bring error. Where there is faith, may we bring doubt. And where there is hope, may we bring despair’ |
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| Profiteering in a National Crisis Part Deux on 16:24 - Apr 8 with 152 views | spell_chekker |
Maybe one of the things the Tories have going for them is that the opposition has been so poor. | |
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| Profiteering in a National Crisis Part Deux on 20:45 - Apr 8 with 140 views | Imperial |
I would settle for the Labour party to be credible.
To do that they should be working in the common interest not setting an agenda and tone which lacks statesmanship and is based on confrontation and ridicule.
It is strange times when the Tories have the upper hand in representing the common man. | | | |
| Profiteering in a National Crisis Part Deux on 08:37 - Apr 19 with 104 views | BringBackTheRedRoom |
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| ‘Where there is harmony, may we bring discord. Where there is truth, may we bring error. Where there is faith, may we bring doubt. And where there is hope, may we bring despair’ |
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| Profiteering in a National Crisis Part Deux on 18:56 - Apr 19 with 91 views | spell_chekker |
Wow
£335 million.
Staggering. | |
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