Bombardier didn't win its bid for the Thameslink contract and is making 446 permanent staff redundant. Over 900 contractors will have their contracts terminated. Shedding contractors like that has been standard practice in the UK for past 20 years with the rail carriage manufacturers - I've worked for Railcare 3 times, both before and after it was bought out as a joint venture between Bombardier and Siemens, then sold off to Alstom. Contractors get brought in en masse once a contract is awarded, then renewed on a rolling weekly basis until the contracts run out.
This is not good news for Derbyshire as another 1400 skilled engineers swell the ranks of 15000 unemployed. I'm hoping that none of the people I worked with in the '90s are affected.
If you've landed on this page because of the redundancy or Derbyshire links and you're worried about your future, consider taking a look at my Kleeneze business and please get in touch. I've worked in the rail industry, I understand the challenges and you never know, we may even have mutual friends.
Showing posts with label Recession. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Recession. Show all posts
Tuesday, 5 July 2011
Wednesday, 25 May 2011
Wheelie Bins and Charity Shops - Clues to A Nation's Wealth
You wouldn't think of a wheelie bin as an indicator of economic performance, would you? How about considering the existence of charity shops as a key factor in an area's economy?
Well, in Rugby at least, they are.
I walked into the town centre with my children over the weekend and discovered two new charity shops. A town of around 70,000 inhabitants now has 2 British Heart Foundation shops plus one each representing Shelter, PDSA, Oxfam, Cancer Research, Scope, YMCA, Sue Ryder, Rugby Bareboards Trust, Warwickshire Air Ambulance, Myton Hospice and Age UK.
Add to that the 3 pawn-brokers, the half-dozen shops that accept pre-owned goods in part-exchange for credit notes or new purchases and the plethora of cut-price bargains in national chain stores catering to the minimum-waged and you get the picture of a retail shopping crisis. We are losing our independent retailers and with them, variety and personalised service. Those with credit and debit cards shop online or drive to out of town malls with free parking; those with cash and no car have fewer and fewer options.
As for wheelie bins - this time last year, there was outcry at the imposition of fortnightly bin collections. Overflowing bins were put on pavements, emphasising the need to return to a weekly routine. Now, the collections are still fortnightly, but the bins are no longer full, and not due to an evangelical approach to recycling. We are, as a town, just using less, which means we are buying less.
Apparently, according to figures released today by the IPPR, the only reason we're not officially in a recession is because our exports last quarter were greater than our imports. That's more because we're not buying as much from overseas, than because the exchange rate is working in our exporters' favour.
Charity shops are flourishing for a number of reasons, including reduced business rates and a lack of funding from other sources which means they have to rely on retail footfall and donations of goods.
In the meantime, there is no deterioration in Kleeneze orders - the range of goods and the personal service provided by Kleeneze distributors are filling a void that our customers are keen to let us fill. There's never been a better time to build a Kleeneze business.
Well, in Rugby at least, they are.
I walked into the town centre with my children over the weekend and discovered two new charity shops. A town of around 70,000 inhabitants now has 2 British Heart Foundation shops plus one each representing Shelter, PDSA, Oxfam, Cancer Research, Scope, YMCA, Sue Ryder, Rugby Bareboards Trust, Warwickshire Air Ambulance, Myton Hospice and Age UK.
Add to that the 3 pawn-brokers, the half-dozen shops that accept pre-owned goods in part-exchange for credit notes or new purchases and the plethora of cut-price bargains in national chain stores catering to the minimum-waged and you get the picture of a retail shopping crisis. We are losing our independent retailers and with them, variety and personalised service. Those with credit and debit cards shop online or drive to out of town malls with free parking; those with cash and no car have fewer and fewer options.
As for wheelie bins - this time last year, there was outcry at the imposition of fortnightly bin collections. Overflowing bins were put on pavements, emphasising the need to return to a weekly routine. Now, the collections are still fortnightly, but the bins are no longer full, and not due to an evangelical approach to recycling. We are, as a town, just using less, which means we are buying less.
Apparently, according to figures released today by the IPPR, the only reason we're not officially in a recession is because our exports last quarter were greater than our imports. That's more because we're not buying as much from overseas, than because the exchange rate is working in our exporters' favour.
Charity shops are flourishing for a number of reasons, including reduced business rates and a lack of funding from other sources which means they have to rely on retail footfall and donations of goods.
In the meantime, there is no deterioration in Kleeneze orders - the range of goods and the personal service provided by Kleeneze distributors are filling a void that our customers are keen to let us fill. There's never been a better time to build a Kleeneze business.
Saturday, 26 March 2011
Facing Redundancy in Coventry? We Can Help.
It's not been a good week for Coventry workers - 563 jobs axed by AXA and voluntary redundancies requested by Bullivant Media. My deepest sympathies are with all affected. I've been made redundant twice, and suffered the stress of being "at risk" - which is a horrible euphemism for spending weeks wondering whether you still have a job or not.
If you're facing redundancy, reduced hours and/or a pay freeze, there are options you can look at right now to enhance or replace your current income.
I'm currently expanding my team of distributors in the Coventry area. I'm looking for 5 hard working, enthusiastic people who want to earn £50-£250 per week part time, or £10,000-£50,000 per annum full time.
I'm looking for two different types of people:
Firstly, those who wish to earn money by delivering and collecting our home shopping catalogues, either on a part or full time basis. This can typically earn you between £50-£250 per week part time, and £500+ per week full time.
Secondly, those who want to be team leaders, building their own team of distributors. This can typically earn you between £20,000 - £50,000 per annum, again on a part or full time basis.
Interested? Fill in your contact details on my website, and I'll call you back straight away.
If you're facing redundancy, reduced hours and/or a pay freeze, there are options you can look at right now to enhance or replace your current income.
I'm currently expanding my team of distributors in the Coventry area. I'm looking for 5 hard working, enthusiastic people who want to earn £50-£250 per week part time, or £10,000-£50,000 per annum full time.
I'm looking for two different types of people:
Firstly, those who wish to earn money by delivering and collecting our home shopping catalogues, either on a part or full time basis. This can typically earn you between £50-£250 per week part time, and £500+ per week full time.
Secondly, those who want to be team leaders, building their own team of distributors. This can typically earn you between £20,000 - £50,000 per annum, again on a part or full time basis.
Interested? Fill in your contact details on my website, and I'll call you back straight away.
Thursday, 18 November 2010
Students and Working Women Clobbered Again!
It's not a good time to be either an aspiring graduate or a woman of working age.
Two separate reports today push home the effects of pulling the UK out of its quagmire of debt.
The first points out that the salary threshold at which graduates will need to start paying 9% of their gross income might be quoted as £21,000, but it's actually closer to £18,500 at today's wages. That means, unless they deliberately choose to work for minimum wage once they get a job, they'll lose at least £157.50 every month out of their wages at the threshold level alone. Not to mention the need to cope with rising interest rates, inflation, rent etc.
Guess how many graduates will work out that earning £21,000 will make them worse off than earning £19,150? What sort of incentive is that to do well in life?
The second report flags the increasing effect of the recession on working women. Despite overall unemployment falling by 9,000 in the past quarter, 31,000 women lost their jobs. 1.02 million women are now officially out of work, and that doesn't include those married women who haven't accrued enough national interest credits in their own right to merit Job Seekers Allowance payments.
In times of recession, enterprising people reconsider starting their own businesses. Joining Kleeneze would provide many with a good income, improved quality of life and the potential of a great lifestyle, all for a small start-up cost.
I've been unemployed and it's not fun. My son gave up his university course because his fear of debt was greater than his desire to attend uni. He's been unemployed ever since and the depression he and his friends experience is painful to watch. It cripples the mind and stops them reaching out for opportunities. Don't fall into that trap, if you find yourself unemployed or with debts you don't know how to repay.
I'm building a better life for myself and I can help you do it, too.
Two separate reports today push home the effects of pulling the UK out of its quagmire of debt.
The first points out that the salary threshold at which graduates will need to start paying 9% of their gross income might be quoted as £21,000, but it's actually closer to £18,500 at today's wages. That means, unless they deliberately choose to work for minimum wage once they get a job, they'll lose at least £157.50 every month out of their wages at the threshold level alone. Not to mention the need to cope with rising interest rates, inflation, rent etc.
Guess how many graduates will work out that earning £21,000 will make them worse off than earning £19,150? What sort of incentive is that to do well in life?
The second report flags the increasing effect of the recession on working women. Despite overall unemployment falling by 9,000 in the past quarter, 31,000 women lost their jobs. 1.02 million women are now officially out of work, and that doesn't include those married women who haven't accrued enough national interest credits in their own right to merit Job Seekers Allowance payments.
In times of recession, enterprising people reconsider starting their own businesses. Joining Kleeneze would provide many with a good income, improved quality of life and the potential of a great lifestyle, all for a small start-up cost.
I've been unemployed and it's not fun. My son gave up his university course because his fear of debt was greater than his desire to attend uni. He's been unemployed ever since and the depression he and his friends experience is painful to watch. It cripples the mind and stops them reaching out for opportunities. Don't fall into that trap, if you find yourself unemployed or with debts you don't know how to repay.
I'm building a better life for myself and I can help you do it, too.
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