Things are that Bad...!!

[tootricky]

Originally Posted by Tricky

I usually value your opinion mate, but in this case you're clearly misinformed, or swayed by biased media output.

or not biased by corporate misinformation?

[Tricky]

Originally Posted by tootricky

or not biased by corporate misinformation?

Perhaps, but to single out Primark suggests a certain lack of understanding of the situation.

[bythesea]

Originally Posted by Tunicates

.....as for the first time there are more Poles returning to their home country than there are arriving here. Recession and carp exchange rate makes going home an attractive option for them.

And the poles just love their carp a christmas dish if I am not mistaken

[Chucker]

same here mate, we had 150 lads 6 months back, now its down to almost 70 (carpenters).

prices have also been dropped 10% on most sites and our daywork rate, which seems to be what a lot of us are on at the mo... things are very slow.

[Simon TW]

I was brought up in a town with a large Asian community. (how come our "Asians" are from India, Pakistan and Bangladesh and everyone else's are Thailand etc why do we have to call then something different) I remember as a lad people complaining about the Asian's (they had a different name then) I would hear "they are coming over here steeling our jobs" often.

I was in Bradford recently and I was in a Taxi that was being driven my a man who's family came formally came from Pakistan and we were discussing the situation with the recent influx of economic migrants from the former eastern block countries. Guess what he said "fuck1n P***** coming over here and steeling all our jobs"

[Blu DL]

I run a factory making window and door locks - and things are horrific. Since 2005 our regular turnover has declined by £400k every year - due to lost business to China. We cannot compete on price - even though the stuff is generally crap, people buy it and say - oh well - what you expect for the money, cheap though isn't it?
Chinese labour is £10 per wk - they produce locks at around 50% of our price. I have just made 25 % of my staff redundant and the future looks dire as we have just lost a load more work to ...guess where.....

I have tried to win subcontract component work and been successful winning £500k per year of new work. I actually did an exhibition and when a potential customer came on the stand and asked about the company he actually walked away immediately the second I said we manufactured in the UK!! I may as well have said tampon or something!!

We are going to have a nightmare now as their inflation becomes our inflation. Wages in China increased 42% last year!! Best of luck all, but I think we need to expect the worst...

Originally Posted by fatone

I am not making light of people getting laid off, i think it sucks, and you do not deserve it.

But even YD puts out posts like this.............

VR3 Pin codes from the US....?

How does anyone expect the economy to be fair when some people cannot be fair to thier own home grown bussinesses and companies ?

You go into a Wal Mart in the US (and i dont like septics !) and they take pride in showing how high the % of goods sold in their stores are made in the US with a bloody great big sign over the tills.
What do we do ? (myself included) we demand the cheapest goods, which we know are made in countries like China, or Primark and thier sweatshop labour factories.
Is it any wonder we have problems ?

Rant over

[Paul R]

Originally Posted by Tunicates

If its any consolation there should be more work available for UK workers over the oncoming months......

.....as for the first time there are more Poles returning to their home country than there are arriving here. Recession and carp exchange rate makes going home an attractive option for them.

Something good has come of it then ..they where killing the building trade with there cheap labour rates....the site i was on was about 75% Poles and Russians!

[Okeanos]

All my staff, including me are now on 4 days or less. Sales are OK as long as my customers pay!

We are constantly getting increases from suppliers, galv products including lintels went up 25% on July 1st!! What's inflation supposed to be?

I set up the scuba diving business to try and help my income and that's tough too.

[Odin]

I seem to recall that some of the drysuits supplied by a couple of companies in the U.K. - actually come from China!

[Simon TW]

Originally Posted by Odin

I seem to recall that some of the drysuits supplied by a couple of companies in the U.K. - actually come from China!

I think it's O three and Northern Diver. If I recall corectly they are made in the same factory. There MTM suits are made here though.

If I'm wrong someone will be along to correct me.