A Very Dark Future

[Fulmar]

You have had 5 cases in Orkney and 2 deaths (and don't get me wrong, that's 2 too many) and no more cases recently and yet you cast slurs on people working to keep public transport moving in the major cities (and have done throughout) so that folk like my nurse daughter could get to her work (on the front line) in London. So yes, I do still say that you should retract your statement, living, as you do in the, by comparison, safe haven of Orkney.

[The Horseman]

I agree to a point with OCadian.
We in North AmerIca have the same thing.
I don’t thinks its a slur. Its a fact of life......not for all.

[orkneycadian]

You have had 5 cases in Orkney and 2 deaths (and don't get me wrong, that's 2 too many) and no more cases recently and yet you cast slurs on people working to keep public transport moving in the major cities (and have done throughout) so that folk like my nurse daughter could get to her work (on the front line) in London. So yes, I do still say that you should retract your statement, living, as you do in the, by comparison, safe haven of Orkney.

Feel free to substitute tube driver with any other unionised occupation where this is being milked for all its worth. And even outside unions, any employee who is presently on furlough (moreso in England at the moment due to Nicola's desire to be different from Boris for the sake of it) who realises that they can spin out their paid holiday a bit longer yet, just by claiming its not safe. They would get a lot more sympathy for their safety concerns if they locked themselves in. But here we have a picture of Southend on Sea beach earlier in the week;



Source = https://www.essexlive.news/news/esse...coming-4151902

So here we have folk on a Wednesday afternoon, who are so desperately concerned for their safety whilst in proximity to others, that they simply cannot find a way to go back to work. I wonder how many of the folk in the picture above have been asked to come back in to their workplace, which their employer has made safe for them, only to reply that its not safe. Then headed off to the beach?

[Fulmar]

So, point me out the ones who are tube, train or bus drivers in that photo.

[orkneycadian]

So, point me out the ones who are tube, train or bus drivers in that photo.

Gonna be hard to pick them out with Essex Live having pixelated the only recognisable faces. But;

Are any English bus drivers furloughed? Yes - https://www.ft.com/content/851fe007-...b-17abca01435e

Is there an undercapacity on buses in the South East, leading to difficulties for other key workers to get to their key jobs, for example, nurses? Yes - https://metro.co.uk/2020/05/13/pictu...work-12694839/

Whats the probability of there being a furloughed bus driver on Southend beach in that picture? High

[Fulmar]

Well, many are furloughed because the policy still is to keep people off public transport ergo they are running fewer buses and trains- or were, at least! People are being applauded for NOT going on buses and trains. No doubt many of the currently furloughed will sadly find themselves without a job eventually and through no fault of there own though of course, you won't ever accept that.

[orkneycadian]

And the trouble is with so many bus drivers being on furlough, is that key workers, like nurses, then have to cram onto very full buses in order to get to their place of key work.

Google is now full of opposing legal opinions from the vulture lawyers, some looking to gain clients who don't want to go back to work whilst they can still get paid 80% for doing nothing, whilst others are looking to gain clients in employers who's staff will not come back, even though its been made safe for them to do so. Of course, most of this is in England.

And I agree, there are going to be a tremendous number unemployed after this. But are they blameless? Possibly, possibly not. If they have in the past, turned up their nose at the prospect of a secure border (like Australia and New Zealand have), then they have contributed to the situation. If they went on a holiday in January / February / March then cried out to be rescued by the government, after travelling abroad knowing what was coming, definitely not. If they could have gone back to work safely in England, but thought an 80% paid holiday was a much better bet, then absolutely.

[orkneycadian]

Ah, seems that my article on the matter, under my journalistic pen name of Simon Walters, has been published - https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...d-rapidly.html