A Very Dark Future

[orkneycadian]

I think that you should take that shocking statement back. Shame on you.

Feel free to be as offended as you like. A recent poll on the Orcadian website - https://www.orcadian.co.uk/online-po...-or-stay-home/ returned almost 80% saying they wanted to retain the "Stay at Home" mantra. But here in Orkney, you would swear that lockdown passed us by. Traffic levels have remained laregly normal throughout, and there are far more people out walking, cycling, running, exercising dogs, painting their houses, doing gardening. Joe Public has no problem going to the hardware shops to buy materials for home projects, even though such shops are only supposed to be open for essential supplies only.

Even here in Orkney, we have folk who are delighted to be at home, being paid 80% of their wages to either do nothing, or work on their pet projects. And just like down the country, when the suggestion comes along of relaxation of the rules, its "Oh no, we couldn't possibly support that - I still haven't finished redecorating the house, er, I mean, its not safe - Anyway, I can't speak any longer, I must nip up to Highland Industrial Supplies for some more paintbrushes and lawn feed, then pop in past the chip shop to get some tea to bring home"

Its happening here in Orkney, its happening in Caithness and all across Scotland and the UK. Come July, the government will ramp down furlough payments, and employers will be expected to pick up a part of it. That will send even more firms under. You can bet that in Scotland, Nicola is not going to say "So in England, they are ramping furlough payments down to 60%, but here in Scotland we are actually going to ramp them up to 100% just to show good we are as a government". Nope, she has no cash and can only depend on what the UK gives her. Meanwhile, we will have all the folk wondering if they should just accept the 60% anyway and continue the "its not safe to return to the office because even though I am at least 5 metres away from my co-workers, I don't think its safe - But keep paying me the 60% anyway please"

The title of this thread is correct - It will be a very dark future - But an almost wholly self inflicted one. With an awful lot of folk wishing that this virus was kept out of the country at the beginning after all.

[Corky Smeek]

she has no cash and can only depend on what the UK gives her.

If that's not an argument for Scottish independence I don't know what is.

[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.