If You fall Off the Employment Train ...

[Sukerkin]

Having spent a while unemployed after my bike accident, the rock-and-a-hard-place feeling that this young woman puts over hits very close to home:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/8015182.stm

Yes, there are those that 'work the system' but there are far more that are like this lass - stuck in a poverty trap because, even if jobs are available, wages are insufficient to provide a living.

Say a big thank you to the globalisation of labour and the destruction of the ability of working people to unionise in their own best interests.

 

[billc]

Is there a video with this article because it isn't showing up when I go to the link. What job did she lose that put her in her current position? Why did she leave home at 15? What is her educational background?

 

[Sukerkin]

It appears that the video embedded in the article doesn't work for viewers external to the UK. A shame as the young lady gets the point across quite well of how your are in a cleft stick if you fall off the full-time employment train.

She's quite clearly born here and has adapted/adopted her countries attitudes, including a 'Larndann' accent {} but is of what the PC brigade would call of 'ethnic origin'. I am ashamed to say I'm not sure what that ethnicity is other than being somewhat Arabic (maybe Turkish?); her first name is Bosnian in origin so her family may have been displaced from there during the civil war? What her education is the article doesn't say but her vocation is hairdressing. Why she left home so young is open to speculation but the obvious reason would be differences of opinion on Westernicity.

 

[billc]

My sister in-law is a manager at a hair salon and that industry is taking a big hit in these bad economic times. I have to think that her not being able to find work as a hair dresser has more to do with the bad economy, and less with global economic patterns and unionization of that industry. Once the economy picks up, and people have more money to spend, they will be returning to the hair salons and other places that take a hit when people are trying to save money. I wish her the best and hope something happens to help her out.

 

[Tez3]

This site might show the video to non Brits (obviously I can't tell!), it explains a lot of the terms used anyway.
http://www.nowpublic.com/culture/how-19-year-old-lives-50-week-uk

 

[oftheherd1]

I have heard of this situation in the USA as well. We have many problems in our economy and our solutions. I makes little sense that a person on welfare can get more on welfare than by working. There are probably many reasons for it. One can sympathize with employers who wish to pay as little wages as possible. Who works for such low wages?

 

[granfire]

You can work those jobs when you don't have to pay all your bills with it.

I think - without sounding sexist - most of those crap jobs are traditional female jobs. Still behind the times when women did not have to support themselves and families with their work.

 

[Tez3]

I have heard of this situation in the USA as well. We have many problems in our economy and our solutions. I sense that a person on welfare can get more on welfare than by workingmakes little . There are probably many reasons for it. One can sympathize with employers who wish to pay as little wages as possible. Who works for such low wages?

However this girl wasn't getting more on what you call welfare she was only getting £50 a week. Tbh there very few people who get more on 'welfare' than do working, if you are on a low income and have children you can get tax credits which significantly boost your income. This girl has the problem that is common to young people, that of minimum wage for her age, the EU wanted the minimum wage t be much higher but the previous government said no and theres no liklihood of this one agreeing either. The EU is blamed for a lot of things, wrongly quite often, but they wanted to bring in a lot more rights for workers and better pay but our governments have always said no.

 

[ballen0351]

One thing I never undstood is why my wife gets her hair done its its over a 100 bucks. I go to a barber shop and pay 12. Hair stylists should be making great money. Who makes all the money if not the hair dresser?
not sure if this has anything to do with the story but its something I've always wondered every time my wife says " I think il get my hair done this weekend" its like nails on a chalk board to my ears lol

 

[granfire]

One thing I never undstood is why my wife gets her hair done its its over a 100 bucks. I go to a barber shop and pay 12. Hair stylists should be making great money. Who makes all the money if not the hair dresser?
not sure if this has anything to do with the story but its something I've always wondered every time my wife says " I think il get my hair done this weekend" its like nails on a chalk board to my ears lol

The owner of the shop.
Also, it depends on the place she goes to. The fancy place pays better. Walmart? Not so much (besides they have insane hours and demands)
Plus of course all the incidentals, like water etc...power...

But generally speaking, as hair dresser/stylist you don't make much money unless you own the joint. And that is also the reason why there is one on every corner.

 

[ballen0351]

Hmmmm maybe I should buy a shop.

The owner of the shop.
Also, it depends on the place she goes to. The fancy place pays better. Walmart? Not so much (besides they have insane hours and demands)
Plus of course all the incidentals, like water etc...power...

But generally speaking, as hair dresser/stylist you don't make much money unless you own the joint. And that is also the reason why there is one on every corner.

 

[Empty Hands]

Hmmmm maybe I should buy a shop.

The owner leases out chair and space to the stylists, who are then responsible for maintaining their own client base, purchasing their own supplies (usually), and are not entitled to the benefits of employment like a 7.5% FICA tax rate or health insurance which the owner won't have to pay for. Leasing out to a bad stylist? Dump her and get a better one.

There are definitely worse business models.

Although it's not like that at places like SuperCuts.

 

[MA-Caver]

I fell off the employment train 9 months ago and haven't been able to climb back aboard since. It's not for not trying. Everywhere I've applied they say "no". So what's a poor boy to do?

 

[granfire]

do hair?

 

[Sukerkin]

Exactly, Caver :nods:. It's why I get quite hot under the collar with the "Get a job, slacker" type comments we see far too many of from otherwise perfectly intelligent and articulate people.

Over-qualified, under-experienced, too old, too young ... when I was on the rock and roll I heard all of those (tho' no employer ever dared to cite "hair too long" as a reason for not employing me :lol:}.

EDIT: "Rock and roll" is English slang for "Dole" (just in case that's not universal ).

 

[granfire]

Exactly, Caver :nods:. It's why I get quite hot under the collar with the "Get a job, slacker" type comments we see far too many of from otherwise perfectly intelligent and articulate people.

Over-qualified, under-experienced, too old, too young ... when I was on the rock and roll I heard all of those (tho' no employer ever dared to cite "hair too long" as a reason for not employing me :lol:}.

EDIT: "Rock and roll" is English slang for "Dole" (just in case that's not universal ).

ah, a bit of the good ole rhyming slang.....

 

[MA-Caver]

Dole stands for Rock and Roll? Oh how droll, who invited this troll? Lets put him up on a grassy knoll to end all this hyperbole, that was probably learned from some scroll from Seoul written by some old soul, with cold rice in his bowl that he bought with a lump of coal, while he was out for a stroll thinking of a slang that somebody else stole.

Ehh, not bad I reckon.

Usually when I'm out job hunting I do have nicely cut hair, short and all that bla bla blah, because even though my hair cannot in anyway dictate the kind of job performance that I can give, first impressions still help. :idunno: ...sometimes.

 

[granfire]

Dole stands for Rock and Roll? Oh how droll, who invited this troll? Lets put him up on a grassy knoll to end all this hyperbole, that was probably learned from some scroll from Seoul written by some old soul, with cold rice in his bowl that he bought with a lump of coal, while he was out for a stroll thinking of a slang that somebody else stole.

Ehh, not bad I reckon.

Usually when I'm out job hunting I do have nicely cut hair, short and all that bla bla blah, because even though my hair cannot in anyway dictate the kind of job performance that I can give, first impressions still help. :idunno: ...sometimes.

I'm rooting for ya, Kid!

Sucks left butt cheek not to have a job.

 

[MA-Caver]

I'm rooting for ya, Kid!

Sucks left butt cheek not to have a job.

Thanks, but I'd have to disagree... it sucks BOTH butt cheeks after 9 months, hell, after 3 months.

 

[granfire]

Really can't argue much with you there!