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Child Item

My unemployed story

Ajsoprano

I see a lot of dole bashing and if I get let go Id work in McDonald’s type posts. A lot of “they are always in the bookies” threads. So this is how the government of today has sorted out the “dole scrounger”.

I was a plumber in my early 30s making more money than doctors and accountants. All the overtime I wanted. Then things got bad and I was getting a few weeks on a few weeks off a few weeks up north then pretty much nothing.
Employers started only offering into the hand work where you had to get social welfare to make up your wage. I refused to avail of this.
I remember them changing how long your stamps lasted you until they started to harass you.
One day I was called to a meeting with a woman in the welfare office I brought my son in a buggy I thought it was just to drop in forms and the like. She moaned at me for bringing children to a meeting them tore shreds off me when I tried explain work was tight. She sent me to a private company under the jobbridge umbrella because I wasn’t getting the finger out.
First I had to do a course called steps which was a psychology type motivation course which I enjoyed and gave me a bit of confidence back.

I applied for all sorts of jobs but was told I was over qualified or I’d be back plumbing as soon as they trained me.
I went to intreo (New fas) and asked about the gas course for working on boilers. I was told I was the private companies now and intreo couldn’t deal with me.
The private company found me a placement in a car park in Dublin with an Astro and a dancing class beside a really rough flat complex. All these parents used the dancing school. There was no markings in the car park , my job was to be a yellow line. When a car parked where there was an imaginary yellow line on that day I had to tell them to move. I got non stop abuse nearly every day for a year. I also had to turn on and off the lights for the Astro in winter. I’m not one that worries too much about my mental health but looking back now I dreaded going to it and struggled sleeping on work nights. I asked for a safe pass and was told they were sorting one.
I complained about it and was told they have another opening for me in an even worse part of Dublin cleaning a green space and putting out chairs for meetings in a community centre. As far as I remember there was 3 months left on my placement and they wanted me to start this new one all over again so I stuck out the car park.
As soon as the car park job finished I emailed about the safe pass but they didn’t reply anymore.
I got s letter a week later to go to skillsteam another jobbridge type private company.
I had two meetings with them where they told me they’d only pay for my safe pass if I had a letter saying I had a job if I have a safe pass. The gas course was laughed out the door again. In meetings they kept pushing that they had retail jobs but I think this was a threat I don’t think they really had them.
Building of hotels picked up and I got a job. I got my own safe pass that Saturday and started on the Monday. I got a number of phone calls from skillsteam trying to find out my new job details so they could claim a few quid of taxpayers money for getting me off the register I never gave them to them but I’m sure they have ways around that.

I’m back working and paying between 1-200 euro a week tax no thanks to these kick the unemployed schemes.

There are people in my area that have never worked a day in their life that these schemes don’t bother. Who they will bother is you if you lose your job or your kids if they come out of school jobless.

Private companies shouldn’t be anywhere near the social welfare system and it sickens me that my tax goes to private companies to kick jobless people when they are down, humiliate them by standing them in a car park in front of friends and neighbours and parents from my kids activities.

Most people end up out of work at some stage in their life.

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weldoninhio

Ajsoprano wrote: »

They are being paid to kick unemployed while they are refusing old people a bit of extra coal during the next few days.

Surely that money could be spent on a bit of coal.

So the private company are in charge of kicking the unemployed and rationing coal?? That’s some business venture, you have to admire their balls to tender the govt for that contract.

[Deleted User]

Ajsoprano wrote: »

They are being paid to kick unemployed while they are refusing old people a bit of extra coal during the next few days.

Surely that money could be spent on a bit of coal.

No. They are being paid to encourage people back to work and in some cases into work for the first time after years on the dole.

Approximately 300,000 people are in receipt of the fuel allowance. I very much doubt that a few cold days after such a mild winter, will affect their ability to keep their homes warm. The elderly especially are well used to budgeting and will be well prepared for a blast of cold weather.

Ajsoprano

[Deleted User] wrote: »

No. They are being paid to encourage people back to work and in some cases into work for the first time after years on the dole.

Approximately 300,000 people are in receipt of the fuel allowance. I very much doubt that a few cold days after such a mild winter, will affect their ability to keep their homes warm. The elderly especially are well used to budgeting and will be well prepared for a blast of cold weather.

In February after things were getting warmer?
I’m sure if elderly deaths are up from freezing you will tell me
1 it’s a symptom of a recovering economy or
2 elderly freeze all the time in the US it saves on nursing home fees

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

Ajsoprano wrote: »

They are being paid to kick unemployed while they are refusing old people a bit of extra coal during the next few days.

Surely that money could be spent on a bit of coal.

Now; that's really struggling to keep the ire at the government going. Nobody is being paid to kick any unemployed person and the coal reference is just strawman.

[Deleted User]

Ajsoprano wrote: »

In February after things were getting warmer?
I’m sure if elderly deaths are up from freezing you will tell me
1 it’s a symptom of a recovering economy or
2 elderly freeze all the time in the US it saves on nursing home fees

Or 3. It’s the fault of a private company?

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

Ajsoprano wrote: »

In February after things were getting warmer?
I’m sure if elderly deaths are up from freezing you will tell me
1 it’s a symptom of a recovering economy or
2 elderly freeze all the time in the US it saves on nursing home fees

What has this to do with employment initiatives? Where do, February, cold weather and the economic recovery converge? And, what has the US treatment of elderly people got to do with any of this?

This has just turned in to waffle.

Ajsoprano

[Deleted User] wrote: »

Or 3. It’s the fault of a private company?

Money is being given to a private company. This money could be used for better things like giving the elderly a bit of coal or oil or gas.
This stops them from freezing to death.
Are you catching on?
Stay with me now. Normal people with normal human instincts hate to see elderly people being uncomfortable. They would be delighted if a minister came out and said “get the fuel go the relieving officer don’t be freezing yourself”.
What they can’t understand is the man in charge the running out and saying go easy on the coal don’t get yourself in debt. In a recovering economy where we paid one company 58.5 million to kick the homeless.
Can you understand that? I have an idea for a new thread will you be available for it or will an other chap do the later shift.

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

Ajsoprano wrote: »

I have an idea for a new thread...

https://imgflip.com/i/xv883

[Deleted User]

Ajsoprano wrote: »

Money is being given to a private company. This money could be used for better things like giving the elderly a bit of coal or oil or gas.
This stops them from freezing to death.
Are you catching on?
Stay with me now. Normal people with normal human instincts hate to see elderly people being uncomfortable. They would be delighted if a minister came out and said “get the fuel go the relieving officer don’t be freezing yourself”.
What they can’t understand is the man in charge the running out and saying go easy on the coal don’t get yourself in debt. In a recovering economy where we paid one company 58.5 million to kick the homeless.
Can you understand that? I have an idea for a new thread will you be available for it or will an other chap do the later shift.

But we are spending the money wisely on getting people back to work so they can contribute to the economy through increased spending money and paying taxes. A win-win situation.

Permabear

This post has been deleted.

[Deleted User]

Doctor Jimbob wrote: »

If only we had a state department for that and didn't have to outsource it.

Indeed. It’s a pity an outside company had to be brought in to show how the job should have been done.

Ajsoprano

[Deleted User] wrote: »

But we are spending the money wisely on getting people back to work so they can contribute to the economy through increased spending money and paying taxes. A win-win situation.

I was going to keep chatting to you and the lad that thanks every post that argues with me but I can’t be bothered any more.
I don’t believe you honestly feel this way.
People are starting to wise up to the recovery of statistic fudging and needy kicking.
When the homeless die in the streets over the next few days we will be told of their criminal record before we are told their name. You will say serves them right they shouldn’t have robbed some bread 10 years ago more and more people will role their eyes at you.

Ajsoprano

Permabear wrote: »

This post had been deleted.

You get something in return from the fuel companies.

[Deleted User]

Doctor Jimbob wrote: »

Any stats to back up these claims of success?

Not offhand. I’m only going by the number of people complaining about having to attend courses with an aim to getting them back to work. Such a shock to their systems after being treated with kid gloves, in some cases, for years.

Ajsoprano

[Deleted User] wrote: »

Indeed. It’s a pity an outside company had to be brought in to show how the job should have been done.

Are you suggesting we privatize the social welfare dept?

listermint

Tbh I would have gotten back into plumbing myself. Sure plumbers are naming prices most of the time .

Permabear

This post has been deleted.

Ajsoprano

listermint wrote: »

Tbh I would have gotten back into plumbing myself. Sure plumbers are naming prices most of the time .

Some do. The ones with a good sales technique or general air about them that gets them customers contracts or friends that help them out make the most. There are a lot of us working for these people on an hourly rate. Money’s not bad, not as much stress no debt. There’s pros and cons.
I’m happy what I’m doing now though, it’s much the same as plumbing but in a product I think will replace central heating in the next ten years.

Ajsoprano

Permabear wrote: »

This post had been deleted.

Often?

Permabear

This post has been deleted.

Ajsoprano

Permabear wrote: »

This post had been deleted.

1 quarter of the people who worked for the company for year for free got a job and you call that often?

Permabear

This post has been deleted.

Ajsoprano

Ajsoprano wrote: »

1 quarter of the people who worked for the company for year for free got a job and you call that often?

60 per cent of the people willing to work for free ended up getting a job at something else and didn’t go long term unemployed?
What’s the skillsteam stats?

Hitman3000

Ajsoprano wrote:

60 per cent of the people willing to work for free ended up getting a job at something else and didnâ€™t go long term unemployed? Whatâ€™s the skillsteam stats?

They got a social welfare payment plus a top up of 50 euro. Hardly free labour now and in a lot of cases invaluable experience and the prospect of a job.

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

Ajsoprano wrote: »

60 per cent of the people willing to work for free ended up getting a job at something else and didn’t go long term unemployed?
What’s the skillsteam stats?

You keep referring to people working for free. This did not happen - and you have been told this many times. You seem to be confusing it with the unpaid internships in some organisations in the US.

[Deleted User]

Permabear wrote: »

This post had been deleted.

The real measure of success isn't 'what they got in return'. The real measure of success is how many of the internees would have got a placement anyway, without the subsidy of public money. If there had been no subsidy, would these organisations have taken people on anyway, because they had essential work to be done, and just bit the bullet on paying them a minimum wage themselves.

Unfortunately, it's pretty hard to measure. If you ask the organisations in question, they will of course say that they wouldn't have taken people on without the subsidy - turkey's don't vote for Christmas, and they know which side their bread is buttered on, if you'll forgive the metaphors.

But when you see 'experience' being offered in stacking shelves and cleaning toilets, it is hard to take it seriously as a scheme to develop the skills of the internees.

[Deleted User]

AndrewJRenko wrote: »

But when you see 'experience' being offered in stacking shelves and cleaning toilets, it is hard to take it seriously as a scheme to develop the skills of the internees.

I think that’s what finished JobBridge. Although, people didn’t have to apply for those “Internships”.

weldoninhio

Ajsoprano wrote: »

I was going to keep chatting to you and the lad that thanks every post that argues with me but I can’t be bothered any more.
I don’t believe you honestly feel this way.
People are starting to wise up to the recovery of statistic fudging and needy kicking.
When the homeless die in the streets over the next few days we will be told of their criminal record before we are told their name. You will say serves them right they shouldn’t have robbed some bread 10 years ago more and more people will role their eyes at you.

Jean Valjean is homeless on the streets of Ireland?? Hahahaha

Jack Kanoff

weldoninhio wrote: »

Jean Valjean is homeless on the streets of Ireland?? Hahahaha

"Bring him home"

Permabear

This post has been deleted.