Man On The Clapham Omnibus Posted April 11, 2013 Share Posted April 11, 2013 I've finished my popcorn and I'm off to the cellar for a beer! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woodman Posted April 11, 2013 Share Posted April 11, 2013 Off topic, but GOVT related Speaking as an owner of a small joinery works employing 6 people , I think one of the main problems we face today is that employment law and regulations designed to protect jobs are actually costing jobs For a small business without a HR department it is a nightmare contending with pension regs, maternity , paterinty, redundancy, paye etc etc. it has got to the point ( for me at least) , that unless you really need someone with specific skills it is not worth the bother. I am a joiner , not a social worker, Quite a few of my friend with similar sized business's agree. Do other small business owners on here agree or disagree? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Norman Verona Posted April 11, 2013 Author Share Posted April 11, 2013 Jeff, I agree with all you say except about Europe. We are just as much at fault in not applying for the grants available. We are treated as outsiders because we act as outsiders. All the other EU countries implement the EU directives that suit them and ignore the rest. We employ more civil servants to implement every last millimetre of every directive. I would like to agree 100% with your views about our armed forces but we can't afford it anymore so why do we have armed forces to defend us when what we need is intelligence against terrorists. The main issue, however, is would we survive in the world if we stood alone. I think not, it's hard enough to compete with China and now India. The US will do as they always do and take but not give. History shows they always undermine us. The Euro was becoming the worlds favoured currency in place of the Dollar. That's all changed now (which leads cynics like me to be suspicious). It will bounce back. It may take 10 years but the Euro will survive and will be stronger than before. Bob, the ships you cite were attacked by fighter planes. The Belgrano could have been sunk had she approached the conflict zone. 323 lives were lost on the Belgrano. She was outside the self imposed exclusion zone so should not have been fired upon. The cabinet changed the UK imposed rules just hours before the sinking. It wasn't our finest hour. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick Algar - Competition Secretary Posted April 11, 2013 Share Posted April 11, 2013 Off topic, but GOVT related Speaking as an owner of a small joinery works employing 6 people , I think one of the main problems we face today is that employment law and regulations designed to protect jobs are actually costing jobs For a small business without a HR department it is a nightmare contending with pension regs, maternity , paterinty, redundancy, paye etc etc. it has got to the point ( for me at least) , that unless you really need someone with specific skills it is not worth the bother. I am a joiner , not a social worker, Quite a few of my friend with similar sized business's agree. Do other small business owners on here agree or disagree? Total Agree stu. I have run business employing 450 people, down to just me. Both of those are pretty easy really, the former you have all the departments to sort these problems out, the later it generally doesn't apply. But having also run some at 25 up to 80 it's a nightmare with all the regulations, particularly over the last 15 years or so. The best thing goverment could do is just get out of the way and let people get on with it. The latest example of joined up Goverment thinking. From 2018, it will be illegal to let commercial premises without them meeting minimum insulation standards, seems reasonably sensible on face value. Until you realise a lot of storage factories aren't even heated Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Norman Verona Posted April 11, 2013 Author Share Posted April 11, 2013 Woodman, I agree. We're not as bad as France which is why we attract the big players who come to the UK to get in the EU. We need to streamline the red tape for small business. Having said that we, as in my business, don't have too much of a problem. In fact the only problem we have is recruiting decent staff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Norman Verona Posted April 11, 2013 Author Share Posted April 11, 2013 Nick, I've made that point, about getting government allow those that know do it, but I've said it about the NHS and education. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bhouse Posted April 11, 2013 Share Posted April 11, 2013 Off topic, but GOVT related Speaking as an owner of a small joinery works employing 6 people , I think one of the main problems we face today is that employment law and regulations designed to protect jobs are actually costing jobs I agree with that. Back in 2000ish I employed 12 people and the associated costs (over and above their salaries) were between 60k and £100k per year. Today, I employ no-one but myself. I use freelances as and when they are needed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woodman Posted April 11, 2013 Share Posted April 11, 2013 Well, it seems I am not alone. I really dont see why it should be my responsability to sort out my employees pensions, they work for me and I pay them so that should be the end of it, they should sort themselves out. Also, they can work for me for 25 years+, but walk in any time, hand in 2 weeks notice, and leave without giving a reason. Whereas I would have to give 3 months notice , pay 10K compensation, and still risk an unfair dismissal claim But never mind. 3 of them retire over the next 18 months and I dont think it will be worth replaceing them,sad really , but that is some of the reasons why the private sector has not filled the voids left by the public sector cuts Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Norman Verona Posted April 11, 2013 Author Share Posted April 11, 2013 Well I haven't argued with you but some things are far more efficiently dealt with at the business level. Like VAT or would you want to create another ministry to collect the sales tax? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XTR2Turbo Posted April 11, 2013 Share Posted April 11, 2013 As an aside I understand that after firing it's torpedoes at the belgrano the sub somehow damaged its torpedo slots and was effectively inoperable and had to head home. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Norman Verona Posted April 12, 2013 Author Share Posted April 12, 2013 It was the only nuclear powered submarine to sink another ship. Not sure that gives us something to be proud of though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kirkyboy5 Posted April 12, 2013 Share Posted April 12, 2013 Jimmy Savile greets his old mate, margret thatcher, at the gates of hell. "Now then, now then! What are you down here for?" asks Saville. "Shafting miners" she replied. "Me too" beams Saville beat that wingnut hahaha Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Norman Verona Posted April 12, 2013 Author Share Posted April 12, 2013 Dear Mr Kirkyboy4, May I refer you to your post on page 5, post number 54. Short term memory loss is curable you know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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