Jobs...........!

In around 1979 I started work. In those days it was generally easy to get jobs unlike now in the UK. Let us go down memory lane. The following I present are my key employments plus some minor ones..


i) Dannimac Shop Assistant.

This appointment was quite interesting at first. But ofcourse after a time it soon got dull. The job I had was at Suters which was a large store in Slough. Here, I advised ladies about clothing notably coats, and dresses. Naturally enough, I had to deal with money whenever anything was bought. I was trained by a certain Mrs Woodcock who was quite pleasant, but after six months or so I left.



ii) Department  of Health, and Social Security, or the Old DHSS (now notably known as the Jobcentre)


This employment involved right at the start with the signing of the Official Secrets Act. Several "top" civil servants in suits witnessed this. The job itself sometimes involved writing out benefit giros, and a certain degree of filing was involved. Moreover, I would act as the "messenger boy" by taking case files to certain departments of the DHSS. Ofcourse, computers as we know them now did not exist. I was there for about six months...



iii)  Sony

Sony was on the Bath Road which goes through the trading estate of Slough itself. This was possibly my most pleasant job. Like the above it was in essence a clerical employment in which filing, and being contacted by customers was the norm. There was also something akin to what might be termed primitive "computer" screens on which the part numbers of various mechanical parts could be sourced.


One pleasant experience of it was seeing a Japanese man who seemed to come from the shop floor with his overall. He asked me how I was getting on at Sony. I said things seemed to be alright. I noted his name badge....Mr. Honda. After talking with him I asked the office manager whether this was the real Mr Honda. He confirmed that it was.



I have done any number of jobs. I worked in a solicitor's office....shop assistant in Harris the carpet shop...an operative at a silk screen printer in Alpha Street Slough.....sold Kleeneze items door to door....learned something (!)about castors at Flexello.....and so on.



Right at the start of this brief "article" I mentioned how easy it was to get a decent job in the past......but now things are so different. One can apply for literally hundreds upon hundreds of jobs and get the usual automated message from employers that they have a massive volume of people applying for the same job, and only those who are shortlisted by them would be contacted for an interview... in say a few days, or even weeks...and ofcourse, nothing happens except dead silence. I remember someone telling me that there was a job for a receptionist, and over one thousand people applied for it! 



Are the Unemployed Economically Inactive?


The answer to this depends on what we mean by economically inactive. Most unemployed people are active in the sense that they spend most, or even all their dole money on goods, and services. This means they have been contributing to society, and the economy. The money they originally had is simply recycled continually (ie. it is not lost, or wasted), and hence, the country benefits. It could be argued that the unemployed are not a drain on the system but instead a benefit. Ideally though all people should be spending their own earned money rather than relying on the state. But this is not always possible.


The Universal Basic Income


I should state here that I am a great believer in the introduction of the Universal Basic Income. This is the giving of enough money to live on as a right to every person in the land. People can then do what they like with it including the possible setting up of a small business. It is far more advanced, and flexible than the so-called Job Seekers Allowance, and its successor Universal Credit.

 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basic_income



Shelter

At the time of writing this I am acting as  a volunteer at Shelter which is the UK charity for homeless people and other relevant issues. I serve customers free tea, and coffee plus biscuits. On occasion though I am on the public computer typing. But I do my duties ofcourse when called upon.....

I should also say that unlike certain people in Slough I never drink alcohol, or take drugs, and I have never served time in prison!Yet, all the same I had to go through certain background checks, and was accepted by Shelter.

Also, some of my customers in the street have come up to me and thanked me for my simple catering service. One lady claimed that I spoke like an actor!!

 Infact, I do talk quite alot to the customers (who I may have had contact with before) when they come into Shelter as I know lots of people in Slough..notably those on the road. I can often emphasize with their situation as I  know what it is like to be homeless in the past..Indeed, two female ones  tried to kiss me but in vain...and in one instance I was given a £20 note!


Apart from all this I have sometimes helped people with filling in their various forms. I was surprised to discover that on occasion some of the clients in Shelter could neither read, or write. Hence my help where and when  necessary. Also, I have also helped in the shredding of confidential files.


Another feature of Shelter recently is the introduction of soothing relaxing music such as Jazz, or similar "cafe" type sounds. The reason for this is simply people would have to wait for quite awhile to see  an advisor to discuss their case. And ofcourse this is the key reason why I serve tea, and coffee (plus biscuits if desired) .





The pic below at Shelter. I helped to set up a small  Holloween "party" in 2018. Also, I adjusted the two public computers to have relevant images on their screens.