Well done to the 50000 that applied for fruit picking jobs

Yes but we have the likes of Jacob Rees- Mogg who has time-travelled from back then

 

It was online, so presumably a mix. I think 3,000 is a fair sample.

 

Good for her. Not sure how that's evidence of your altruism though

 

statistically 3000 is a big group.

 

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/ar...0-English-workers-pick-crops-just-7-left.html

Literally who could have predicted this.

 

Been going on in that industry since mid 90’s, nothing new.

 

Asparagus cutting is probably the worst job in this line of work, it’s back breaking and pays very little money.
Did it for 4 years in between Flower season and cutting season in the 90’s.
We did it because there was no work for about a month so the £3 an hour was better than nothing, but most took the time off because they felt working for £20 odd quid a day wasn’t worth it (was earning £60-70 a day on flowers and over £100 cutting).

 

I don't mind holding my hands up and saying I simply wouldn't be able to do it. I have had a physical job in the past. I carried coal for a number of years, full time, part time, holiday work. It was the job I had throughout sixth form and University. And back then I would have probably worked picking veg had I lived in Lincolnshire rather than Barnsley. But I'm almost 50, my back's knackered, I've had one operation on it and regularly take pain killers just so I can stand up. And I sit behind a computer all day. I'm basically made of mush. I wouldn't last a day.

 

I did a lot of fruit picking in oz. it was backbreaking and very hard work. Flowers and strawberries were the worst. Melons and grapes I quite enjoyed but anyone thinking it easy work would soon have their opinion changed.

 

Same here. I’m only in my 30s and I’m fairly fit, but I wouldn’t be able to do it.

 

" A mate of mine looked into it and the farmers were requiring him to live on the farm, pay rent out of a salary and purchase any food from the farm. It would have left him with about £100 a month. Not very useful when he has a mortgage to pay."

If I remember my history lessons over 50 years ago I think they were called 'Tommy Shops' during that time in both agriculture and Mill towns where the workers were forced to use the shop owned by the employer and paid over-inflated prices. I seem to think also if they lost their jobs and were in 'tied' acommodation the family were evicted immediately without any notice.
Requirement to live in sounds fair given the hours (often there is an optimum time of day to pick certain produce- often at 'stupid 'o' clock' in the morning, but no way subsistence and accomodation it should be a deduction, but part of a benefits package, wage plus accomodation and meals provided. Not sure how it complies with 'minimum wage' legislation and also sounds like a bit of a tax fiddle for the employer, unless the cost of every item purchased from the 'shop' is itemised in their pay packet along with hours worked.

P.S. (I got a grade 7 'fail?' at O level I seem to recall so probably wrong)

 

If an employer has 88% of his workforce quit within weeks I'd argue the employer is the one with the problem

 

It’s just very hard and demanding work and if you are not adept physically you will make little money so get discouraged

 

Well done to your daughter - much needed work! I worked for 40 odd years in children’s social care & saw the devastation of “austerity” (I think the “no money left” was a joke but is now always used as reality!)

You say 3000 isn’t much of a sample but then use a single person (your daughter) as an example - a single person!

I wish her well in her future career - very very demanding but also rewarding. I worked with 1000s of families but, truthfully, only came across a small number who I would regard as feckless or scroungers

 

"Oxygen thieves"? Interesting to note how the value you place on life is dictated by the work people do, or don't do. I mean, I'm not keen on people taking the piss, but I don't quite get people who pick on someone who is probably ploughing their benefits back into the economy via 'cigs, booze and flat screen tvs' whilst having all the time on the world for people in big business who are actually starving people of oxygen by ploughing trillions into tax havens and denying people decent healthcare, housing, education etc..

 

Youve clearly not read enough sh1tty papers or benefit scrounging programmes on channel 5.

Interesting that the rich get 'Secret Millionaire' and 'Here's my billion dollar mansion'.

Anyone would think there's an agenda....

 

Clearly I haven’t! And indeed some of the areas I’ve worked in Eastwood etc feature on Scrounger Street (or whatever they’re called)

 

I find it amazing that a couple on UC can squander their £7128 a year (Without housing costs) on booze cigs and flat screen TV’s and @Trickster Two Six who's a high rate tax payer has to ‘tighten his belt’ when his wife’s income is reduced by 20%.

absolutely baffling.