Get on a bus and find a job

[Dai]

Perhaps some sort of time-limited travel pass could be considered? Not extra cash but a pass that could only be used workdays for a limited number of weeks. That could help people with no savings or spare cash to get the start they needed.

[Ramrod]

Originally Posted by haydnwalker

I think it's fair to say, if you are single, and don't have any other commitments, then travelling an hour for a job (which is average commuting time) is reasonable.

A lot of people I know aren't single and do have other commitments but still get up at the crack of dawn, commute and get home late in the evening....

Originally Posted by haydnwalker

Commuting a little isn't an issue, but an hour on the bus, at quite a chunk of cash, would put people off.

Says something about those people....

[Mr Angry]

Originally Posted by bywater

Assume nothing the truth is there's nothing between any of the rotten lot. Each government blames the one before the pantomime just gets a tad boring and I find the demonising of poorer members of society is just evil along with racism homophobia and sexism.

Well said.

[punky]

Originally Posted by bywater

I find the demonising of poorer members of society is just evil along with racism homophobia and sexism.

How about demonising non-poor people? Or are they fair game?

I think IDS has a point ,could have phrased it better though.There is an element of society that thinks the world owes them a living .Having said that most people who want to work generally find a way to get to work be it bus ,train, bike or shanksies pony .People with commitments i.e family or even in the case of single young men with a car he/she needs to pay for will usually find a way to make things happen .As far as commuting is concerened i do a fair bit of travel to get various sites ,not all sites i work on are in newcastle ,i am currently working a lot in peterlee ,at first it was an inconvenience getting up an hour earlier now it is routine and i daresay that is the same for most commuters

---------- Post added at 19:47 ---------- Previous post was at 19:44 ----------

Originally Posted by punky

How about demonising non-poor people? Or are they fair game?

I don't think anyone is demonising poorer members of society just those members that think work should come to them and refuse to be inconvenienced in any way i.e travelling more than 15mins to work

[Gary L]

Originally Posted by Chris

Actually that's exactly what I was thinking. It was an interesting and informative post ... right up until the point where he made it party political by laying into IDS. "Next we will be hearing Ducan Smith say get on the plane and find work."

Isn't it because it was Duncan Smith that said get on a bus to look for jobs?

Yes, but it was then extrapolated into a silly extreme (get on the plane) - the argument of the absurd.

btw (and this isn't meant at you, Gary), when did saying "We need to recognise the jobs often don't come to you. Sometimes you need to go to the jobs." become 'demonising the poorer members of society'?

[Gary L]

Originally Posted by Hugh

Yes, but it was then extrapolated into a silly extreme (get on the plane) - the argument of the absurd.

Isn't that what we're discussing? whether getting on a bus to find a job is absurd?
if it's only absurd to go as far as getting on a plane, then what's left to discuss?

If anyone thinks getting on a bus to go to, or to find, a job is absurd, I would be very concerned for them - I see lots of people doing it every day (myself included).....

[Tezcatlipoca]

Originally Posted by Chris

... so says IDS. But the Unions are all a-flutter over it:

So, is this a perfectly reasonable suggestion, or are the Unions justified in making responses like:

?

Perfectly reasonable, IMO.

Back when I finished Uni, I went back to living at my parents' house. After a month on JSA, & then 6 months of crappy temp work, I finally found a "proper" job that was at least in some way related to what I had studied. But as my home town was not exactly overflowing with biology related jobs, it meant getting the bus to & from Cambridge every day, one hour each way, for a rather pathetic starting salary of £10k. I did eventually leave home & move to Cambridge, but only after around 18 months of getting on the bus to go to work.

[Digital Fanatic]

Originally Posted by bywater

Assume nothing the truth is there's nothing between any of the rotten lot. Each government blames the one before the pantomime just gets a tad boring and I find the demonising of poorer members of society is just evil along with racism homophobia and sexism.

Well said

[LondonRoad]

The point that seems to being missed here is that IDS has demonised all unemployed people.

Yes there is a section of idle layabouts who wouldn't walk the lengths of themselves to get a job, never mind get a bus.

I doubt very much if the many honest people desperately seeking work will be taking too kindly to the generalised statement IDS has made. Insensitive to say the least. Talk about kicking people when they're down.

If this is an example of the caring side of the big society then we're well and truly screwed.

Originally Posted by LondonRoad

The point that seems to being missed here is that IDS has demonised all unemployed people.

Yes there is a section of idle layabouts who wouldn't walk the lengths of themselves to get a job, never mind get a bus.

I doubt very much if the many honest people desperately seeking work will be taking too kindly to the generalised statement IDS has made. Insensitive to say the least. Talk about kicking people when they're down.

If this is an example of the caring side of the big society then we're well and truly screwed.

Here is the actual interview - Link

Could someone please show me where he has "demonised all unemployed people"?

I heard him say "when there is work available, we expect them (unemployed people) to make a reasonable effort to take that work" - who the hell does he think he is, expecting a reasonable effort from people?

Or are we, as is so common, basing our comments on what commentators, who often have their own axe to grind, have interpreted what he said to suit their own agendas?

[Ignitionnet]

I find the level of indignation from the unions and others over this absolutely comical.

Anyone actually watched the clip to see what IDS actually said and its' context?

If it helps he didn't refer to 'everyone' at any point. He referred to 'people'. Could have been clearer? Maybe. Justifying this response from the unions? In my opinion absolutely not and it's frankly bizarre for the unions to be commenting as they are and makes it entirely transparent that they are simply trying to stoke class warfare.

Incidentally that page actually contains the dreaded clip. Highly recommend actually watching this and checking the link out just to see the utterly comical nature of the words when considering what they are describing.

It goes way beyond defending their members and into their pathological hatred of anything that isn't the Labour obeying its' union paymasters. Unions are trying to flex their political muscle thinking the austerity programme will give them the means to whip up support, totally oblivious to the fact their thinking isn't relevant and isn't wanted. People may love what they have to say until they realise that to give the unions what they want will cost 25% more tax for all on top of all tax rises announced thusfar.

25% basic rate, 25% VAT, 50% higher rate sound good? Didn't think so.

EDIT: Bah, Hugh beating me to it with the link.

[Jon T]

Personally, I think the problem is people are interpreting what was said as a "one size fits all" collection of measures. Now sadly, this is the way the some people that work for Job Centre Plus will take and enact things. That's what worries me about this.

I don't drive due the disability, my commute costs me just over £25 a week, if I did the journey by two bus rides instead of a bus and a train then i'd spend just over £30. With lower fare subsidies for the bus companies, and train fares being allowed to rise greater than the rate of inflation, I wonder about the future affordability of public transport for myself, let alone the those trying to get a job.

Also, another point that confuses me. Why is there an assumption that the unemployed are all non drivers/non car owners? I wonder what the actual percentage is. Maybe holders of car/bike licenses should be subjected to greater scrutiny/sanctions regarding the job searching activities?