Will Lidl pull out of Bedlington

[Christopher Doyle]

Up until 10 years ago I had the type of job that took me all over the country.

I met with this "stealing our jobs" type during an after work pint in one of the local pubs.

Unfortunately for him and his 2 mates, my area manager was staying overnight with us before heading off to another part of the country in the morning. The conversation went something like this, but I have to paraphrase in places to keep it clean. See if you can guess where...

Local: "How about you [deleted] Geordies [go] back to where you came from and work there? You're stealing our jobs!"
AM: "Actually, we'd be happy to employ locals. It would save us fortunes in overnight staying away from home. Do you have the ability to spray industrial grade paint?"
Local: "Erm Whats that?"
AM: "See the red steelwork in that building site? We go in and spray a coat of paint on that steel that is correct to a 10th of a millimetre. Can you do that?"
Local: "Erm, [no. not really]."
AM: "Would you like to learn? we're always looking for lads."
Local: "I wouldn't get out of bed for less than £10 an hour!"
AM: "Actually, that's basically what we pay the young lad there who's job it is to make sure the pump never runs out of paint... shall we see you on-site in the morning?"
Local: "[no], I'm not working for you northern [people]. [deleted]"
AM: "So, even though we are stealing a job you can't actually do, and offering you a job you won't actually take, we're somehow stealing the jobs in your area? Please tell me more!"
Suddenly these lads had another place to be in. Unsure where they went.

 

In short, These people are more than willing to complain about people stealing work from them, but put them in a situation where they are getting the money they think they want, in exchange for their benefits and free time, they say "No" almost every time.
In my experience, the people who are pissed off about jobs being took, are the ones that don't want to work. The ones that do want to work are too busy looking for work to complain. (And are quiet enough to actually hear about opportunities...)

On a positive note though, One of the "coloured" gentlemen from the back of the bar overheard the conversation, and started work for us the next morning, while I trained the "Pot Laddie" up in Paint Spraying. With his limited english he was shown which numbers to look for on the side of the paint tins, and where to pour it.
I think that "Pot Laddie" I trained up actually owns his own spraying company now...

[Canny lass]

43 minutes ago, threegee said:

OK, there's a 't' in there too, and you reverse the order of the first and last words - but my version is far more appropriate.

Put your claws away. I am not afraid of them and neither am I impressed by them.  Tony made a simple statement in perfect Swedish. You said the translation was wrong. I disagreed with you and pointed out that your translation was incorrect. You go off the rails and rabble on about some Tony (?Tony p, ?Tony Blair) and his friends, which I don't understand. 

Would you care to explain the quoted sentence? Which first and last words have I reversed? And where is there a 't'? I really do not know what you are talking about.

[Tonyp]

But that's what your saying the thing is if some company's pay more they'll go bust,3G someday I might come back home one day & open a Polish delicatessen that's if wansbeck council will give me some good rental space at a nice cheap rate.To encourage business of coarse,I might even offer you a job & if you work hard I might even give you some polish sausage as a bonus & I'm sure you'd be grateful as you seem a nice hard working person as Cameron would say cheers

[Tonyp]

Mr Doyle your exactly right I experienced the same sort of nonsense when I first went to London

[Vic Patterson]

1 hour ago, threegee said:

 

You don't believe in the work ethic then?  The other way of looking at the stay at homes is that they free up work for someone who needs it more.

Threegee, I don't understand your logic! I believe my work ethic is as good as anyone, anywhere, ever! And is better than most, why do you say I don't believe in work ethic? I'm not implying you work for less money than the job pays but saying they shouldn't get any assistance if work is available. Assistance should not be more than fair pay! That discourages working.

I believe If you cannot work then you should get assistance, if you can work you should IF you want the benefits such as pay and pension etc. 

I believe No one who can work and if work is available should stay at home and expect others to work to support them, naturally there are exceptions mom,s, I'll and incapable etc. 

[Tonyp]

"Vic"! That's why you need migrants if you relied on 3G nothing would get done ha ha

[threegee]

16 minutes ago, Vic Patterson said:

Threegee, I don't understand your logic! I believe my work ethic is as good as anyone, anywhere, ever! And is better than most, why do you say I don't believe in work ethic? I'm not implying you work for less money than the job pays but saying they shouldn't get any assistance if work is available. Assistance should not be more than fair pay! That discourages working.

I believe If you cannot work then you should get assistance, if you can work you should IF you want the benefits such as pay and pension etc. 

I believe No one who can work and if work is available should stay at home and expect others to work to support them, naturally there are exceptions mom,s, I'll and incapable etc. 

Easy: It was a straightforward question, and not any sort of declaration.  You misunderstood.

You said: but if you give enough money without working why would you work?

The work ethic means you work because there is a moral imperative to work, and the money is secondary or completely irrelevant.  I see quite a few people here working on the land that don't have to. Some of them are totally geriatric, yet they come quite long distance to their family patch and put in hours in the sun. Some of the produce is simply gifted to friends and distant family. Why do they do it?  They have a built-in need to do it, they've always done it, and it keeps them healthier.  Without this they don't feel themselves a worthwhile member of society.

Of course I agree with you about benefits etc.

[threegee]

2 hours ago, Tonyp said:

But that's what your saying the thing is if some company's pay more they'll go bust,3G someday I might come back home one day & open a Polish delicatessen that's if wansbeck council will give me some good rental space at a nice cheap rate.To encourage business of coarse,I might even offer you a job & if you work hard I might even give you some polish sausage as a bonus & I'm sure you'd be grateful as you seem a nice hard working person as Cameron would say cheers

That's what happens Tony - simple economics!  Some dastardly union guy presses for far too much and the work goes to a Chinese sweatshop, for evermore!

Hey, even I know that Wansbeck Council is no more - and they say that I've been away too long!   I will pass on the job offer as it might mean I'd have to join a union, or is it double standards?

Cameron wouldn't know what a working person was; he's never held down a real job in his entire life.  Nor will he ever!

[Tonyp]

you never mentioned the thousands of British car workers working for the Germans who could pull out