Power to the people

The cuts have also began to hit the school where two of my children go to and just lately most of the Mums have been talking about one of the popular teachers who was told she was being made redundant. She was phoned up on her mobile while she was shopping in Waitrose to be told she was being made redundant. That's a nice touch, wouldn't have speaking to her face to face been more suitable?. As a result of the shock of this she collapsed in the middle of the shop.

As more was found out a petition was started to say that the parents objected to the decision to make this teacher redundant and would they reconsider. Even parents of children who had left school in previous years wanted to sign the petition.

As the petition grew bigger other teachers were saying to the parents that they should stop the petition as there was no point. Also the teachers were saying that it was upsetting the children as they began find out that one of their favourite teachers would be leaving.

A committee meeting was held on Thursday and as parents waited to find out what was happening and today were issued with a letter saying the redundancy process was being stopped.

This is a copy of the letter which was received today. I say this petition has helped influence this decision. We will have see how this develops. I say Power to the People!.

Say Hello, Wave Goodbye

In my last post I said about the Lady at work who was losing her job as a result of the department she works in being closed down due to cuts.

I was in the bookshop dropping some parcels off and I saw her in the bookshop and she came up to me and said that it was her last day today. I was shocked and I said I felt sad because even though I might only see her for a few minutes every day she always managed to make me laugh. I just gave her big hug and I said was going to miss her.

Today I went into the office to collect the post and turned to where she normally sits and I was shocked to see her desk completely empty. Any sign of her existence had gone. It all seemed very final and it feels like you are losing part of the family.

Cuts.com

Everybody has heard about George Osborne's spending cuts on the news and on the radio but where I work it is happening all around me. Everybody is worried and there are news on the radio and newspaper of possibly more redundancies but this is already on top of people who have left.

As part of my job I visit lots of departments on a daily basis and just this week I heard that an entire department I visit is going. it is almost like a family and you see the same people everyday and I notice when people are missing. I feel sad because the Lady in that office is leaving. I have got to know her over 6 years and she has helped me on my way and she makes me laugh. Another Lady in the same office has been there for 19 years and she is leaving.

People went to a large union meeting yesterday and then later you see whole offices closed for meetings, people talking in small groups saying things like how do I know my job is secure.

Another department is going next July and Clare who works there says she is gutted because it has become part of her life and she doesn't know what she is going to do. She says you have to be grateful now for everyday you have a job. See what happens tomorrow.

Taking Risks

Having read on the scrapping of the 104 week linking rules on benefits & work & where's the benefit? means taking a big risk. I started work for the agency in April 2010 so the linking rules would have covered me up until April 2012.

Part of my decision to start work with the agency was based on knowing that I was covered by the linking rule and would be able to fall back on if things go wrong. After 31 Jan myself and probably many others will no longer be covered. Whose idea was it to scrap the linking rules?.

Luckily things haven't gone wrong but in the current climate anything can happen. This must be a worrying time for disabled people wanting to try work or been in work for a little while.. I was talking to a CAB worker today and they said that if I lost my job that I would probably not even get ESA as I have been working and would have to go to JSA. It is at the back of my mind and that's where its staying at the moment. I just go from week to week without making any big plans and then hope I get a text saying I am needed the next week.

see ya