- Notice
Justherefortittle
VIP Member
Been reading all your posts over last few days on the strike and its impacts etc
Haven’t had the capacity to respond before now because my NHS job has me working at least 1 extra hour on every day with not even capacity to draw breath in between jobs on any given day. Can barely say what I would like for dinner in the evenings never mind form or share an opinion.
I’m physically mentally and emotionally drained, all this whilst also dealing with life changing ongoing illness.
But I’m still giving my
and then some!
As someone in a professional role within the NHS I’m disheartened at how under pressure myself and some of my colleagues are at the absolute shambles the NHS is becoming.
The system is trying to maintain the health and wellbeing of such a large population, that’s even increasing in number of people it looks after and the complexity of illnesses & backgrounds these people present with.
Should that be addiction, cultural or gender to name but a few.
Don’t get me wrong, like any workplace, we have a broad spectrum of workers, lurkers and shurkers!
And there is a seemingly endless flow of extra layers of unnecessary bureaucracy being added daily preventing you from getting on with your job!
Should that be staff not willing to work, service user complexities or goalpost shifting to name but a few.
It’s frustrating not being able to get things across the line and just getting on with your job because someone with no clue feels the need to micromanage or not be held to account in making a decision in the appropriate manner.
All whilst rising through the ranks at a departmental or corporate level.
Agenda for change completely f&cked over professional and technical staff.
And whilst all staff should have equal opportunity for progression admin roles at all levels have just been pushed and pushed to getting the maximum out of any situation!
Nursing, medical and Professional & technical staff such as all the AHPs needed to be educated before they had any chance of a job.
An education at an expense of earning!
was almost on more money cleaning in the hospital I worked in the evenings and weekends than I was as a trainee in my profession!
But while those around me forgoed a university education and went on to work in the public or private sector.
lived on a pittance in the hope that one day it would be different- seems that day will never come!
Many of these same people funded fully for university degrees and certificates by the workplace and then coming in trying to influence and tell people how they should be doing as service managers or improvement leads.
I have colleagues who have many decisions to make like
- can only afford to have one child because of the cost of childcare
- accessing food banks
- heat or eat
All while wee Molly up the road who never worked a day in her life is giving them dogs abuse because she thinks she is entitled to something different, more, sooner or extra!
I was brought up to work and work hard but it’s getting to the point it’s hard to know how long that will continue.
Because I’m in work I’m perceived by many to be doing ok and not need help/support.
Should that be by my own managers, consultant or GP.
Last in line for help with things like physio because you know you must be grand if you are able to work!
Meanwhile Molly down the road is first in the queue for everything with her imagined, self inflicted or exaggerated for the dole issues.
Working my hours I am roughly £250 richer a month for going to work than I am sitting on my hole at home claiming sickness benefit, rent, rates, dental care & opticians (which cost me lots due to to my illness/treatment impacting other things)
I have increased heating costs due to condition & home - no one coming to me with a COL payment!
And that difference is largely spent pursuing alternative therapy’s or treatments to keep me ticking over month by month.
Not a lot to show for the road I took that I spent my late twenties early thirties paying back on in student loan repayments.
Added to that the benefit reforms squeezing the working poor or those with illness.
DLA change to PIP has caused more spongers than DLA ever did! It’s not geared towards anyone with physical issues beyond being completely unable to do anything for yourself.
Fed up with twats on TikTok advising those with self diagnosed ADHD or autism how to get the maximum out of it. Less able to prefer a meal for example than someone in agony with arthritis!
While people who try to manage best they get get screwed over again & again.
Compare Mainland Uk all you like - it’s not a fair comparison at all in terms of living costs, access to services or pay.
Structures etc also are a complete shambles.
Hence why we have admin/managerial twats who would have been very lucky to hold down a B5/B6 job here going across the water for a B6/7 or temporarily into the private sector and then trying to squeeze there way back in to NI Trusts or Public sector at 8a/8b level.
Could write a book on the lot of it
Haven’t had the capacity to respond before now because my NHS job has me working at least 1 extra hour on every day with not even capacity to draw breath in between jobs on any given day. Can barely say what I would like for dinner in the evenings never mind form or share an opinion.
I’m physically mentally and emotionally drained, all this whilst also dealing with life changing ongoing illness.
But I’m still giving my
and then some! As someone in a professional role within the NHS I’m disheartened at how under pressure myself and some of my colleagues are at the absolute shambles the NHS is becoming.
The system is trying to maintain the health and wellbeing of such a large population, that’s even increasing in number of people it looks after and the complexity of illnesses & backgrounds these people present with.
Should that be addiction, cultural or gender to name but a few.
Don’t get me wrong, like any workplace, we have a broad spectrum of workers, lurkers and shurkers!
And there is a seemingly endless flow of extra layers of unnecessary bureaucracy being added daily preventing you from getting on with your job!
Should that be staff not willing to work, service user complexities or goalpost shifting to name but a few.
It’s frustrating not being able to get things across the line and just getting on with your job because someone with no clue feels the need to micromanage or not be held to account in making a decision in the appropriate manner.
All whilst rising through the ranks at a departmental or corporate level.
Agenda for change completely f&cked over professional and technical staff.
And whilst all staff should have equal opportunity for progression admin roles at all levels have just been pushed and pushed to getting the maximum out of any situation!
Nursing, medical and Professional & technical staff such as all the AHPs needed to be educated before they had any chance of a job.
An education at an expense of earning!
was almost on more money cleaning in the hospital I worked in the evenings and weekends than I was as a trainee in my profession!
But while those around me forgoed a university education and went on to work in the public or private sector.
lived on a pittance in the hope that one day it would be different- seems that day will never come!
Many of these same people funded fully for university degrees and certificates by the workplace and then coming in trying to influence and tell people how they should be doing as service managers or improvement leads.
I have colleagues who have many decisions to make like
- can only afford to have one child because of the cost of childcare
- accessing food banks
- heat or eat
All while wee Molly up the road who never worked a day in her life is giving them dogs abuse because she thinks she is entitled to something different, more, sooner or extra!
I was brought up to work and work hard but it’s getting to the point it’s hard to know how long that will continue.
Because I’m in work I’m perceived by many to be doing ok and not need help/support.
Should that be by my own managers, consultant or GP.
Last in line for help with things like physio because you know you must be grand if you are able to work!
Meanwhile Molly down the road is first in the queue for everything with her imagined, self inflicted or exaggerated for the dole issues.
Working my hours I am roughly £250 richer a month for going to work than I am sitting on my hole at home claiming sickness benefit, rent, rates, dental care & opticians (which cost me lots due to to my illness/treatment impacting other things)
I have increased heating costs due to condition & home - no one coming to me with a COL payment!
And that difference is largely spent pursuing alternative therapy’s or treatments to keep me ticking over month by month.
Not a lot to show for the road I took that I spent my late twenties early thirties paying back on in student loan repayments.
Added to that the benefit reforms squeezing the working poor or those with illness.
DLA change to PIP has caused more spongers than DLA ever did! It’s not geared towards anyone with physical issues beyond being completely unable to do anything for yourself.
Fed up with twats on TikTok advising those with self diagnosed ADHD or autism how to get the maximum out of it. Less able to prefer a meal for example than someone in agony with arthritis!
While people who try to manage best they get get screwed over again & again.
Compare Mainland Uk all you like - it’s not a fair comparison at all in terms of living costs, access to services or pay.
Structures etc also are a complete shambles.
Hence why we have admin/managerial twats who would have been very lucky to hold down a B5/B6 job here going across the water for a B6/7 or temporarily into the private sector and then trying to squeeze there way back in to NI Trusts or Public sector at 8a/8b level.
Could write a book on the lot of it
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Shimmering
VIP Member
They want the strike to have an impact because it demonstrates the contribution they make to the smooth running of our society. I support them 100%. My union is not striking or else I'd be out too. They don't want to lose pay but they feel they have no choice.
I feel their pain. I'm in a decent job with a good salary and I can't afford my bills. DUP should be ashamed but they aren't.
I feel their pain. I'm in a decent job with a good salary and I can't afford my bills. DUP should be ashamed but they aren't.
Et tu Brute?
VIP Member
There’s nothing entitled about people who are striking on Thursday, nothing at all. If the pay disparity continues, there’s people I work with who will barely be on minimum wage very soon. Someone in the same job as me in England, earns £15,000 a year more than me. Exact same job. Let that sink in. I don’t want to lose money by striking but there needs to be impact.
Benefits increased 10% last year and are due to increase 6.7 % again in April. Thats 16.7% in 13 months yet workers providing the most important services are having to fight for scraps of a wage increase.
I appreciate concerns and frustration but the lack of executive and inaction by Westminster has caused this situation.
Benefits increased 10% last year and are due to increase 6.7 % again in April. Thats 16.7% in 13 months yet workers providing the most important services are having to fight for scraps of a wage increase.
I appreciate concerns and frustration but the lack of executive and inaction by Westminster has caused this situation.
Et tu Brute?
VIP Member
I honestly can’t listen to Jim, he’s bad for my blood pressure 
He hates catholics, women and everything that’s not a Protestant, unionist bigot. He cannot bear that his preference of oppression is no longer the case and the oppressed are now in the First Ministers seat. His reaction makes it all so much sweeter 
Sinn Fein may not be what you personally want for Northern Ireland, but democracy has spoken and at last, the voters choice has prevailed. (Apart from ELP, she must know too much and needs to be kept close. I’d love to know how that deal went
).
Now, I’ll have my pay rise please…..
(not holding my breath).
He hates catholics, women and everything that’s not a Protestant, unionist bigot. He cannot bear that his preference of oppression is no longer the case and the oppressed are now in the First Ministers seat. His reaction makes it all so much sweeter Sinn Fein may not be what you personally want for Northern Ireland, but democracy has spoken and at last, the voters choice has prevailed. (Apart from ELP, she must know too much and needs to be kept close. I’d love to know how that deal went
).Now, I’ll have my pay rise please…..
(not holding my breath).msmith2006
VIP Member
I hear ya - I never thought I'd be in a 100k+ p/a household and yet here I am - and I'm broke! Zero savings , thousands racked up on credit cards and only able to make minimum repayments. Last month we had to put a food shop on a credit card - it's not like we're out buying "fun" stuff. The DUP need to get their prehistoric cunty arses back to Stormont and start fucking working for a change. Hate the lot of them
msmith2006
VIP Member
I'll be striking tomorrow. Can't afford to lose the money but also can't afford not to. I'm a middle leader in a secondary school - husband has a good job and I am living in my credit card. Childcare £1550 a month. The system pays you not to work. It's an absolute shitshow.
MaryLou32
Chatty Member
I fully support the right to strike, pay parity and fair wages. It is unfortunate public sector workers feel this is their only option but that’s the reality. If the only way to get what they deserve is by being a nuisance after years of calls for fair pay have been ignored then so be it.
Blame a greedy uncaring Tory government. Don’t feel slighted if you are a private sector worker- we are all in the same boat. A win for any of the ‘little people’ is a win for us all.
Some of the news this week reporting on how the strikes will adversely affect those who are most needy, cause widespread disruption to the regular man and how can the strikers in good conscience do X Y and Z -is a sneaky underhand diversionary tactic attempt to pull on the heartstrings, cause vitriol towards those who perform vital roles in our society and put even more pressure on them simply for asking for what they deserve. What we all deserve.
Please point your finger at where the blame really lies and don’t fall for their shit
Blame a greedy uncaring Tory government. Don’t feel slighted if you are a private sector worker- we are all in the same boat. A win for any of the ‘little people’ is a win for us all.
Some of the news this week reporting on how the strikes will adversely affect those who are most needy, cause widespread disruption to the regular man and how can the strikers in good conscience do X Y and Z -is a sneaky underhand diversionary tactic attempt to pull on the heartstrings, cause vitriol towards those who perform vital roles in our society and put even more pressure on them simply for asking for what they deserve. What we all deserve.
Please point your finger at where the blame really lies and don’t fall for their shit
Wee Nora
VIP Member
They built the interview up all evening and how it was such a historically significant day and then ask her about a funeral
kind of pales into insignificance when you look at what was going on in London 
They also painted ELP as some sort of victim. They said NI now has a FM who is the daughter of an IRA prisoner and a DFM who was a victim of the troubles. Referencing MON’s father but conveniently forgetting about ELP’s
Et tu Brute?
VIP Member
What’s the issue though? What if her jumper said Merry Christmas in Welsh? Would that be a problem?
It’s fear, fragile egos and supremacism that’s the issue here.
I cannot understand how the native language of the island of Ireland and the phrase Merry Christmas can cause offence and if any staff members are offended then perhaps they require diversity training.
Edited to add, I’m surprised you’re surprised that anyone would know what it meant. Of course people do.
Don’t unionists shop in Dunnes Stores? If not they are missing out!!!!
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Shimmering
VIP Member
I've a different job but my husband and I both work in well paid roles and we can't get to the end of the month without going into debt.
I read the thread of a twitter grifter who doesn't work and begs online and someone broke down their income - they are on a roughly similar income to me purely on benefits, the difference is im working full time and paying into the system. I'm not anti benefits at all. I'm left wing and a fan of the welfare state but I'm getting into debt for essentials and I see people on Facebook asking about when their next cost of living payment is coming through. It makes me feel like a fool.
My union isn't striking tmrw but if they were I'd be out in a heartbeat.
MaryLou32
Chatty Member
Sorry Grifty, but I have to call this out. Absolutely I have no issue with the fact that you aren’t a fan on SF BUT to say it’s because of their history is jarring.
If the RA were still doing the rounds and NI was anything like it was during the troubles- people would hate SF.
But here we are, no RA, we have peace, which SF have dedicated themselves to and legitimately pursued and people still hate them because of ‘the past’. They can’t win.
That’s the issue with this place. We will never move on because there’s always someone saying ‘oh but what about.’ ‘Remember when this happened’ ‘SF/IRA killed X amount of people’
Of course I’m not saying the past needs to be forgotten, I understand there is generational trauma and still a lot of hurt, but we all need to focus on moving forwards, not casting stones because of the past.
If anyone dislikes SF because of their current politics- no issue with that.
Wee Nora
VIP Member
So correct me if I’m wrong but wouldn’t it just have been better if they’d gone to work the last 2 years as nothing has actually changed anyway
---
Why he was even there in the first place is anyone’s guess but it really didn’t go well 
---
Remember last year Carla had that cosy trip to Westminster with binlid where he made veiled threats about “non political solutions” to the protocol and Carla kept calling him “Mr Bryson”Our goods from UK are marked NI only! I don’t see how it would affect EU ? I don’t see where the change is tbh …Have the moles been outed
Why he was even there in the first place is anyone’s guess but it really didn’t go well
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iadorethis
Well-known member
I too work in the nhs . Feel like the working poor, literally nothing left at the end of the month. No holiday since the year before covid , don’t live a flashy lifestyle at all. One electricity bill could push me into the red or mean an extra shift or two to pay it. Have two kids , had to change from creche to a childminder recently couldn’t afford to have to keep paying for bank holidays the creche was off and my work wasn’t. So disheartening the area I work in there is an emergency most days , I come home and go to bed replaying things I’ve seen in my head. I get a missed call from work and panic I’ve maybe forgot to document or do something. My revalidaton coming up so literally spending evening after evening trying to piece all that together and have the pleasure of spending 140 quid on that. I’ve done 3 degrees , but somehow feel like working in lidl/Tesco a few quid an hr less might be a better option for me. Saying that on the good days I love my job , but the fact is it’s depressing to be so undervalued. I choose my career and I honestly feel like scaling it all back I’ll still be broke but I won’t have the stress and jumping through hoops constantly.
MaryLou32
Chatty Member
Average age at least 65 there. Old people harking back to the good old days when unionism dominated and the fenians got fuck all. Ah well sure- they’ll all be croaking it in the next 10 years. Shame they will likely not be around to witness a UI
timemoveson
Chatty Member
Can we PLEASE make Flagatha Christie our next thread title??Not to worry if Jeff’s ousted, plenty more fish in the sea border
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I’ve been getting Truman Show vibes all my life
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Flagatha Christie….
Wee Nora
VIP Member
Twitter is my entertainment tonight. People’s royal theories are off the wall. Some reckon Kate and Charles are both already dead 
Others think Charles told Wills he was abdicating and Kate’s had a nervous breakdown. Someone else thinks Andrew’s unalived Charles. Not gonna lie I’m enjoying the drama people are creating lol
Others think Charles told Wills he was abdicating and Kate’s had a nervous breakdown. Someone else thinks Andrew’s unalived Charles. Not gonna lie I’m enjoying the drama people are creating lol
Justherefortittle
VIP Member
There’s the next thread title right there @Wee NoraFuelled by special mince and cream horns. Bring it on