Open Association of Landscape Industries
The Working Man (and Woman)
As i'm sat here on my one day off thinking about the weeks work to come, it got me thinking about things.
I was brought up with parents and grandparents who worked hard for a living, My Grandad worked all of his life from the age of 14 until 3 months before he died, he did a whole range of jobs, had his own businesses and always worked to the best of his ability.
The same goes for my mum and dad, when i was young my dad started up a Radiator manufacturing company in partnership with my granddad (his dad) this didn't do too well so he started up another company Sleaford Engineering, This was a lot more successful and my mum and dad with my nan and grandad bought a convenience store shop aswell which was run primarily by my mum and nan, The engineering company was then based in a workshop and yard behind this shop, I lived here for almost all of my childhood above the shop. I saw my family working very hard seven days a week, making a success of both businesses.
Unfortunately things change and with my nan and grandad not getting any younger they decided to retire it was decided to sell the shop and another company took over dads engineering company.
Not long after my grandad died, we still maintain that it was the shock of stopping working that killed him.
My mum and dad still work hard my dad branch manages the cleaning firm that are contracted by Tescos, and my mum works with him as a janitor. They get up every day at 2.00 am and sometimes thats 7 days a week.
As a result of this upbringing i (and my brothers) have always had a good work ethic, I always have my dads well used saying in my head "If a jobs worth doing its worth doing properly" and I now take a lot of pride in my work, I always try to do the very best in my work, and i know my customers appreciate this very much.
In recent times I have found myself getting more and more frustrated by people who aren't interested in working whatsoever, You all know the type of people i mean, In our neighbourhood there are people that haven't worked for 20 years or more, claiming disability benefits and every other handout they can get, even though they have been seen doing cash in hand gardening work, but they get away with it constantly,
My fiancée always tells me not to worry about it and to remember that everything we have we worked for and that they have nothing to be proud of. But it's not that easy for me, Roughly every week my other half will get a text from these people asking to borrow money, I get "funny" comments when she walks past when i'm getting my van ready to go to work like "it's all go isn't it *chuckling*" or "you look busy *chuckle*"..... It drives me insane, maybe i'm just a bit of a grump!!
I just feel bad for the country because there are so many people like this nowadays and it is depressing, We are bringing our children up to work hard and enjoy the feeling of doing something with your life, yet we are surrounded by people who bring their children up to get everything they can from the state,
I hope things change in this country but i'm not sure how that would happen.
Add a Comment
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PRO Member Comment by andy@ Doughty Garden Maintenance on January 26, 2012 at 23:24 -
Thank you Rhianne, Very good reply with very true and interesting points.
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Comment by Rhianne Griffiths on January 26, 2012 at 23:02 -
Very interesting discussion you started Andrew. You have made lots of people think about this emotive subject.
I feel rather sorry for the individuals who think their lives are rich because they sponge off the state, and so afford luxuries on the back of it. It's a shallow, rotten existence.
They will never know the satisfaction resulting from succeeding at the end of a huge challenge.
If the figures quoted in the press are right and some of those people are getting £26K a year off the state, that is galling, when the Govt is doing so little to support aspiring business owners.
If my business had made that much profit in it's first few years of trading I'd have lived much more comfortably ... I did hurt when I had to cough up corporation tax and VAT.
But I succeeded in my business by applying myself 100% because I believe 'what goes around comes around'.
- The huge satisfaction I feel as a result is something they will NOT experience.
- The wonderful people I meet day-to-day in my business, they will NOT experience.
- The trust and loyalty people place in me and my business services, they will NOT experience.
Unless, the Govt does something to stop the cycle of events, those people will have lived poor lives indeed.
Incidentally, it is in the home and close family that standards and values are set for life ... I don't believe the Govt should be responsible for looking after those who will not take responsibility for themselves.
[Weak, sick and disabled people should be looked after].
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PRO Member Comment by andy@ Doughty Garden Maintenance on January 23, 2012 at 22:09 -
Thanks for you reply Steve, You obviously have a far better understanding of the politics involved behind what i have written, and it's interesting to read. I must admit that i am a bit of an ignoramus when it comes to things like that, My views are of a purely observational nature, bought about because of the street i live in where the people who work are very much a minority.
You and others help to broaden my viewpoint though, Thanks again.
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Comment by T & S Plants on January 23, 2012 at 21:19
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Andrew, thoughtful comments.
For 95% of the UK, all we have to sell is our Labour. We sell our Labour to the highest bidder, be it as Landscapers, Radiator Manufactures, Plumbers, Builders even Nursery Workers. The other 5% don't need to work, and register their homes in tax free havens, avoiding stamp duty when they sell them, so stealing from the other 95% of us! In a way, just like bankers.
The Social security network, from it's inception, was ALWAYS a safety net, and not a way of life! Goovernments of all colours have lost the plot on this, although to their credit, the last Government did achieve the highest working population in the history of the UK.
Schemes like welfare to work, are in essence facsist, since they devalue the work done by many working men and women to the lowest common denominator.
In this country, campaigns lead by mainly the press, media and establishment, have always blamed the poor, for the failings of the rich, today is no different. The establishment will do so, because of it's own consistent, and repeated failure, and it has the funding to do so. If we the people, ever thought for a moment that they could be wrong, well they can't be, can they.
So our ruling elite own 90% of our nations wealth, and the other 10% is owned by the likes of us. Until we change things, sadly, this is our society, so hence why some within our society are lead to claim from the likes of you and I, as they have given up hope. After all, they are only really following the example of our ruling elite that have robbed our country blind for years.
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PRO Member Comment by andy@ Doughty Garden Maintenance on January 23, 2012 at 20:24 -
That's interesting reading John, it certainly makes the right noises. And I agree that not everyone on benefits is avoiding working, It's the percentage that are that annoy me. Thanks John.
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PRO Member Comment by andy@ Doughty Garden Maintenance on January 23, 2012 at 20:19 -
Thanks for the reply Ofer ! an interesting viewpoint.
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PRO Member Comment by andy@ Doughty Garden Maintenance on January 23, 2012 at 20:17 -
Very True Yasmin, very true
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PRO Member Comment by andy@ Doughty Garden Maintenance on January 23, 2012 at 20:16 -
Nice 1 Richard, Thanks mate.
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Comment by John on January 23, 2012 at 18:51 -
Just read this,
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Premium Supplier Comment by Ofer El-hashahar on January 23, 2012 at 8:32 -
I understand it might be hard to hear comments from these people . In most cases they are probably wish to be in your situation , Andy. Someone that can take his life and do something with it.
It is a society problem when there communities living like that- you struggle to find same in other countries- for only one reason - they can get money with no work at all.
In israel I can tell you there was for many years10-12 % unemployment. 5 years ago many benefits were cut . As a result it is now under 5% unemployment.
(Do not get me wrong, I think israel economy too much supportive the reach ones, with very difficult life to young people.)
I remember the days that I employed people: some just did not work and I could not afford keeping them.
One nice thing at your work is that you meet lots of people and see how they live etc, you can work in beautiful places without needing to have them- far better than staying in bed.
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