[Johnny 1989]

British unions are far from perfect, but the problems in them are due to ineptitude and inefficiency rather than organised crime thank goodness. There is the odd overly-politically ambitious person who imposes a personal agenda to the detriment of the whole system, and thats never good, but we are definitely far better off with them than without.

Johnny, don't let them tell you that being an American company precludes their workers from representation by a trades union, that's utter rubbish. They are trading in England and subject to British trading and employment laws, and you ARE entitled to be a union member and to benefit from union representation and advice. You should contact a suitable union - even if you aren't a member they will advise you free of charge - and get one of their legal people to look at your terms and conditions. And if you are working without a current employment contract, your employer is acting illegally and needs to rectify that. Without knowing more about the company I can't be more specific than that, but seems clear that your employer isn't exactly up to date with their employment practice.

The problem is Yudster is that several people have left because of reasons like this, the firms response, give the work to whoever is left. Time to look round for a new job in the new year me thinks, planned to stay there 5 years, been there 7 years, time to move on.

[Yudster]

Good luck with whatever you decide Johnny.

[Boboff]

Sick pay is a real pain.

When I was running a business I thought it was unfair that Salaried people ended up effectively getting sick pay, and hourly paid did not get anything for the first two or three days then the statutory minimum. So I persuaded the Chairman to change it so everyone go it. It ended up within a year that on average hourly people were having about 50 days a year paid sick pay. That was not affordable so we had to stop it, and then get rid of it for Salaried people as well. It was a shame, but as some take the micky it was not sustainable.

The civil service is really the only bastion of "duvet days" left in this country. Yes it's crap, but it the way of the world.

Even without pay for being sick, hourly paid people had on average 10 times more sick days, than those on salary.

[Yudster]

People can be arses.

[Johnny 1989]

Sick pay is a real pain.

When I was running a business I thought it was unfair that Salaried people ended up effectively getting sick pay, and hourly paid did not get anything for the first two or three days then the statutory minimum. So I persuaded the Chairman to change it so everyone go it. It ended up within a year that on average hourly people were having about 50 days a year paid sick pay. That was not affordable so we had to stop it, and then get rid of it for Salaried people as well. It was a shame, but as some take the micky it was not sustainable.

The civil service is really the only bastion of "duvet days" left in this country. Yes it's crap, but it the way of the world.

Even without pay for being sick, hourly paid people had on average 10 times more sick days, than those on salary.

Yes it's true that there are those who take the piss, they do it in my place, but why should those who very rarely take sick days off, if ever, get punished because of these pricks, they should be hauled in the office for multiple sick days, not those who are genuinely sick once in a blue moon.

[Boboff]

Trouble is, its those same pricks who know all about harassment and tribunals.

As a man, a woman saying she has womens problems, well thats it, cart Blanche to have as many days as she likes without question!

[Yudster]

Trouble is, its those same pricks who know all about harassment and tribunals.

As a man, a woman saying she has womens problems, well thats it, cart Blanche to have as many days as she likes without question!

I spent ten years in the civil service and it never seemed like a free for all to me. And as for "women's problems" - not a chance, unless you were hospitalised and could prove it you had the same rules as everyone else! These rules included signing a document giving permission for HR to contact your doctor, and one for your doctor to authorise them to speak to HR, if you had more than 10 days off sick in any 12 month period. That would account for less than one day off per month (for the apparently lying "women" out there....) and given that a proper dose of flu can keep you in bed for at least a week, let alone recovering properly afterwards, this always seemed harsh to me.

It might have been different in other departments, but I have to say the staff in our organisation - before we were engulfed into DEFRA - were the least likely people to take the piss anyway. After the takeover it was clear that the career paper shufflers (who probably comprise most of the civil service, although I hadn't realised it until then) had no such integrity and were happy to screw as much out of any and all the systems as they could.

[MK Chris]

Not entirely the same thing, but this did remind me of my aunt... back when she worked for Bearings Bank in London, she was caught fare dodging on the Tube (in the days before every station had barriers) and was prosecuted in a joint case for multiple fare dodgers... she was the only one who got off because she told the judge that she just came on her period and needed the money for tampons.

[Zoot]

Managed to steam a nice big chunk of skin off my arm tonight and now I can't sleep because of it hurting.

Gawdammit.

[DevilsDuck]

Emails from people telling me how to do my job!

If was as easy as they seem to think it is then I wouldn't be classed as a "Specialist", do your own job right before you start telling me to do this and that "now!"

Grrr

[Boboff]

I feel poorly..........

[Munki Bhoy]

Russell T Davies - you self-indulgent self-important twat.

[McGuinness-89]

Geronimo....hmmm.I liked that Mickey and Martha got married and were fighting Sontarons though.

[Yudster]

Russell T Davies - you self-indulgent self-important twat.

He isn't a very appealing person is he. But whilst he's been responsible for some truly terrible storylines and scripts, he's done some brilliant ones too. Anyway, the little glimpse of Matt Smith was promising I thought, I'm looking forward to his Doctor, much as I love David Tennant.

[Johnny 1989]

I rather liked the last 10th Doctor story, just sad that we won't see Bernard Cribbins in it anymore

[Munki Bhoy]

Russell T Davies - you self-indulgent self-important twat.

He isn't a very appealing person is he. But whilst he's been responsible for some truly terrible storylines and scripts, he's done some brilliant ones too. Anyway, the little glimpse of Matt Smith was promising I thought, I'm looking forward to his Doctor, much as I love David Tennant.

Yeah, he looked like he might have some promise. I'm looking forward to seeing what Steven Moffat can do with the series. If the likes of Blink are anything to go by, we could be in for a cracker.

I would just like to say that I really enjoyed the Doctor's last outing. It was well done, a good storyline, I loved the way they had us all waiting for the Master to be the one that knocked four times and saw the end of the tenth doctor... only for it to all be over and you think he's cheated it when those knocks came so innocently.

No, the problem I had with it came after that with "the reward". If he'd gone from that booth and been helped back to the Tardis to regenerate then fair enough. But no, we had to have the farewell Russell T Davies show, going back over pretty much everything he had done in the last few years. Yes, it was nice to see how some of the characters stories finished. Finishing Donna's story, fine. Martha and Mickey? Maybe, but that didn't really finish much. But Rose? Her story was long since done with a happily ever after, that was just ridiculous. And the bar full of every sodding alien we've seen in the last few years? Bugger off. All that was missing was shoehorning Christopher Eccleston into the storyline as well. I wouldn't be surprised if he thought about it and didn't because Eccleston said no.

I thought I might shed a few tears when David Tennant left. I didn't, I was far too busy being pissed off - although that last line nearly snapped me back round!

[Yudster]

I thought I might shed a few tears when David Tennant left. I didn't.....

.......I did. I agree about the masturbatory scriptwriting at the end though. Total self-absorption by RTD, I'd be surprised if David Tennant wasn't embarrassed by it on some level or another.

[SAV1OUR]

John Simm seemed so desperate to separate himself from Life on Mars that his acting became cartoon-like. As for the old geezer, forget his name, that was like a hardcore Dr Who fan finally coming out from behind the sofa and pleading with him to stay. Alas, it was a televisual event.

I think the slow finale for Tennant was a bit of a gamble in the end, all these years the Doctor had been eccentric, then it's business as normal right at the end with the new Matt Smith who we haven't got to know yet. It was a great monologue, though.

New show now, re-branding, new tardis. Good luck.
RTD - for all his self indulgence deserves great credit for everything, what a show.

[Johnny 1989]

I admit the visitation of the old companions did go on a bit, however the only bit that did make me cry was when Wilf gave his final salute to the Doctor, I've never done that once watching Doctor Who, but Cribbins has just been fantastic throughout.

Shame he's not going to be in it anymore

[Nicola_Red]

I don't watch Dr Who. But Bernard Cribbins was on radio 2 on boxing day so they played Right Said Fred - its second outing in two days on radio 2 in fact. I love that song.

[pjordan2000]

So sad Gavin and Stacey is over. I wish the ending was a bit better done.

I quite liked the ending to be honest. I thought ending it with all four of them together, was kind of like how the first episode was and ended it all off nicely.

Still very sad that it has ended though

[Johnny 1989]

I don't watch Dr Who. But Bernard Cribbins was on radio 2 on boxing day so they played Right Said Fred - its second outing in two days on radio 2 in fact. I love that song.

Yeah I downloaded it in time but didn't listen to it until yesterday (a bit odd hearing Christmas songs on 3rd January) & really like that little tune. I didn't think they did too badly actually (but then again as a fan of the Doctor Who I probably would be biased) I didn't want to turn off at any point like I do with Mills/Cotton/Grimshaw.

[Yudster]

Bernard Cribbins has been a revelation lately. I knew how hilarious he used to be, but I was pleased to see he's got even better with age and I imagine most of you lot are experiencing his brilliance for the first time really. Wasn't he good on Buzzcocks? I think that was my favourite episode ever. Noel Fielding seemed genuinely gobsmacked by Cribbins too, I liked that.

[Latina]

Today is my first day back at work and I'd been hoping Chris (Moyles) would be there with me.

[pjordan2000]

You're working at Radio 1?