Coronavirus outbreak

[Pat "5mph"]

support your corner shop by buying there and you'll have contact with fewer people

Tried, this is not working for me.
My local shop, apart from being mainly an off sales, has been full of folks ignoring the social distancing rule.
Even the owners are not complying, in spite of me having told them it's dangerous for them.
We are behind: in Germany shops workers have a shield in front of the tills, most are card only, there are distance markings on the floors.
Here, nothing.
Hairdressers are still open.
Small shops are still open, there is no way to follow the social distance rule unless each and everyone of us are aware and complying.

 

[glasgowcyclist]

The

I've not said they were a bad employer.
80% of salary will be based on average earnings? Do you know over what period?

According to the Beeb, staff will get full pay for their scheduled hours.

“The chain said staff employed directly by the company would receive full pay for their scheduled hours until 5 April.​

​

By that time it expects the government's financial aid package, announced on Friday, to have kicked in, with staff paid 80% of their wages.​

​

A spokeswoman told the BBC she expected McDonald's franchises, which decide their own pay policies, to follow suit.”​

 

[Dave7]

support your corner shop by buying there and you'll have contact with fewer people

What corner shop??

 

[Mugshot]

The


According to the Beeb, staff will get full pay for their scheduled hours.

“The chain said staff employed directly by the company would receive full pay for their scheduled hours until 5 April.​

​

By that time it expects the government's financial aid package, announced on Friday, to have kicked in, with staff paid 80% of their wages.​

​

A spokeswoman told the BBC she expected McDonald's franchises, which decide their own pay policies, to follow suit.”​

That's it.
So if you're on a Zero hours contract, what would you get 80% of?

 

[Smudge]

Ours and many other countries are going to be so broken financially after all this. I cant imagine how long it will take to get back to anywhere like before.
2008 crash.... austerity..... you aint seen nothing yet.

 

[tom73]

Speaking of food, is anyone thinking about going for a last McDonalds?

I was, but irritatingly I just don't feel hungry - I can normally wolf down a breakfast muffin burger without a second thought.

Mention of McDonalds on here usually leads to some knee jerk abuse of the company and the quality of their food.

But they've always taken a nicely laid back attitude when I've wanted to use their premises as an office - never any pressure to buy stuff.

On a more serious note, the drive through has been something of a life saver for me a few times during my illness.

It's a good option when you lack the energy to buy ingredients and cook them, and even lack the energy to walk into a normal takeaway.

I don't kid myself the stuff is in any way healthier than any other takeaway, but another benefit is I reckon it is at least hygienically prepared.

I've seen a few takeaways prosecuted under food hygiene regs, but never a McDonalds.

I know the Police have been making good use of McD free food for NHS and emergency service staff before they close.
Plenty has been backing it way back to the station over night.
Mrs 73 only went for a drink and ended up with a free breakfast. She'd just finished a night shift so will let her off

 

[Pale Rider]

I've not said they were a bad employer.
80% of salary will be based on average earnings? Do you know over what period?

I didn't say you said they are a bad employer, but by bringing zero hours contracts into it, you seemed to be inferring being on zero hours would count against the employee in this instance.

As with so many of the bolder statements made on here, a little research reveals there's more to it.

I believe the wages are being paid until the first week of April, perhaps until the new financial year.

Not long, but deemed to be long enough for the 80 percent salary scheme to kick in for those that qualify for it.

The table clearing ladies also told me the zero hours contracts suited them, which surprised me because I thought zero hours contracts were universally a bad thing.

I think they suit some of the younger employees in particular, but I'm sure @Pat "5mph" has posted she was happy working on one.

As far as I understand it, the closing pubs advice has no legal status. Scotland has now remedied this and no doubt will be enforcing it. England and Wales will get there too at some point, no doubt.

EDIT: Last sentence is outdated, apparently, according to @Pale Rider above.

Looks like a pub in Glasgow has been shut for virus opening using existing police powers to close any disorderly house.

Mention is made of specific law on the virus to be passed in Scotland 'within a few days'.

https://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/news/5413995/greenock-pub-cheers-shut-down-police/

 

[marinyork]

Tried, this is not working for me.
My local shop, apart from being mainly an off sales, has been full of folks ignoring the social distancing rule.
Even the owners are not complying, in spite of me having told them it's dangerous for them.
We are behind: in Germany shops workers have a shield in front of the tills, most are card only, there are distance markings on the floors.
Here, nothing.
Hairdressers are still open.
Small shops are still open, there is no way to follow the social distance rule unless each and everyone of us are aware and complying.

Mixed here. Distance markings appearing on quite a lot of floors. Others nothing. A number of places took card only (cafes and pubs well before closure- they are now closed anyway)

Small shops stayed open very, very late in Italy, they were open after the national lockdown.

 

[vickster]

What corner shop??

Must be one you can drive to?

 

[Blue Hills]

I have just been to Aldi. Very orderly. Everyone being polite. Plenty of veg, bread and even bog rolls. Sadly no alcohol though........no whisky, vodka or brandy etcBOJO never said it would get that bad.

thanks for the update - fits with the trend I have been watching - my shopping can easily await until the back end of next week.

I did yesterday stroll, distancing, round my local sainsburys.
Tiny scraps of more exotic pasta left, no rice apart from those barmy individual portion microwave packs - but at least signs of improvement.
Beer and wine aisles largely stripped - following pub closures I suppose.
No shortage of some artisinal raspberry vodka - folk retaining some sort of sense.

 

[vickster]

Tried, this is not working for me.
My local shop, apart from being mainly an off sales, has been full of folks ignoring the social distancing rule.
Even the owners are not complying, in spite of me having told them it's dangerous for them.
We are behind: in Germany shops workers have a shield in front of the tills, most are card only, there are distance markings on the floors.
Here, nothing.
Hairdressers are still open.
Small shops are still open, there is no way to follow the social distance rule unless each and everyone of us are aware and complying.

Buy what you need and get out, wear gloves, don't touch anything (the lady in my local one was also wearing gloves on Friday night). All the advice was to avoid being close to others for 15 minutes hence don't gather for a picnic - I have not seen a change to that advice. This is the issue, the guidance is very muddled. Clearly if the shop is now a social meeting place, then avoid. I was in and out in 5 minutes

 

[Mugshot]

I didn't say you said they are a bad employer, but by bringing zero hours contracts into it, you seemed to be inferring being on zero hours would count against the employee in this instance.

As with so many of the bolder statements made on here, a little research reveals there's more to it.

I believe the wages are being paid until the first week of April, perhaps until the new financial year.

Not long, but deemed to be long enough for the 80 percent salary scheme to kick in for those that qualify for it.

The table clearing ladies also told me the zero hours contracts suited them, which surprised me because I thought zero hours contracts were universally a bad thing.

I think they suit some of the younger employees in particular, but I'm sure @Pat "5mph" has posted she was happy working on one.

I appreciate that some are happy on zero hour contracts, that is not a discussion I was attempting to start.
Do you know, either through talking to your friends or by doing your research, after McDs have paid 'til the start of April what someone that is on a zero hours contract gets 80% of?

 

[randynewmanscat]

I'd wait to see a consistent downward trend before anticipating good news.

Me too Rusty. I see myself as a glass 1/2 full person but only for lifes trivial business, the important things make me glass 1/2 empty and awaiting a refill.

 

[Blue Hills]

What corner shop??

maybe vickster had been isolating since the birth of punk.
folk will continue to favour supermarkets and aldi and lidl for the reasons they long have.
Especially so in these severely straightened times.
I see the rise of Aldi and Lidl continuing apace after this - folk realising that they don't need 102 varieties of whatever, stuff supposedly created/inspired by/a homage to renaissance barons/peasants -but can instead just use basic simple ingredients a la Catford.

 

[Edwardoka]

It's honestly like the government and the population are working together in perfect harmony to bring about the worst outcome possible.

At least some companies are trying to do their bit; for instance, one supermarket (that I won't name because damned sheeple can't be trusted not to rush to register) is now giving priority delivery slots to elderly people and those who are disabled or vulnerable, based upon prior customer service contact/loyalty card schemes etc.