New minimum wage

Not true, Anya. The 48 hour working week can be averaged out over 17 weeks, so as long as it's not done every week over those 17 weeks, it's not breaking the law. In fact she can work 11 of those weeks at 70 hours, providing she has the other six off.

However, the 48 hour directive is only a directive. It is not law. It is possible to agree to work longer.

But you said your DD was working these (alleged) hours quite often

If it's like a lot of zero contracts around here they may demand you work up to 70 hours for two or three consecutive weeks then not give you any work for a couple of weeks.

When DH was looking for work he went for an interview as a kitchen hand/cleaner. The job advert said it would be a 35 hour week but it turned out to be a zero contract. As if that wasn't bad enough they said they would expect him to be accessible by phone at all times and be in work within 30 minutes of receiving a phone call. They also said that they would expect him to be willing to work split shifts which might mean he started work at 7am and didn't truly finish work until 1am or even later then be back by 7am. When he said that he felt they had misled him with the advert and that the way they wanted to work out the hours with him on constant call was abusing the employer/employer relationship. They sneered at him and said what would he know about being an employer so he pointed out that he'd been an area manager for 20 years felt he had sufficient knowledge to believe they were being unreasonable.

Needless to say he didn't get the job.

We later heard they'd taken on a 17 year old who was desperate for a job and, of course, they didn't even have to pay him minimum pay.

Anyway it's your DD so it's none of my business and if you're happy with that then fine, and if not I'm sure you'll do something to help.

Sorry VQ crossed posts that was to DJ

Think it was dj's GD Anya, but it's hard to differentiate between all the hard-done-by relatives.

Not sure I would hold the head of the extremely rich RC church up as an example of "The first task is to put the economy at the service of peoples" Jen So many cathedrals built while the poor starved.

Not my daughter, my granddaughter.
Once again you are calling me a liar, by saying alleged. Her mother told me this just today. Are you calling her a liar as well?
Vampire has explained adequately the zero hours contract, I think. Thanks Vampire. Some people just have no idea what it means and how hard it is today.

I totally agree. Whilst I'll stand up for the Catholic Church in some things I really despise the way it has so much money yet does nothing with it. But then it's not just the Roman Catholic Church.

Didn't Jesus say something about if you have two coats give one away. I don't understand why the churches feel the need to have so much gold, precious jewels and artworks. Surely if they truly followed the teachings of Jesus they'd convert the lot into cash and spend it helping the poor and needy.

I agree, Gracesgran and Vampire. I was going to say about not being religious, but thought I'd let the quote stand on its own.
Hopefully he might put his church's money where his mouth stands.

I'm using the 'alleged' in the same was as HIGNFY use it. This is a public forum and just in case the management of the named hotel decide a statement made on here was libellous I am covering my back.

same was same way

Rubbish! Why on earth do you think anyone at that hotel will be reading this?
Why would saying that someone who had a zero hours minimum pay contract worked 70 hours in a week be libellous?

Anyway, Cameron wants an opt-out from the working hours directive, so they will soon be able to woem for as long as they want and as many weeks as they want.

Work them, I mean.

DJ from your posts you seem to live in a world where everything is black, negative, everyone is out to 'do' you and yours Yourloved ones seems to have problems over and above anyone else's. I can understand how something like this would make you feel the need to 'rant and rage against' a society you feel has treated you unfairly.

We are never going to agree because we see the world from entirely different points of view. I prefer action to words and if there is something I can do, such as helping out at my local homeless shelter, then I do it. My philosophy is that we all have the capacity to be masters of our own fate.

We can all choose to be either drains or radiators.

With that in mind I'm going to bow out of this and most future discussions with you as I'm finding mself being drawn into a negativity which is against my better nature.

That is so personal Anya and doesn't add anything to the discussion. I am not sure that you ever intend to do so having read your most recent posts but making personal remarks in a discussion is really not good.

That is why I am backing away from further discussion with a certain person as I have just explained. Frustration is bringing out the worst in me and I don't like that.

It does no one any good to feed negativity, but you are correct that it probably won't help those who are incapable of introspection to point that out.

i think you have taken my post in the wrong light. It is not personal at all, simply forthright and honest. But I know you won't believe that (sigh)

Anya It's best then to take a break from an over heated discussion and not get yourself any more frustrated.

Thanks Nellie

Far better though to avoid such tussles in the first place. it saves a lot of typing.

You are right, no point really.

Well it always gives me a really good laugh when someone thinks GN discussions exemplify the far left. My sister has been a Trotskyist most of her life and compared to her us Labour Party supporters are the palest of pink in our opinions.

Nellie remind me what it was you advised

Shssssh! Let it go.

Are you about to burst into song? Let it go, let it go, I'm one with the wind and rain...