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News & politics

Carillion

(479 Posts)
maryeliza54 Mon 15-Jan-18 07:55:13

So it’s happened - what an unholy mess. Why on earth were they allowed to grow so big and to diversify so much? How many companies went to the wall because they were priced out by Carillion who must have put in completely unrealistic tenders to win contracts? All those worried employees and what about the pension fund? The magic money tree will be in full working order no doubt. W hat about HS2 - they got the contract when they were already in trouble. The government has made some truly incredible decisions knowing this - is there sheer incompetence here or something more sinister?

durhamjen Sun 21-Jan-18 19:43:24

The next Carillion?

evolvepolitics.com/another-major-government-contractor-on-the-brink-after-90-share-price-collapse-and-debt-doubling/

durhamjen Sun 21-Jan-18 18:13:17

videos.files.wordpress.com/CXk4QODu/divh2lsewztemjed2_hd.mp4

Worth watching - or even just listening to if you don't like Chris Williamson.

jura2 Sun 21-Jan-18 12:14:51

The estimate is that privately executed contracts cost a massive 70% more than if money had been borrowed and done in the public sector. Now that is not just incompetence- it is a disaster. Whilst at the same time the bosses have been filling their own pockets to the tune of billions.

Primrose65 Sun 21-Jan-18 00:15:10

Thanks Maizie. Much appreciated.

MaizieD Sun 21-Jan-18 00:03:28

In which case, Primrose, I seem to have mistaken you for someone else. For which I apolgise.

Primrose65 Sat 20-Jan-18 23:59:23

Not me Maizie. I have 2 daughters and neither is a journalist. I don't think I've disclosed their occupations on GN, certainly one has an occupation that could be quite identifying.

MaizieD Sat 20-Jan-18 22:56:53

Sorry, posted too soon. Last post is to Primrose

MaizieD Sat 20-Jan-18 22:56:24

I can't find the thread as it's one of many and the Gnet search facility is terrible.

I'm absolutely positive it was you, but tell me if I am wrong in thinking that you have a daughter who is a journalist?

durhamjen Sat 20-Jan-18 22:56:15

Two years ago Carillion wanted Balfour Beatty to go in with it. Fortunately Balfour Beatty didn't. They have problems with strikes on Crossrail.

Some good news for Carillion workers on Network Rail.

www.constructionenquirer.com/2018/01/19/network-rail-to-pay-carillion-workers-for-next-three-months/

durhamjen Sat 20-Jan-18 22:51:43

Exactly. It hasn't got any better since Polly Toynbee worked there.

Another profit warning.

newsthump.com/2018/01/20/government-puts-in-massive-carpet-order-following-carpetrights-profit-warning/

WilmaKnickersfit Sat 20-Jan-18 22:24:15

Just wanted to chip in and say if it's the book I'm thinking about, it was published almost 15 years ago. Not only has the political landscape changed, Carillion as a company was less than 5 years old and would not be anything like the mammoth company it is now. It hadn't even taken over Mowlem or MacAlpine back then. I'm not saying it was a good employer, but that it was just getting started.

Primrose65 Sat 20-Jan-18 22:02:01

The answer's no to both your questions Maizie. Can you point me to my defence of gutter journalism a few weeks ago? That sounds very out of character. Are you sure it's not just one of those puerile comments posters make about me?

durhamjen Sat 20-Jan-18 20:23:40

So Polly Toynbee working for and being paid by Carillion is her exploiting the low-paid for financial gain?
In that case so is every single journalist who tries to find out about exploitation of the low-paid.
But not Carillion, they wouldn't ever do that!
What do you think about the bit that said she took her payslips to the IFS?

" When I took my payslips to the Institute for Fiscal Studies to compare the value of my wages with 30 years earlier, they found Carillion was paying me, in real terms, nearly a third less. That was concrete proof of how wages at the bottom had been held down since the 1980s while wages at the top skyrocketed, causing an explosion in inequality."

Who is doing the exploitation there?

MaizieD Sat 20-Jan-18 20:18:47

You were very defensive about the DM's gutter journalism a few weeks ago, as I recall, Primrose.

Do you think someone can only write about the condition of low paid workers if they are 'one of them'? Or only express any concern if one is poor ones self?

What a strange world view...

Jalima1108 Sat 20-Jan-18 20:12:17

Crossrail - a success?

GracesGranMK2 Sat 20-Jan-18 19:26:42

I wouldn't say she's even-handed as such, more like someone who knows how to exploit the low paid for her own financial gain.

You're as much entitled to your opinion as any of us but she has never come across to me in that way.

Primrose65 Sat 20-Jan-18 19:05:58

Polly is certainly an expert on inequality. Perhaps that's why she chose to send her children to private school.
Paid for by the royalties of her books about inequality perhaps?
I really don't understand why you take her seriously Jen.

durhamjen Sat 20-Jan-18 18:46:59

No, I haven't read the book, Primrose. Have you? Have you read the article?

Primrose65 Sat 20-Jan-18 18:40:19

And to think that you defend Daily Mail journalists
What Maizie? Perhaps you could explain that I think you're mistaken.

MaizieD Sat 20-Jan-18 18:33:12

I wouldn't say she's even-handed as such, more like someone who knows how to exploit the low paid for her own financial gain.

That is a disgusting statement, Primrose.

And to think that you defend Daily Mail journalists...

MaizieD Sat 20-Jan-18 18:30:39

She was pretty brutal about the medical staff too and the way they treated the porters.

When she'd finished her Masters degree my DD had a temporary job at the school where I worked; she was doing the photocopying.

As far as I was concerned, the teaching staff were all absolutely nice, fine people but DD said that some of them could turn really nasty about their photocopying!

Where you are in the hierarchy can subject you to completely different treatment from that experienced by people who are differently placed. It may also promote a completely different 'view' of what an individual is like as a person.

Polly would probably found the medics to be lovely if she'd met them socially...

Primrose65 Sat 20-Jan-18 18:30:28

Have you read the book Jen?

I wouldn't say she's even-handed as such, more like someone who knows how to exploit the low paid for her own financial gain.

Jalima1108 Sat 20-Jan-18 18:26:40

I thought that Crossrail is a success story?

durhamjen Sat 20-Jan-18 18:25:24

Have you read the article, Primrose?

GracesGranMK2 Sat 20-Jan-18 17:25:19

That sounds as if she is fairly even handed then.