Make a difference day

[treequip]

What I don't understand is how these council type people can compete against an existing business concern with no overhead, while at the same time be underwritten by the tax payers?. This seems absolutely insane!!!!!!. I hope don't live long enough to see that scheme over on this side of the pond.

easy-lift guy

 

You just dont get how it works over here.

 

If the volunteers didnt do the clean up it simply wouldnt get done, they arent competing because the work isnt up for tender.

[easy-lift guy]

Actually I volunteer to do clean up on a monthly basis here state side. I do not receive payment for services rendered, I do it becuse I want to. I believe paying people to work or bid against existing business concerns with no overhead and actual expenses for the sake of employment being subsidized by the tax payers is INSANE. Make work projects are well intended, however when the very taxes that are being raised to fund these councils are misappropriated, and or being abused at the cost of the tax payers, something or someone's will end up broke and busted sooner or later.

easy-lift guy

[treequip]

Actually I volunteer to do clean up on a monthly basis here state side. I do not receive payment for services rendered, I do it becuse I want to. I believe paying people to work or bid against existing business concerns with no overhead and actual expenses for the sake of employment being subsidized by the tax payers is INSANE. Make work projects are well intended, however when the very taxes that are being raised to fund these councils are misappropriated, and or being abused at the cost of the tax payers, something or someone's will end up broke and busted sooner or later.

easy-lift guy

 

You lost me there, how is a bunch of people doing a clean up misappropriation?

[Shane]

I don't see a problem. The local Authorities have limited budgets.

As an ex employee I'd say they waste bugger all money on saff and pensions.

In 1978 we had to pay 10p for coffee at the civic centre (god knows what it costs now).

Fringe benefits did not exist then and and all the staff I keep in touch with say its even worse now.

The budgets available depend on Govenrnment funding (from our taxes) and community charges (which everyone seems to hate paying).

 

If my local authority wants to, and can get, volunteers to do stuff which keeps the cost down - Fine with me.

 

The day they try to force me to do major tree work for free - on a day when I could be earning money elsewhere then I will complain!

 

Till then, if people are willing to give up their time to make the environment just a bit better (with or without tripping hazards) good luck to them.

This, to me, is a sign of civilisation rather than the 'grab it all for me' which seems to have evolved from the Thatcher years.

Get out of your porsche and do a bit of voluntary work!

[Matthew Arnold]

I volunteer on a daily basis for my local ranger service. Not because i am forced to but because i enjoy it. You can't tell people not to have fun whilst doing a menial task like litter picking, clearing areas of scrub or painting benches all day long. The reason i volunteer is it keeps my working head on and nowadays you need as much expirience as possible to even have a sniff of any job. I get uniform, work boots, water proofs and training courses all paid for which all helps in the long run. The base is in the town so i don't need to use fuel to get to where i need to be. If it wasn't for volunteers some libraries wont be open, TIC's wouldn't be open, OXFAM, Red Cross and St John Ambulance would be non-existant.

[easy-lift guy]

You lost me there, how is a bunch of people doing a clean up misappropriation?

 

Sorry not trying to lose you. If you read my original reply I was referring to

People who work for councils and are able to bid against existing businesses

for work with all overhead being subsidized by tax payers. I understand that in some parts of the world Free Enterprise is outlawed, I just don't understand why the state thinks its a good idea to bite the hands that keep it afloat:sneaky2:

easy-lift guy

[Rich2484]

I volunteer on a daily basis for my local ranger service. Not because i am forced to but because i enjoy it. You can't tell people not to have fun whilst doing a menial task like litter picking, clearing areas of scrub or painting benches all day long. The reason i volunteer is it keeps my working head on and nowadays you need as much expirience as possible to even have a sniff of any job. I get uniform, work boots, water proofs and training courses all paid for which all helps in the long run. The base is in the town so i don't need to use fuel to get to where i need to be. If it wasn't for volunteers some libraries wont be open, TIC's wouldn't be open, OXFAM, Red Cross and St John Ambulance would be non-existant.

 

Or the RNLI

[Matthew Arnold]

Or the RNLI

 

How did i forget the RNLI:lol:

[Shane]

Doesn't free enterprise allow people to charge what they want (or try to anyway) and that includes some who are willing to work for free.

 

I don't think it can get more democratic/free/non-communist/non fascist than that.

 

Still don't see a problem.

[easy-lift guy]

Free enterprise allows the free market to dictate the price based on supply and demand.

When any government attempts to involve it's self with free enterprise or private industry the results are always failure. The government uses and abuses funds collected

based on taxes collected by PRIVATE INDUSTRY. Private industry does not for the most part depend on the government for its existence, however with out private industry you would not be interested in the alternative, at least I would not. People working for free is fine if one can afford it. FYI, working for free and Volunteering are Two different things.

easy-lift guy