Undisputedtruth

My theme tune:

I vote for penalties unless I receive a nice brown envelope stuffed with Swiss currency from Sepp.

This thread is interesting as I too have been experiencing intermittent problems with flunctuating target SNR and sync levels. Fault worsens during wet weathers. So far I've had four engineers visiting my property without a solution in hand. Now BT want to send a fifth one out.:-S Engineer 1 Identified open / high resistance fault but lacked pole training so unable to complete job Engineer 2 Also identified open resistance fault and crimped wiring on telegraph pole outside. During REIN testing fault appeared to resolve by itself. Engineer 3 Couldn't find anything wrong with my connection despite it dropping when calls made/received. Failed to do lift and shift equipment at exchange. Engineer 4 Didn't carryout job as requested by my broadband provider. Failed to do Co-op call and 'lift and shift' equipment at exchange. Call centre lost notes relating to engineer's 1 & 2. It also became apparent that they were making stuff up rather than relying on facts and evidence. The way BT is behaving then I may make that switch to Virgin Media. It's a shame because I really like my broadband provider, Zen. My fault has been escalated to HLE after third Engineer visit. Edited: remove spelling error.

Constructive dismissal Note the part where it says avoiding jumping the gun when handing in a resignation.

Disputes and conflict in the workplace

Rainbow, It all depends on what is written on his contract of employment. If his contract says that he is required to give written notice in order to resign. Otherwise he would be in breach of contract. The Jobcentre will disallow his contribution based JSA for up to 26 weeks unless he has just cause for leaving his last job. At the same time he could receive a reduce rate of income based JSA during the period of his disallowed contribution based JSA. The problem here is that the Jobcentre would expect your cousin to take reasonable steps to protect his employment such as seeking training, mentoring, etc. It's a difficult one as I understand how stressful the matter can be for your cousin. If your cousin really can't face the confrontation then a written notice, with reasons for leaving, given to the employer.

Dear Renata, I do not care for an Iceland or M&S as I do not use them. But I do care that the High Street shops are diverse enough and caters for the local population regardless of social background. Do Southwark have community cohesion policies to ensure diversity of local population and amenities?

I've always felt Chelsea played better when Drogba is in the team. Especially with their long ball game. Still, we have West Ham to look forward to with their own long ball game too.

Huguenot Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > There's a mix of issues here, but I agree that a > union would in general help with legal enquiries. > > However, in this case since he is still in his > probation period, he almost definitely hasn't got > a hope of retaining his job through legal > activity. That doesn't mean he has to resign (and > he shouldn't do so, because of the potential > impact on his welfare options). > > Even a union when faced with inevitable job cuts > will opt for a 'LIFO' solution - last in first > out. That means he'd be one of the first for the > chop with or without a union. > > I hope nobody thinks this is an 'us against the > fat cats' scenario. It sounds to me that by > cutting hours first, and only then looking at > cutting headcount, this company is doing its best > to keep as many people in employment as possible. > > By the sounds of this, and the bollocks spoken by > the 'manager' that his experience is more impacted > by having an idiot boss talking bollocks rather > than company policy. > > Remember, no amount of union belligerence can save > a business that is failing, they can only > accellerate its demise. What is this word 'accellerate', Hugo? Must be the Singapore spelling of accelerate. Anyway, I'd put the ball in the manager's court by asking if the workload is reasonable based on the cousin's work experience and what steps he can take to improve his performance such as training and mentoring. Managers are obliged to use such remedies before dismissal and resignation becomes an issue. If the workload is unreasonable then it becomes possibly a Health and Safety matter. But as Hugo has pointed out his length of service is an undermining factor. edited to remove 'would'.

M&S chicken sandwiches sounds really tasty according to this article. :-S

I took exception to Bob's earlier comments which was personal in nature with one comment connecting to previous insulting posts dating a few months ago. My response was mild in comparison to his. I'm happy to modify my future behaviour though.

I concur with LadyDeliah's suggestion in joining a union. Your home insurance policy may have a legal helpline. ACAS also offers advice on current employment legislation. http://www.acas.org.uk/index.aspx?articleid=1650

*Bob* Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Some typically obtuse posts from you over the > weekend UDT. I don't remember anyone suggesting to > date that Iceland 'spends as much' as M&S on > marketing. Selecting random facts always was your > strong point.. as ever, it's the interpretation > that's always a problem - especially for someone > with your particular condition. I suggest (if you > want to take part in this sort of discussion) less > time sitting around in flares listening to soul > music, more time in the real world - if you know > where it is. > > So - to business. > > Iceland is (virtually) all uk-based with frozen > food accounting for most of its business. M&S > sells food, clothing and homewares and around 1/3 > of its stores aren't even in the uk. Are the two > comparable like-for-like? Iceland employs > somewhere over 20k people. M&S nearly 4 times the > amount. Are the two comparable like-for like? M&S > turnover is around 4x the turnover of Iceland. So > the question is: how does Iceland's marketing > spend both scale-up and stack-up against the > (relative) areas of M&S's spend? Because unless > you can grasp this, you might as well be comparing > a wasp and a tennis racket. > > Iceland does not, as you imagine, lean back in the > safe knowledge that its products 'sell > themselves', or that people wander in there just > because of the nice big red sign. It spends many > millions of pounds on getting people to their > store. Going back a few years they were spending > around 15m at luring people in there. And I'm sure > even you can agree, 15m is 'quite a lot' of money. > Its successful campaigns (such as the Kerry K one, > before she got ditched for beaking chang) made a > huge difference to the fortunes of the chain. Another post to the bin, I think. The-e-dealer is right in saying that you don't say anything useful, Bob. Just a poor attempt to justify your earlier points. Iceland's ?15m is not a lot of money compared to the ?160m advertising budget belonging to M&S. The key aim for most advertising campaigns is to plant brand names into people's minds. Intel's campaign is one example where essentially it boils down to brand name and jingle. How advertising budgets breaks down into different factions is irrelevant. I'd hazard a guess that what you know is not worth knowing, Bob. The soul, jazz and funk music that I listened to are sampled by many of today's musicians and forms the backbone of club music today. So your stupid insult actually tells me that you are just a don't know any better that spend his day posting irrelevant and pointless remarks. In fact, I'll probably have a field day in pointing them out for the rest of the year!

Not sure sure where you get the idea that m&s is an upmarket store, Nicholas. Basically it's just a rebadging of Iceland food with fancy packaging and marketing for the affluent Chavs.

...and put up with unoriginal insults. :(

Alan Medic Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Undisputedtruth Wrote: > -------------------------------------------------- > ----- > > Alan Medic Wrote: > > > -------------------------------------------------- > > > ----- > > > @UDT, you don't appear to understand CM's > > comment. > > > At least you are consistant. > > > > What is this word 'consistant', Alan Medic? > >:D > El Pibe would be livid. > > > > Regarding CM's question, as you know, I don't > do > > small minded thinking so I gave another > > perspective. > > Oh dear, two edits UDT. Fine tuning I suppose. So what's your point? Heaven knows what small minded activity goes on inside your mind. I tend to do most of my editing after posting rather than before. The previous edits were to remove the word 'the' and a 'space'. Anyway back to your inability to spell the word consistent. It's funny that on another thread you said that the problem with this country is that people can't spell. :))

If you read many of Hugo's threads then you get the idea.:))

*Bob* Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Posted at 4.29am? > > > Good grief. Another useful post to the EDF! Perhaps life changing.

Alan Medic Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > @UDT, you don't appear to understand CM's comment. > At least you are consistant. What is this word 'consistant', Alan Medic? >:D< El Pibe would be livid. Regarding CM's question, as you know, I don't do small minded thinking so I gave another perspective.

The-e-dealer makes a good point on Bob though.

I couldn't careless whether it's laws or rules.

Otta Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > So UDT, are you saying that there is no one team > you support, you just like the game? I rather play than watch the game. @CM, sometimes out of job managers tout for jobs by attending radio and tv football shows.

I've already given the facts. What part of the M&S ?160m advertising budget you don't understand, NS? The profits for Iceland was ?155.5m according to the Guardian. Now it's highly unlikely Iceland matches the level of M&S advertising.

*Bob* Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Sorry UDT. Humour - my mistake. > > > I don't know the figures - someone here probably > does. > > But - let's take TV - forget about whether the > adverts are posh-looking or not, the real money > goes on buying the advertising slots. And Iceland > is consistently one of the most 'remembered' > brands at key sales time like Crimbo etc. Which > means they spend a lot of money on getting a lot > of people to see their adverts a lot of times. > > M&S too, of course. > > Indeed, both work very hard at attracting their > target customer base: people who can't be arsed to > cook properly, the only difference between the two > being that one has more cash to spend than the > other. > > Two sides of a very similar coin. Sorry, not interested in your guesses or reckons. Where are your facts?