The Great Inertia Sector: A Whistleblower's Account Of Council Work Where Staff Pull Six-Month Sickies.

[eric pebble]

The Great Inertia Sector: A whistleblower's account of council work where staff pull six-month sickies

SHOCKING stuff.........

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1289702/Public-sector-inertia-council-office-employees-month-sickies.html#ixzz0rxvWbZiv

[Executive Sadman]

Everyone i know whose worked in both public and private sector has stories like this to tell. and yet all they do about it is laugh about it down the pub. Why doesnt anyone enlighten the politicians? Will Bob Crow come kick their head in if they dare write to their MP?

[Zngland]

Everyone i know whose worked in both public and private sector has stories like this to tell. and yet all they do about it is laugh about it down the pub. Why doesnt anyone enlighten the politicians? Will Bob Crow come kick their head in if they dare write to their MP?

Shocking.Chop chop with the chop chop.

[Si1]

Everyone i know whose worked in both public and private sector has stories like this to tell. and yet all they do about it is laugh about it down the pub. Why doesnt anyone enlighten the politicians? Will Bob Crow come kick their head in if they dare write to their MP?

Bob Crow's a pansy. My old mum could have him with a rolling pin.

[hilltop]

WOW, important story. Thank God for journalism which is brave, impartial and informed.

Who did this important research?

The Daily Mail!

Oh. :angry:

[tomwatkins]

WOW, important story. Thank God for journalism which is brave, impartial and informed.

Who did this important research?

The Daily Mail!

Oh. :angry:

If it keeps the public sector waste in full view then so what if it bends the truth a bit?

[Goat]

Everyone i know whose worked in both public and private sector has stories like this to tell.

The difference is that we're not paying for it to happen in the private sector.

And I'd guess that if it does happen in the private sector it's mostly going to be in ex-public sector monopolies.

[plummet expert]

Everyone i know whose worked in both public and private sector has stories like this to tell. and yet all they do about it is laugh about it down the pub. Why doesnt anyone enlighten the politicians? Will Bob Crow come kick their head in if they dare write to their MP?

Never seen a govt either bold enough or even able to tackle this nonsense. We all know it happens. Have seen it myself with people 'off with depression' for 6 months, then they return and nothing happens. They just carry on and receive promotion etc for fear of some claim of being overlooked etc. They should be run like the private sector with contracts to match.

[Blod]

If it keeps the public sector waste in full view then so what if it bends the truth a bit?

Well said.

Our politicians are more than happy to spin and tell half truths. If you are ever unfortunate enough to come across a local government communications officer whilst trying to lodge a complaint you’d be happy to see the MSM and particularly the Mail grinding its axe. They make out the independent media as liars and themselves as holier than thou. When you point out that the media shouldn’t have a vested interest whilst they do they just call you abusive. :angry:

[Blod]

Didn't an MP do exactly this and then put herself forward for lobbying work - filmed for Channel 4 or NOTW undercover story. Fortunately she was not too ill to claim her expenses.

This is the lady I believe.

[tomwatkins]

This is the lady I believe.

Scum like this make it so much harder to "sell" the idea of cuts to any other public servant, public sector employee or whatever we call them. MP's caught nicking should have the double the sentence, same with bent coppers. Now those clauses in a contract I could go along with.

[BecksMyCat]

I've worked in a number of public sector jobs and have never seen anything like that at all.

I haven't worked in local Government but I have worked for regulatory bodies and in education.

I currently work in a university, and such behaviour would lead to dismissal.

[Timak]

I've worked in a number of public sector jobs and have never seen anything like that at all.

I haven't worked in local Government but I have worked for regulatory bodies and in education.

I currently work in a university, and such behaviour would lead to dismissal.

As I said in the other thread I go to a large number of different clients public and private sector and don't recognise the stereotype in this article.

I've put in HR systems and set up reports on absence etc and the average is only very slightly higher in the public sector - this is almost always caused by one or two long term sicknesses which would have lead to dismissal in the private sector. I have had my suspicions that some people with depression were just work shy BUT I also know it is a crippling illness so wouldn't like to judge too harshly. I also was there when the local press were hounding a council for "sacking" a cancer sufferer (who sadly died soon after) who had been off on full pay for a year.

I would say they public sector places tend to have a "nicer" atmosphere and I have come across a few bad eggs but tales of people turning up at 10.30am and taking their phone off the hook would be an instant dismissal in anywhere I've worked at.

[Mrs Bear]

I've worked in a number of public sector jobs and have never seen anything like that at all.

I haven't worked in local Government but I have worked for regulatory bodies and in education.

I currently work in a university, and such behaviour would lead to dismissal.

I work p/t in the PS, on the front line. I've been there 11 years and it's always been very rare for anyone to go sick. When they have it's been for a genuine reason (cancer treatment, real* flu, etc)

As far as I recall one of my colleagues has never taken even one sick day in all those eleven years.

*and I know it was real and not just a cold because I was the one who had it.

[Blod]

This article is based on what should be an exceptional London council, though I do remember begin told me how “comfortable” a London council employees job was. They listed their conditions and remuneration and then went on to justify this as in their words “no one does this in the private sector”. At the time what was shocked me was that they actually did work hard, but made me feel that working in the private sector was second rate and a waste of time. They never did understand that we can only afford them those terms due to the support of the private sector.

[Georgia O'Keeffe]

I work p/t in the PS, on the front line. I've been there 11 years and it's always been very rare for anyone to go sick. When they have it's been for a genuine reason (cancer treatment, real* flu, etc)

As far as I recall one of my colleagues has never taken even one sick day in all those eleven years.

*and I know it was real and not just a cold because I was the one who had it.

ive never had the pleasure of working in the public sector but i used to work in the private sector and i recall a nasty bout of cholera going round which led to one of the PA's in fixed income taking the afternoon off but she was back the following morning on a drip, she rightly got some very dirty looks for months but it did the job as when the rabies hit she was one of the first at her desk through the whole episode.

Edited June 26, 2010 by Tamara De Lempicka

[plummet expert]

Yes that's her - setting a 'good' example for all public servants. On the sick for months, claimed for house repairs in Southampton - was MP for Luton and caught on camera - anything happen to her? - thought not - above the law...

Yes, something did happen to her. The press constantly mispelt her name. It is Moron, not Moran.

[libspero]

I would say they public sector places tend to have a "nicer" atmosphere and I have come across a few bad eggs but tales of people turning up at 10.30am and taking their phone off the hook would be an instant dismissal in anywhere I've worked at.

I agree that the story is a very extreme example.. I'm sure most public sector departments aren't as bad as that (particularly front line NHS / Teaching which are always under the spotlight).

Having said that I do believe in general laziness/inefficiency are tolerated far more in the public sector. At least in my limited experience. There just seems to be a more bohemian culture somehow.

Your last point did catch my attention though. How many people do you know in the public sector who have ever been fired on the spot for anything?

Edited June 26, 2010 by libspero

[OnionTerror]

What a surprise, the racist Wail at it again...I'm surprised that they didn't mention Diana in there. The private (defence) company where I last worked, had a Christian prayer room.. I've worked in the public sector (local council), and you could not get away with most of what they mentioned...

[garybug]

This article is based on what should be an exceptional London council, though I do remember begin told me how "comfortable" a London council employees job was. They listed their conditions and remuneration and then went on to justify this as in their words "no one does this in the private sector". At the time what was shocked me was that they actually did work hard, but made me feel that working in the private sector was second rate and a waste of time. They never did understand that we can only afford them those terms due to the support of the private sector.

I work in the PS, have done for the last 6 years, in IT.

It is a total, utter p155take.

People saunter in at 9.45, leave at 4pm, a good hour for lunch / coffee / gym skive breaks - and not a word is said. The rest of us who DO put in the work see this, and have a whinge, but the management are like 'what can we do'? Absolutley no comeback at all. Also, conflicts of interest with management getting thier kids in at the ground level, staff on the same team getting married and the whole thing pushed under the radar of HR.

Non performers are tolerated to a shocking degree. But expensive, expreienced staff are being let go and replaced with individuals who are clearly out of their depth.

Still, I'm still in work & will be for the forseeable future, so happy to keep my head down & let them continue to muddle on.

When the privae sector picks up though, I'll be off - gladly too.

[Carabansity]

I agree that the story is a very extreme example.. I'm sure most public sector departments aren't as bad as that (particularly front line NHS / Teaching which are always under the spotlight).

Having said that I do believe in general laziness/inefficiency are tolerated far more in the public sector. At least in my limited experience. There just seems to be a more bohemian culture somehow.

Your last point did catch my attention though. How many people do you know in the public sector who have ever been fired on the spot for anything?

We have managed several people out over the years due to poor performance, it is possible. I have only once known of someone removed from their desk immediately though. A few years ago a young lad in our ICT section multi messaged everyone on email about the opening of a Spearmint Rhino club. We had an email about an hour later saying sorry and telling us he had been sacked.

[jaynewcastle]

If people working in the private sector believe utter rubbish like this in the tabloids, then no wonder they have such a bad impression of the public sector.

[Fudge]

I spent a busy day today, but got little done. This is because I am at last becoming perfect in the art of seeming busy, even when very little is going on in my head or under my hands. This is an art which every man learns, if he does not intend to work himself to death.

* Robertson Davies, in The Table Talk of Samuel Marchbanks

[Guest absolutezero]

The difference is that we're not paying for it to happen in the private sector.

So you don't buy any goods or services from private sector companies?

Always knew you were a commie.

[Guest absolutezero]

I work in the PS, have done for the last 6 years, in IT.

It is a total, utter p155take.

People saunter in at 9.45, leave at 4pm, a good hour for lunch / coffee / gym skive breaks - and not a word is said. The rest of us who DO put in the work see this, and have a whinge, but the management are like 'what can we do'? Absolutley no comeback at all. Also, conflicts of interest with management getting thier kids in at the ground level, staff on the same team getting married and the whole thing pushed under the radar of HR.

And what's wrong with work people getting married?

Get a life.