Clearly there was an audience out there:-
Just watching the session now and whilst Katie did well to deliver vast amounts of information, especially the notion of the EDM meaning more work, a lot was irrelevant to the subject the committee had been convened to address, i.e. "Coronavirus (COVID-19): The impact on prison, probation and court systems". Ian just about managed to raise the pay issue (rolls eyes). Maria Eagle led the witness into what could have been a healthy lead, but Katie missed her cue:
ME: EDM = more work, not less; that's surprising. In the circumstances, what's being done to ensure well-being of staff?
KL: Started talking about historical issues with overworked managers... great people in probation... cut to Maria Eagle looking frustrated...
Andy Slaughter asks about impact of early release scheme - in the knowledge of last week's comments that probation won't be seeing them - Ian refers it to Katie after welcoming the scheme... Katie answers fully & succinctly.
Ian then climbs onto his TR soapbox after a question about the future impact of COVID-19 upon the work of probation service providers, leaving Mr McCaskill & Bob Neill both looking perplexed.
IT WAS ABOUT COVID-19 - WHERE'S THE PPE? Arrrggghhh!!!
******
Prisons
Cases - 203 +ve cases & 13 deaths
Staff - 49+ve cases & 3 deaths
Probation
Cases - no data given, not even an apology for no data
Staff - no data given
Rees did say 2,000 are self-isolating of which 1,100 can work from home.
Testing - Cat.2 prisons & probation AP staff
What does Cat.2 mean?
Majority probation staff Cat.3 - what does that mean?
Bob Neill asks about PPE.
Lucy Frazer says "EDM limits face-to-face contact considerably... majority of probation work is not face-to-face... doubling amount of telephone contact"
Amy Rees - EDM hasn't increased work, but it has changed it - courts & groupwork has all but disappeared, but acknowledges contact levels have risen - seems non-plussed in general terms, quite happy.
No question about probation PPE.
Probation staff (except for AP staff) are Category 3, so unlikely to get tested let alone any PPE.
AP staff at Category 2 might get basic PPE packs (if they're lucky).
*** Can't find anything that relates to the criteria for staff Categories in respect of COVID-19 testing.
Prisons
Cases - 203 +ve cases & 13 deaths
Staff - 49+ve cases & 3 deaths
Probation
Cases - no data given, not even an apology for no data
Staff - no data given
Rees did say 2,000 are self-isolating of which 1,100 can work from home.
Testing - Cat.2 prisons & probation AP staff
What does Cat.2 mean?
Majority probation staff Cat.3 - what does that mean?
Bob Neill asks about PPE.
Lucy Frazer says "EDM limits face-to-face contact considerably... majority of probation work is not face-to-face... doubling amount of telephone contact"
Amy Rees - EDM hasn't increased work, but it has changed it - courts & groupwork has all but disappeared, but acknowledges contact levels have risen - seems non-plussed in general terms, quite happy.
No question about probation PPE.
Probation staff (except for AP staff) are Category 3, so unlikely to get tested let alone any PPE.
AP staff at Category 2 might get basic PPE packs (if they're lucky).
*** Can't find anything that relates to the criteria for staff Categories in respect of COVID-19 testing.
******
Thank you, Bob Neill, for asking the only question about PPE for probation staff today. I don't think the answer was very helpful but Bless You for asking. It was much appreciated.
Thank you, Bob Neill, for asking the only question about PPE for probation staff today. I don't think the answer was very helpful but Bless You for asking. It was much appreciated.
--oo00oo--
As I think you can sense, I don't have anything new to offer today and in effect this is a 'holding' blog post for anything that might crop up and thus help try and prevent the comment thread from Sunday get ever longer and more convoluted. In an ideal world this would be the opportunity for some 'thought' pieces to emerge as Guest Blogs, but possibly like me, many of us just feel numbed by it all and simply concentrating on getting through each day healthy and symptom-free. Take care.
“Probation
ReplyDeleteCases - no data given, not even an apology for no data
Staff - no data given“
This was intentional. There are now a number of known deaths amongst probation staff and every day numbers are being collated of those with symptoms. As usual probation is withholding the important information. If they had released the figures of the increasing cases of symptoms and deaths amongst staff and offenders then the EDM strategy would have come into question. PPE and lack of social distancing in offices would have also become an issue that as would deploying staff from prisons to the field team reporting centres. Probation doesn’t want to raise these issues as then the whole strategy collapses. There will only be staff protections when the staff refuse to work in the current unsafe conditions and offices.
Napo was useless and once again failed to address the key issues. I’ve no doubt Napo press release will use its usual North Korea type propaganda approach and provide a totally different account of what a good job it did.
Two other important issues missed;
ReplyDelete1. Has the ‘Bronze Commander’ at Birmingham LDU yet decided on their most important concern, whether they are DC or Marvel?
2. Have all the other ‘Bronze Commanders’ (aka LDU heads and probation senior managers) yet claimed their £1500 per month bonuses for ‘leading’ from their front rooms?
I heard about the £1500 bung for both Midlands NPS and CRC SPOs/PDMs and above but no money for PPE for front line staff. Shameful and morally corrupt.
DeleteWell as a sessional supervisor within the crc . I have been told the RRP cannot access the retention schem e to pay zero hr workers . This is with no other explanation. Hmmm not sure about that one
DeleteI watched the JSC broadcast as it happened. With the £billions that's been punped into the digitalisation of the justice system I was shocked at the poor quality of the link ups and broadcast. I was reminded of the video and audio streams of the moon landings in 1969.
ReplyDeleteBut importantly I thought the whole session lacked the sense of urgency I was expecting.
Ian Lawerence really only warned to talk about privatisation and pay. Huge issues for probation that need debate and discussion, but perhaps not for yesterday's meeting. So too the inpact of Covid19 on the inspectorate to carry out there normal function.
There was very important issues raised, but I was left with the feeling that the whole session was a bit pedestrian given that the topics being discussed may have a real consequence to life or death, and the threat is imminent, real and urgent.
Veering off a bit I saw the following article in yesterday's Times. I couldn't access the full article because of paywall, but I was quite taken aback by it, particularly on the unpaid work aspect.
Please delete if it interferes with todays thread too much.
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/ex-convicts-help-offenders-to-change-k9xgzczph
'Getafix
Many probation officers and social workers are ex-offenders, helping offenders to change. However, we like to pretend this is not the case.
DeleteDoesn't it say something when this is lauded as a new idea FFS!
DeleteEx-convicts help offenders to change
Having found themselves on the wrong side of the law, ex-offenders know about the difficulties of trying to go straight. Now a probation service is using their experience to help criminals turn their lives around.
It has employed three ex-convicts as case support workers to deal with offenders at risk of being recalled to prison and a further 15 to supervise unpaid rehabilitation work in the community.
The idea came from offenders who told probation staff in Kent that it would help them to receive support from others who had fallen foul of the law.
“They wanted the opportunity to speak to people who had made mistakes and come through the other side, not probation officers who have lived blameless lives,” said Lisa Udale, senior.....
paywall
This must surely be the work of Seetec's Nigel Bennett - candidate for sweetest, loveliest, most modest man on the planet - ?
DeleteNigel famously told trainee staff in Lancashire that no-one with any kind of criminal conviction could or should be a Probation Officer.
He is now Director of Justice at Seetec:
"Nigel has over 25 years’ experience in community and custodial criminal justice, both in the UK and abroad. A former senior adviser in the Prime Minister’s delivery unit's home and foreign affairs team, Nigel has worked under Labour and coalition administrations. In his first year and a half with Seetec Nigel led the newly acquired CRC in Kent, Surrey and Sussex before transferring to the wider role of Group Justice Director. His belief is that service users should be an integral part of our criminal justice solutions, taking responsibility both for their problems and their solutions, achieving goals with the help of a skilled and dedicated workforce. A vocal advocate of social work values and equality, his ambition is to lead Seetec Justice to become the provider of choice for both commissioners and staff."
Nigel & his wife have previously graced this blog in competition with the McDowells (remember Paul & Janine?) for probation power couple of the century.
New readers might like to know that Nigel was a much-loved (?) manager in Lancashire before ploughing his own furrow to Downing Street via consultancy as an "adviser" (i.e. selling probation down the river to the highest bidder) then hitching up with KSS-Seetec (i.e. making sure there were no paddles left for probation).
Meanwhile the missus (Andrea) was also a Lancs manager before moving into a TR Commissioning Manager role, somehow failing to notice that the CRCs were slashing jobs & plundering the public purse in the northwest or, as Andrew Selous put it: "Contract Management Teams are embedded in each CRC, closely monitoring how all monies are used and robust processes are in place to ensure all expenditure is correctly spent."
Andrea Bennett has recently been appointed Regional Director for Probation in the North West.
08:55 raises a number of issues, many of which have been debated on here before.
ReplyDeleteMany probation officers and social workers are indeed ex offenders who were employed when their respective organisations had an ethos of integrating people into the community and using their experiences to prevent others from following in their footsteps.
When I trained in the early 90s we looked at the great divides of race, class and gender. This debate has since been expanded to include numerous other protected characteristics but has also led to accusations of quotas and targets.
The nature of the organisations have changed with the new liberal debate about role and function. Are we still an arm of social work or are we an element of social control?
The current Coronavirus lockdown gives everybody the opportunity to take a step back and consider where we are and where we want to be.
You can be assured that our rulers have plans to make sure we pay for this. In return, we should be looking at whether we want a 24/7 economy and the hardships that go with this.
Do we need ASDA open on SUnday to provide for a family day out worshipping consumerism. I am old enough to remember Sunday being a day of rest and for the family.
All sides are contemplating their options and looking to the future. Some are better prepared than others as they are working to a long term plan.
The tories - in whatever guise, - are not your friends. They will still privatise the nhs through outsourcing and still maintain austerity under some other name because that is what they do. It is in the DNA.
You just have a to ask if you are prepared to roll over and make the next 30 years the same as the last.
"I am old enough to remember Sunday being a day of rest and for the family."
DeleteAnd half day closing on Wednesdays?
16:39 yesterday also offered a simikarly damning review of the JSC:
ReplyDelete"Justice committee poor show Napo GS dodged more questions than he could answer yet wittered on passed issues than address a staff safety emergency ppe. The chair rammbled on at length giving me little confidence they had prepared thoughrouly or much at all. Missed the golden opportunity to be concise. List the demands needed to protect staff."
Glad to see that the guy who told jim to f-off yesterday has calmed down. Jim this blog has become a cut and paste job as well as a forum for people to take shots at champions in management and napo. BUT we still love the log and appreciate the work you do
ReplyDeleteDon't forget it is Jim's blog he provides a forum for many buy cannot be responsible for what is said. Your sarcasm is not well placed. Defending management in a slight opens the door to criticise them. They want from.staff but have not managed their key duties to protect staff. In terms of union Napo illustrated their inept leadership in bothir content and non stop blurting from one of them but both way off the issues that needed to be sorted. PPE health and safety safe working places or action to withdraw . Neither of them nor management are delivering what's needed.
Delete15.38. I was being serious. Not sarcastic. I bet top HMPPS and Napo brass are tired of people moaning about them on here. I see them trying to sort things out whilst the armchair warriors moan and criticise. Yes I am unhappy I do not have PPE seeing people for appointmens. However, you only need PPE if you are dealing with coronavirus like a nurse or doctor. People with it I shouldn't have contact with through work so if I use common sense and follow social distancing, then my risks are lower. There is more risk of getting ill by being in public shopping, exercising and that. Police dont have PPE and are in it 24-7. Reality is we dont need it and who knows what PPE really works. get off your soapbox, roll up your sleeves and earn your clap I say
DeleteThe frequent disagreement about the appropriate tone and content of postings on this blog, and tiptoeing around the threat of 'moderation', surely suggests the benefit of another forum. Somewhere that people CAN actually vent, share, support, disagree, and even name-and-shame, with at least a little more freedom. Trouble is, I've no idea where that forum is, and even less time or know-how to set such a thing up...
ReplyDeleteBoom. Everyone 16.17 gets it. I agree. Dictator Jim treats us like children with his moderation. Sorry all but I think I, 16.17 and 16.52 have sent us to bed early again! Here comes the censorship!
DeleteI agree we need a forum to vent though someone does need to moderate rudeness etc. When I was in napo tired the forum never worked then told it didn't work at all! Not surprising.
Delete"However, you only need PPE if you are dealing with coronavirus like a nurse or doctor..."
ReplyDelete"People with it I shouldn't have contact with at work"
"Reality is we dont need it and who knows what PPE really works."
Bingo!!
But here's a bit of a wild, out-there kind of thought:
Its exactly that kind of ill-informed nonsense that results in people driving 500 miles for a weekend walk on the fells - but its ok, we're wearing gloves and facemasks; or to drive from London to go fishing in Devon - its ok, its three in the morning and there's no-one else here...
Rest assured Probation management welcome your views. Let them know who you are. You'll get promoted soon enough. Its oxygen to their assumed position of do-nothing; it vindicates their inaction, their lack of taking a responsible stance and allows them to shovel blame onto frontline staff ...
... frontline staff who, by some terrible accident of fate, just happen to have seen those "shouldn't" cases who were asymptomatic & contagious. And maybe IF, just IF, management had listened to reason & the law & issued PPE, then maybe those staff members wouldn't be ill, seriously ill - or dead.
15th April 2020 Email to members:-
ReplyDeleteDear Xxxxxxx
CRCs, hygiene and PPE
Last week’s mailout gave the basic demands we are making in relation to the NPS workplaces for hygiene and PPE. Over recent weeks our Officials have been working with reps to ensure that CRC exceptional delivery plans include appropriate protections for members. PPE is only recommended by Public Health England where social distancing cannot be properly achieved as social distancing measures are the most effective way of preventing spread of the virus. In some circumstances PPE may be the only way to effectively carry on the work of the CRC where circumstances prevent social distancing but this must be the last resort after consideration of closing workplaces and remote working. Our demands for workplaces are:
Napo gives evidence to the Justice Select Committee
Napo General Secretary Ian Lawrence and National Chair Katie Lomas were invited to give Oral evidence to the Justice Select Committee (JSC) in a historic first ever session conducted entirely by video link.
The JSC was specially convened to allow a range of witnesses to update them on how the current C19 Pandemic is impacting on their specific role. Other witnesses appearing before the Committee were Justin Russell HMIP Probation, Dr Jo Farrar CEO for HMPPS and Director General Probation, Amy Rees. The Committee also heard from Mark Johnson CEO and Helen Beresford Director of External Engagement for NACRO, and finally, the Justice Minister Lucy Frazer.
The full Transcripts will be published on the Napo Website in due course but in the meantime you can read a summary of the responses to the questions that were asked of Ian and Katie here.
Napo HQ
Last week’s mailout gave the basic demands we are making in relation to the NPS workplaces for hygiene and PPE. Over recent weeks our Officials have been working with reps to ensure that CRC exceptional delivery plans include appropriate protections for members. PPE is only recommended by Public Health England where social distancing cannot be properly achieved as social distancing measures are the most effective way of preventing spread of the virus. In some circumstances PPE may be the only way to effectively carry on the work of the CRC where circumstances prevent social distancing but this must be the last resort after consideration of closing workplaces and remote working.
DeleteOur demands for workplaces are:
* Social distancing in the workplace between colleagues must be possible and hand hygiene products made available (soap, hot water, paper towels, hand sanitiser) – if not the workplace must not be used and should be closed.
* Arrangements for seeing clients in contact centres must include social distancing and hand hygiene as above – if this is not possible the contact centre must not be used for client visits (although if the workspace in the building meets the criteria above it can be used for non-contact work).
* Clients exhibiting any symptoms should not attend a contact centre. Client visits to contact centres should be limited in line with the HMPPS EDM to only those who are homeless, have no other means of contact or where there are specific risk issues and where remote contact arrangements are unsuitable.
* There should be guidance in place for the use of hire and pool cars including cleaning hard surfaces that are touched while driving between users with alcohol wipes.
* There should be guidance in place on the use of personal vehicles for work including consideration of safety by restricting client access to personal information about staff (for example parking further from the home visit address to avoid clients identifying registration information).
* Where the guidance on vehicle use cannot be followed they should not be used.
* There must be guidance in place for the doorstep visiting process and where this is not possible to follow the visit should not take place. Doorstep visits are to establish service user residence at an address and should not be used for ongoing supervision in place of telephone or other remote contact.
We have previously given reps guidance on health and safety - WHAT SHOULD EMPLOYERS DO TO PROTECT HEALTH ANS SAFETY- that members and reps should use to raise issues and organise in their workplaces around health and safety issues.
"The JSC was specially convened to allow a range of witnesses to update them on how the current C19 Pandemic is impacting on their specific role."
DeletePity that wasn't what happened.
"Comrades, we ain't got no pay what was promised - but you know abart that doncha Bruvva Bob? An' we told yer abart TR an'orl that Grayling shite, dint we, Colleeg Bob? So over to Katie, she''ll giv yer the lowdown on wot our lot do..."
Hancock's at it again. Question was why should we believe 100,000 tests/day is a realistic target? Slight confusion over the facts, but Hancock then says the Easter weekend targets weren't met because "staff didn't want to attend for testing". He then added a condescending codacil: "which is understandable over a long weekend".
ReplyDeleteFuck off, Hancock. The testing centres were closed because you didn't book people in for the weekend. You haven't got enough tests, enough labs or enough people to administer the tests.
Can't see probation staff getting prioritised now the care sector have capitalised on the bad press & pushed for patient & staff testing. They should ALWAYS have had the tests; as should probation staff, and prison staff, and prisoners - and pretty much everyone for that matter.
But Tory is as Tory does - its not our fault, its YOUR fault. You don't need tests, you don't need PPE... heard that before?
And that's why we're following the Italian dataset and not the German dataset.
Tory is as Tory does - I have only just read about Trump pulling funding for the WHO. 15% of the World Health Organisation funds.
DeleteAnyone in this Tory government had anything to say?
Nope.
Not a single syllable of criticism of the Great Orange Tumour.
https://news.sky.com/story/coronavirus-what-covid-19-tests-are-available-can-i-get-one-11973069
DeleteAs of 9am on Easter Monday, more than 365,000 coronavirus tests had been completed in the UK on more than 290,000 people.
Since the beginning of the coronavirus outbreak in the UK, tests have been reserved for those who end up in hospital with COVID-19 symptoms.
Testing has now also been expanded to include NHS staff - or members of their same household - who display symptoms.
According to latest figures, the most number of coronavirus tests conducted in a single day in the UK were the 19,116 completed on 9 April.
____________________________
https://www.theguardian.com/politics/live/2020/apr/15/uk-coronavirus-live-government-lockdown-exit-strategy-covid-19-latest-updates
Hancock refused to accept he had promised to deliver 25,000 tests per day by now. On 18 March the government committed to increasing the rate of coronavirus testing to 25,000 within four weeks. Today is exactly four weeks from the day that press release was issued, but that target has been missed.
The government has not hit that target, because the latest figures show 16,000 tests being carried out a day.
____________________________
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/878121/coronavirus-covid-19-testing-strategy.pdf
"Testing rates differ across countries depending on what stage the infection is at, how it is spreading and existing testing capacity. Other countries are also aiming to conduct 100,000 tests per day -Germany by mid-April, the UK by the end of April and France by the end of June.
Page 7 of Govt's own document 4 April 2020. Then turn over to Page 8 of the same document:
"But we need to go further, as fast as possible. Public Health England and NHS England / Improvement are committed to increasing their capacity to 25,000 swab tests per day by the end of April"
_________________________________
Back in time (wobbly lines, wobbly music):
As of 2PM on Saturday 25 January 2020, a total of 31 tests have concluded:
31 were confirmed negative
0 positive
_____________
As of 2pm on Wednesday 29 January 2020, a total of 130 tests have concluded:
130 were confirmed negative
0 positive
__________
As of 2pm on Tuesday 4 February 2020, a total of 416 tests have concluded:
414 were confirmed negative.
2 positive.
___________
As of 9am 1 March 2020, a total of 11,750 people have been tested:
11,715 negative.
35 positive.
____________
https://www.bmj.com/content/368/bmj.m1222
"Sharon Peacock, director of the National Infection Service at PHE, said that, subject to testing this week, the kits for swab testing at the point of care could be available for people to use at home “within days.” "
{that was live on telly, 24 March 2020}
__________________
As of 9am 31 March, a total of 143,186 people have been tested of which 25,150 tested positive.
_____________
As of 9am 3 April, a total of 173,784 people have been tested of which 38,168 tested positive.
__________________
As of 9am 13 April, 367,667 tests have concluded, with 14,506 tests on 12 April.
_________________
11 weeks, 368,000 tests = not quite 5,000 a day
"The reason why Germany has so little deaths compared to its number of confirmed cases can be explained by the fact that we have a lot of laboratory diagnoses," said Dr Christian Drosten from Berlin's Charité University Hospital. "We do 500,000 tests every week in Germany," he added.
Deletehttps://www.euronews.com/2020/03/27/germany-increases-its-covid-19-tests-to-500-000-per-week
________________
“We learned that we must meticulously trace chains of infection in order to interrupt them,” Clemens Wendtner, the doctor who treated the Munich patients, told Reuters.
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-germany-defences-i/pass-the-salt-the-minute-details-that-helped-germany-build-virus-defences-idUSKCN21R1DB
16:52, at the risk of repeating myself, sometimes I despair.
ReplyDeleteIf you are not concerned for your own wellbeing, please give a thought to those around you, partner, children, elderly parents, other passengers on public transport etc.
I agree with 17:32 in that our leaders,’ make themselves sitting ducks by not doing their jobs properly and by instructing others to do what they will not.
The leaders are doing a good job in a bad situation. They deserve their coin you all need to stop hating and moaning and being miserable. I put my faith in the custodians of my health in work. I feel ok with things no different to working in a shop or bin driver
DeleteI agree with you annon @18.00.
DeleteThose that behave in such a cavalier way with little or no consideration for others are usually those that cry foul and loudest when their cavalier attitude sees the chickens coming home to roost.
They generally do come home to roost aswell. But then it's everyone else's fault.
Annon @18:21
DeleteYour comment is opinion not fact.
What is fact is that your opinion appears not to be shared by many others.
Telling everyone else what they NEED to do isn't about opinion it's demanding that others fall in line with your way of thinking.
I don't know why you think that's OK to, but speaking like that takes away any substance there may have been in your comment.
The gameplan is clear for all to see. Kick up enough of a stink that will place these Tory shysters' immorality in the media spotlight, highlight the FACT that they're killing your grandmother/father, your aunt/uncle, your mum/dad, your sister/brother - be fearless in stating your case and HEY! PRESTO!! the science will change overnight; the policy will change overnight; you will be promised more PPE & testing than you could ever wish for, but...
ReplyDelete... you've got to prepare yourself for the Minister to wipe away a salty tear, for a visit from some dreary MP & a photo-op - just don't hold your breath for the actual delivery of the promises.
Napo & your fellow unions, get a fucking story out there NOW. The story's been half-written for you - prisons & care homes have already been publicly identified as parallel risky environments. Napo Ian "welcomes" the early release scheme, which is fine & dandy, so now do something to get your members protected.
"Probation Officer catches virus after being instructed to see case without PPE. HMPPS have designated POs in the community as keyworkers, but only at Category 3, so they are highly unlikely to receive PPE or be tested."
If Donald Trump captained the Titanic.
ReplyDelete. There is no iceberg.
. We won't hit an iceberg.
. I knew it was an iceberg
before anyone else knew.
. No one knows icebergs better
then me.
. The penguins brought the
iceberg here.
. No one could have predicted
the iceberg.
. We cannot allow an iceberg to
stop our ship.
. The crew is speaking fake
news about the iceberg.
. Some of you have to drown.
. I am the best captain ask
anyone.
Nicely summed up:-)
DeleteThe number testing positive for infection in prisons has doubled in a week
ReplyDeletehttps://www.google.com/amp/s/www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8222567/amp/218-inmates-82-staff-tested-positive-coronavirus-57-jails-latest-figures-show.html
Here's the secret link which gives you access to the Orange Tumour's Rabbit Hole:
ReplyDeletehttps://www.whitehouse.gov/live/
Hey Donny! Oh man, that girdle looks uncomfortable.
DeleteYou're doing a fine job, Donny:
Delete640,000 reported cases; 28,500 deaths
Bigliest Numbers Ever!! Yet to get even biglier
For anyone who heard Trump talking about the $billions paid by China:
Delete"With U.S. President Donald Trump’s announcement on Thursday of tariffs on another $300 billion of Chinese imports, nearly all goods from China will be subject to import taxes, and Trump says they generate billions of dollars in revenues for the U.S. Treasury from China.
But that is not how tariffs work. China’s government and companies in China do not pay U.S. tariffs directly. Tariffs are a tax on imported products and are paid by U.S.-registered firms to U.S. customs when goods enter the United States.
Importers often pass the costs of tariffs on to customers - manufacturers and consumers in the United States - by raising their prices. U.S. business executives and economists say U.S. consumers foot much of the tariff bill."
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-trade-china-tariffs-explainer/explainer-trumps-china-tariffs-paid-by-u-s-importers-not-by-china-idUSKCN1UR5YZ
That was some crazy fucking ride - Trump unplugged!!
DeleteHe's working on the theory that the virus was leaked from a scientific establishment in Wuhan Province, passed on by an infected worker and taken to the wet market by her partner. Trump seems adamant that WHO is in cahoots with China to cover up the truth which is why he's stopped funding them. Of course, what no-one realises is that Trump saw all of this coming which is why he closed all borders with China before anyone thought of it. It would be so much worse if he hadn't acted so quickly. And while he was saving America, Democrat House Leader Nancy Pelosi was partying with the Chinese in San Francisco.
Man that was fucking awesome!!! Who needs ClassA's when you've got https://www.whitehouse.gov/live/
Trump did not foresee anything, but if you believe that then you may as well believe there was no outbreak in Wuhan. Instead there was a government controlled outbreak in Wuhan of a weaker strain of Covid created in a Lab, designed to mutate to attack non-Chinese DNA after the virus left China. While the world is in chaos China, the only country left standing, establishes itself as the global economic power.
DeleteThere is no spoon.
"Yes, I have made it look like a government controlled outbreak in Wuhan, a weaker strain of Covid created in a Lab designed to mutate to attack non-Chinese DNA after the virus left China. While the world is in chaos China, the only country left standing, establishes itself as the global economic power. And as you know, I won China in our game of poker. So now I must kill you, Mr Bond. Ha ha ha ha ha hahaha..."
DeleteEdited comment posted 21:24 15/04/2020 (Email deleted)
ReplyDeleteLatest from Napo reps on RRP CRCs.
From: NapoMailings
Date: 15 Apr 2020 07:12
Subject: Fighting for pay
Dear member,
Last week myself and your branch executives, Ralph Coldrick, Julie Burdon and Angela Thompson dialled in to RRP CEO Adam Hart for the start of the much awaited pay talks. Unfortunately Steve Bradley from East Midlands was on annual leave but the branch was represented by myself as Link Official. However, Adam Hart made it very clear at the beginning that there was no money for any pay increase for RRP staff. His rationale was that RRP’s volume of work had dropped so significantly that the organisation had dropped one band in the pay mechanism and was potentially due to drop another band resulting in far less income than anticipated.
Needless to say this is extremely disappointing. The Napo representatives made it abundantly clear to Adam and the RRP SLT that this was totally unacceptable. We know members are struggling financially and have not had any significant pay rise for 14 years! At the same time is was clear that staff are being expected to work above and beyond the call of duty in these incredibly difficult times. Despite our best efforts this fell on deaf ears and as it stands RRP are not prepared to make a financial offer to their staff. I will be holding a meeting today with representatives from both branches to look at what our next step should be in relation to putting pressure on RRP to cough up and repay staff for their hard work and commitment.
It is vital that we get an idea of how members are feeling and what they would like Napo to do next for them. Please feed your thoughts into your branches to enable us to draw up and action plan going forward. We will not leave it at a simple no. Napo wants to ensure the very best terms and conditions for staff and both branches have been working tirelessly to try to achieve this over the last 5 years.
EDM:
If you have any concerns about how the EDM is being implemented across RRP then please do let your branch know. We have sought clarification on a few issues such as UPW supervisors assisting as “buddies” for door stepping and should not be carry out the visit themselves. We have also had confirmation that sessional staff will receive some income through a special payment scheme. A direct result of Napo raising these concerns. However, we know in reality that does not always translate on to the ground so do keep your branches up to date on any area of concern you may have.
Workloads:
If you are having difficulties working at home either due to caring responsibilities or lack of space to work then get in touch with your branch. We can then raise these issues directly with the SLT to alleviate the pressure so many of you are feeling right now. You can also find a Working at Home guidance paper on Napo’s website www.napo.org.uk
Kind Regards
Tania Bassett
There was one reply to this but deleted along with original posting:-
DeleteAnonymous 16 April 2020 at 01:06
Here's a clue for you Napo if you achieve nothing in 5 years what's changed. You certainly won't make any impact having done nothing to date the CRC is not bothered.