An explanation…

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-18329526

Nowt like a flexible workforce eh,..
They’re now fully trained in kipping under a bridge and not being paid….
A Flexible..unpaid workforce, It’s the capitalist dream come true… 😀

I read about this yesterday, pretty shocking stuff

Indefensible biut it wont be out of the ordinary saddly

I don’t know what your problem is….. its the Big Society in action, just like Dave promised.

This was a dress rehearsal for the olympics, wasn’t it.

I think there will presently be all manner of dodgy companies getting in touch with the Job Centre Plus to offer ‘apprenticeships’, seeing this as an ideal business model

Just having a stab in the dark here, but I wonder if Close Protection UK have ever made any donations to Tory party funds?

Shocking stuff. This is basically a private company using the unemployed as free labour to boost its profits.

2 days free labour to be eligible for three weeks of work at the olympics. What the chance that there will be “volunteer” stewards at the olympics who are “gaining experience” for a future placement

Apparently the bus to drop them off arrived in London 2 hours early, and contrary to the directions given to the bus driver, the staff left the vehicle to wait under the bridge.

3 people out of 250 chose to erect tents in the rain rather than using the accommodation provided for them – and were specifically advised by the site Director not to use their own tents because of the weather; advice they chose to ignore.

All of the unemployed volunteer stewards were in London to be assessed for a crowd safety management qualification that will enable them to secure paid work at other events including the Olympics.

So the real story is some people arrived early for work, and 3 people got very wet and a whole load of people got the qualification they needed to secure paid work at the 2012 games. Hardly enough to justify John Prescott’s siren calls of mass exploitation on the radio this morning….

Very interesting Farmer John.

As always, two sides to every story & never, EVER let it be said that the papers let the facts get in the way of a good story..

Journos – some of them are pretty damn good but theres way too many that I wouldnt p1ss on if they were on fire!

edit: source?

3 people out of 250 chose to erect tents in the rain rather than using the accommodation provided for them – and were specifically advised by the site Director not to use their own tents because of the weather; advice they chose to ignore.

I thought the whole problem was there was no accomodation untill the night after (which isn’t much use at 3am the night before)?

Private company paid for stewarding contract uses unqualified staff to marshall event,fails to accommodate them properly or arrange changing rooms defends practice as kind to the workers they will exploit for three more weeks of the olympics.

PS I wonder if they got paid, by the government ultimatley, for both the “training” and the delivery of stewarding as two seperate contracts?

Interesting point farmer John I must admit I did not know that they had insisted on sleeping under the bridge rather than use the accommodation provided. All the articles I read and the company’s own statement suggested no accommodation was provided. Your inside information certainly casts a new light on things.

Apparently the bus to drop them off arrived in London 2 hours early, and contrary to the directions given to the bus driver, the staff left the vehicle to wait under the bridge.

3 people out of 250 chose to erect tents in the rain rather than using the accommodation provided for them – and were specifically advised by the site Director not to use their own tents because of the weather; advice they chose to ignore.

All of the unemployed volunteer stewards were in London to be assessed for a crowd safety management qualification that will enable them to secure paid work at other events including the Olympics.

Link please. 🙂

I thin the main rip off is that “close protection UK ” really makes it sound a lot more exciting than it really is.

“sandwich confiscators UK” would be more apt I’m guessing

Farmer John, what’s your source for that? Going to have to treat it with skepticism, since “They were offered better accomodation but chose to sleep under a bridge” doesn’t sound like the most likely explanation…

The Close Protection managing director has an interesting history:

http://company-director-check.co.uk/director/911160566

Farmer john, as someone who was initially disturbed by this story I’d really appreciate knowing where you got your information. Especially as it doesn’t fall entirely in line with the official company stance.

I’m sitting on the fence (at the moment) on this one.
When I first read the article it sounded shocking, but then I thought of some of the bollocks that some people sometimes say to justify their general unhappiness in the way that life has panned out, or simply have unrealistic expectations. So I can’t really form an opinion based on a single bit of reportage.

There’s a separate more interesting issue imo as to what the finance structure of such arrangements are though. I.e who pays Close Protection? How much are they paid? Is that priced based on the fact that they’re not paying the the going price for the manpower involved?

The Close Protection managing director has an interesting history:

http://company-director-check.co.uk/director/911160566

😯
That doesn’t exactly paint a rosy picture!

All in the name of driving down costs efficiency, innit?

I heard the same as FarmerJohn, live on Radio 4 this morning. I thought Prescott made himself appear stupid trying to politicise a non event. The story was mainly about a bus arriving 2 hours earlier than scheduled, hence apologies for someone else causing the problem.

I heard the same as FarmerJohn, live on Radio 4 this morning

we listened to a different radio 4 she said some of that but she was nowhere near as good at spin as the farmer she should recruit him…he seems to like the terms of employment and he will get a qualification too.

Just wondering if John will come back with his source, as it sounds like he might have been making it up.

Just wondering if John will come back with his source, as it sounds like he might have been making it up.

Molly Prince’s side of the story

My favourite bit is

I am saddened by the attempt by ill-intentioned and misinformed individuals to ruin a thriving business, employing hundreds of staff

😐

she’s also got a conviction and 12 month suspended sentence for attempting to pervert the course of justice.

Nice woman.

why would any sane person sleep under a bridge when “heated communal accomadation” is available? Sounds like shes talking bollocks.