Was chatting with a baggies friend on the train home on saturday about how companies use to provide stuff for their workforce above and beyond wages, e.g social and sports clubs, cinemas, housing etc etc. Provided a good sense of cohesion within the company. He said that around Birmingham, Cadbury's and a lot of the brewerys used to do it. Really looked after the workforce.
Philanthropy seems to be a lot less prevailant now than it used to be.

Do you think Chinese companies are benevolent to their employees?

What do you think competitors of British companies do for their staff?

"That was fun and to round off the day, I am off to steal a charity collection box and then desecrate a place of worship.” - Smokey, The Selhurst Arms, 26/02/02

Banks do ironically. e.g. the HSBC and NatWest sports clubs although not sure the latter still exists.

And there in a but shell is why Willi sticks up for incompetent referee's..... He is one.

always a Norwood boy, where ever I live.

I think you meant "Nut" and "WillO" !

Are you saying I'm an "Incompetent referee" or merely suggesting I am a "Referee" ? !!!!

Do you think that rhetorical questions resolve social problems?

"One Nation Under God, has turned into One Nation Under the Influence of One Drug"
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Tell you what, go to Gatwick, get a Norwegian Air flight to Oslo, get the train from the airport to National Theatre, get off the train, turn left and then right, then right again, go to the Amundsen Bar and pontificate to the regulars there about your theory that higher tax = happier people.

Then turn left, left again and ask in the Upper Crust at National Theater station if they sell humble pie.

"That was fun and to round off the day, I am off to steal a charity collection box and then desecrate a place of worship.” - Smokey, The Selhurst Arms, 26/02/02

I think that the more you reduce regulation by state of enterprises within the state, public or private, the less influence the state has, and the greater the incentive towards self interest of the individuals at the top of those organisations becomes.

One of the primary reasons I see for leaving the EU is to reduce the capacity of a migrant labour force to feed the demand for employment by corporate entities in the UK - which is detrimental to the long term prospects of society.

Same as the issue with the deregulation of banking leading to the credit crunch, the same problem exists in terms of employment in the UK - That we have increasingly benefited the prospects of non-citizens over citizens in order to fulfil the desires and influences of a minority elite that 'direct those businesses'.

This has benefited the interest of governments, in that they don't have to spend to 'deal with the problem of unemployment' and corporate interests (in keeping wages down) - but its us, the people of the UK, who ultimately carry the true cost.

"One Nation Under God, has turned into One Nation Under the Influence of One Drug"
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Ah! The 'Gusset cuss'.

I didn't say that, did I, nor do I believe that either.

What I am saying is that the employee benefits our parents and grandparents got is gone.

We live in a global economy, where our competitors will reduce expense to a minimum.

Therefore, in order to preserve jobs, unfortunately some social aspects connected with work will or have disappeared.

"That was fun and to round off the day, I am off to steal a charity collection box and then desecrate a place of worship.” - Smokey, The Selhurst Arms, 26/02/02

No it doesn't. It is factual representation of the globalised business World. Your idea of 'international based control' is pie in the sky.

It doesn't stop entrepreneurs. It doesn't stop innovators. It doesn't stop small business.

You could argue that real damage was done when a socialist British government encouraged cheap labour to migrate to Britain.

"That was fun and to round off the day, I am off to steal a charity collection box and then desecrate a place of worship.” - Smokey, The Selhurst Arms, 26/02/02