Here, I may live oop North still, but married a Surrey lass recently. Interestingly, a hostess trolley was on the wedding list and we got one. Ok when there are 12 round the table but the ubiquitous Aga can keep food warm too.

Sorry, where was I.

Oh yeah,   Richard. No, that is not our company, although to start naming names, I may as well use my real name and that would never do. You certainly wouldn't buy me another pint (!) The local councils in the central region (perhaps others too, I really don't know) can and do enact by laws which append to licence to operate a business in their patch. One of which is the link between the council and those representing the local workforce. I love collective bargaining, as it is more transparent and takes less time up for both sides in theory. The upshot in the Modena patch is that pay and conditions are rather much dictated to you by those to whom you pay your rates. The local communist party often wins the frequent elections (this is Italy...) and the rest you can work out for yourself.

Lizzie. Your experiences are not nice, but neither is your slur on all and every employer. Especially as at one end the public sector invents policies every day in order to get a piece of perspex for being a good employer, (ok, hitting the target whilst missing the point...) and at the other end, even benevolent megalomaniacs start out meaning well.....

Tell you what, I like many could rattle on about the antics of some employees, never mind employers. Sadly, on two occasions, my sacking of people has included involving the police, one occasion ending in a custodial sentence.