Should Communism Be Declared A Criminal Ideology?

[Scot Dutchy]

Yes, I am aware of people at 55 who were offered early retirement. It seemed a good deal at the time, but now regret it as they do not have enough to live the life they expected, basically long extended holidays in Greece or Portugal. Now they can barely afford to heat their houses in winter.

I was one of those where I was offered which looked at first a nice sum but thanks to the crash would have been no where near enough. At 0.5% interest it soon disappears. I stuck to my permanent contract.

[DRSB]

Yep. If your 55 out of work forget it. Here permanent contracts give protection for many. Those who unfortunately find themselves in that position often go down the ZZP (independent without personnel) road by which you can earn a certain amount of income and still get unemployment support. The whole postage and package industry in run by ZZP'ers. Some do consulting work but it is not easy

But it starts at 46 already, as the article says. I was made redundant at 46 by a bank that no longer exists (was taken over by another struggling one). Since then, it has been precisely this: entrepreneurship (independent without personnel) in coaching an training, adult teaching and gigs in labour integration, blowing a fortune on diplomas in the process. There are not many career paths open to 40-somethings, trainer and coach or consultant seem to be the only ones and it is becoming increasingly difficult to get in, I am still struggling for gigs and it is not like it is very rewarding. I am not sure I can ever even break even on the expenditures I've made. This is increasingly affecting younger people and I expect 40 to become officially the new 60 very soon. Then the state steps in and if this is no communism, I don't know what is.
Speaking about communism and the state stepping in, I am reading the share of Credit Suisse is at 11 SFr. When I left CS in 2005, it was over 90. UBS was bailed out by the state once already, with tax-payers' money.

[Scot Dutchy]

That is a well known path here I am afraid. I dont envy you one bit. I was lucky and just squeezed by.
Being born 1949 I was the last group that could make use of the government's early retirement scheme. It was started in the 80's during the crisis then. Unemployment was 15% so the plan was to remove as many people as possible out of the employment market. All 55 year old's were offered early retirement. It was drastic but we had a socialist government. The terms were very good and plenty went to warmer climes. The scheme continued but as the market improved the age was increased. It was then decided to draw a line at 1950 it would cease. By then people at 61.5 were the last to be entitled. From then until my pension at 65 I had a fantastic deal. I earned more than my last salary.
People here are working more and more part time. In the professional world job sharing is common. Lawyers, architects, doctors etc. are sharing. Ok their income is lower but less stress far more private time for kids and hobbies. Even at lower levels this is happening. The Dutch dont like working long hours. A working week is now 36 hours and 34 is being talked about. The National Basic Wage is very much in the discussion. All this helps the employment market. Unemployment has never been so low.
As far as I see you are doing everything you can. If I was you here I would be looking for a government post. The do appear quite often. Can be a fixed term but it is a way in.

[DRSB]

This is what I am looking into: the city, the canton, the federation. Only yesterday I applied at the city's social centre for a job coaching position 70%, I was so in haste to apply, did not even take the time to especially revamp my CV. After all, I am officially sick and still down from the anesthetics. Will take the time today and over the weekend to work on my dossier. Last week I saw two persons from another organisation that works on a mandate from the labour department, still open and I wrote them that I am sick till mid next week. At least I have built some track record, skills and some network, yes, I am counting my blessings but I have also had some fun and helped some people along the way.

[Scot Dutchy]

That is what life is about; helping each other and gaining experience. Well I hope you are fortunate.

The sauna calls.

[Svartalf]

Yeah, Rainbow, look at this article:

https://www.beobachter.ch/arbeit/arbeit ... 5VGL-H22_o

Yes, I am aware of people at 55 who were offered early retirement. It seemed a good deal at the time, but now regret it as they do not have enough to live the life they expected, basically long extended holidays in Greece or Portugal. Now they can barely afford to heat their houses in winter.

dunno, I was sen t to early retirement by age 45... by that time I was a complete wreck and actually incapable of working anyway... and I'm living in poverty because my pension is ridiculously low.

[Rum]

I retired at 60 - 'early' because of government austerity following the crash. I was cheap to get rid of because my pension wasn't coming out of their pot - though they did enhance it with a decent lump sum. I didn't really want to retire but it was too good an offer to refuse and if I had not I would have had to apply for one of the remaining few jobs at my level. Given I was 60 I didn't fancy my chances.

We paid off the mortgage and got a good start on getting this new place funded. I would still rather have worked another few years though I know that sounds ungrateful. I know at least one guy - my ex-boss and ten years younger than I, who is still without permanent employment from what I hear.

[Forty Two]

Doesn't she need permission from the national Worker's Committee or the Central Committee which determines the resources needed for pots and whether and how many would be made out of clay?

Nope. No central committee. Just the Free Market.
No barrier to entry due to the non-ownership of the resource.
Also anyone can own chickens, goats, cows and they all graze or browse on communal land.

You've never been to Africa, I assume.

What do you mean "no barrier to entry?" The resources are the chickens and goats and cows, so don't you have to buy those things? And chickens are fed feed, they don't graze. So, that's another resource.

Yes, so you've never been to a village in the developing world so you've actually no idea what you're talking about. Chickens and goats roam freely and feed themselves from what they can find and scratch up in the dirt. In India, I've seen pigs and cows living off discarded vegetables in the communal dump. This is the reality of most of the world's population.
Do you really know so little of the world we live in?

I don't have to have actually been to your village in Africa to know that their economic system is not one I want to emulate. Families' dinners roaming free around the village is not a sign of prosperity or well-being, is it? Is that what you think people in North America, Europe and OZ/NZ should do? have their chickens free-roaming, street-shitting chickens by the millions in their towns? Just let the cows mill about, and when you need some beef, just pick one, slaughter it, and divide up the meat with a few neighbors?

Here in the first world, we don't tend to live near "communal dumps." Such a thing would not even be allowed here under our municipal ordinances regulations. I can tell you right now in my town, you can't have a communal dump, nor would we want one, as it would be a breeding ground for disease, would potentially impact the water supply, etc. The landfills we have are too distant from people's homes for them to be utilized by the people on a day to day basis. The way our refuse works, a truck comes to my house twice a week, and the garbage cans are emptied into the truck. Once the truck is full, they drive it many miles away to a landfill. Chickens, cows and pigs don't graze there. We're just a little behind your village in that regard.

What has lifted more people out of the poverty of eating chickens fed from garbage dumps is capitalism and free-er markets.

While I haven't been to a third world village in Africa, I have been to many poor places, and I've traveled all over the world. I find your attempt to insult me as untraveled and ignorant of the world quite laughable. I've had the good fortune to travel widely in my life.

[Scot Dutchy]

I retired at 60 - 'early' because of government austerity following the crash. I was cheap to get rid of because my pension wasn't coming out of their pot - though they did enhance it with a decent lump sum. I didn't really want to retire but it was too good an offer to refuse and if I had not I would have had to apply for one of the remaining few jobs at my level. Given I was 60 I didn't fancy my chances.

We paid off the mortgage and got a good start on getting this new place funded. I would still rather have worked another few years though I know that sounds ungrateful. I know at least one guy - my ex-boss and ten years younger than I, who is still without permanent employment from what I hear.

You dont have permanent contracts in the UK do you? At 60 you really dont have chance. Here at 55 no one is compelled to apply for work. Just now we do have a great shortage of builders, plumbers, electricians and cable installers but they are for fit healthy people. What is amazing is the number of girls applying.

[Rum]

I retired at 60 - 'early' because of government austerity following the crash. I was cheap to get rid of because my pension wasn't coming out of their pot - though they did enhance it with a decent lump sum. I didn't really want to retire but it was too good an offer to refuse and if I had not I would have had to apply for one of the remaining few jobs at my level. Given I was 60 I didn't fancy my chances.

We paid off the mortgage and got a good start on getting this new place funded. I would still rather have worked another few years though I know that sounds ungrateful. I know at least one guy - my ex-boss and ten years younger than I, who is still without permanent employment from what I hear.

You dont have permanent contracts in the UK do you? At 60 you really dont have chance. Here at 55 no one is compelled to apply for work. Just now we do have a great shortage of builders, plumbers, electricians and cable installers but they are for fit healthy people. What is amazing is the number of girls applying.

Yes of course we do. My job was 'permanent' and my redundancy/early retirement was negotiated to our mutual satisfaction.

[Scot Dutchy]

Permanent here means here you cant be sacked or retired for any reason unless its criminal.

[Sean Hayden]

That comes with its own set of problems, doesn't it?

[Scot Dutchy]

Like what?

[DRSB]

There is no "permanent" in Switzerland, a few months notice period, that's all. The best one can hope for is "stable". OK, may be only habilitated university professors with a chair are permanently in place till retirement.

[Sean Hayden]

Like what?

You'll know more about it than I do. I guess if it's really hard to get one then there may be few problems for the employer. How common are they? What percentage of Dutch workers enjoy this protection?