Friday , March 29 2024

I’m a Hartlepudlian! Get me out of here!

Apparently theres someone from Hartlepool appearing in the latest series of Im a Celebrity. As any regular readers of this blog will know, I cant stand reality TV so Im proud to say that Ive never seen the show so I dont know the names of anyone appearing on it. What I think I can work out about these contestants is that either their careers are at such a low that the only way they can get money is to eat maggots – or maybe that they are wealthy and need to show off their egos in the limelight. Sad isnt it. Even sadder is the fact that millions watch it! How about changing the title to Im an Idiot I watch Im a Celebrity! or a better one would be Celebrity Napalm Attack now theres one that would have me glued to the TV on a weeknight.

The title of this article, Im a Hartlepudlian Get me out of here! is a bit flippant but is fairly relevant to something that Ive been thinking about this week. Where are all the jobs And why arent any quality jobs coming to Hartlepool What do I mean by quality jobs Well, how about jobs which are over 6 an hour for a start. For a follow up, how about decent working conditions as a bonus.

There is a shortage of employment in the town, and a large amount of what there is comes in at a low, low wage. Anyone unemployed is encouraged to take one of these low paid jobs which can be as stressful and busy as any well paid role elsewhere. These roles are also sometimes artificially created and are part funded by the Government! Because of peoples reluctance to take these roles, there are also grants for people to set up their own businesses – The town has a glut of these small businesses that are here to service those with money such as plumbers, builders and restaurants (and especially hairdressing salons and new ones are still opening as we speak!). You would think that there would be an imbalance between these service industries and those with money to spend (the corporate salaried). There isnt, because most of those with money that live in the town do only that they work elsewhere Newcastle for instance. (Excluding the supermarkets, the best attended shops in Hartlepool are the pound and charity shops in Middleton Grange!).

The jobs that are in the town which are low paid are fine for the young who still live at home but anyone with responsibilities cant afford to take these jobs unless they have no children and both partners work. 75 hours worked for one decent wage hmmm.

So where are these good jobs and the bright future that our MP, Mayor and the local press are promising us God knows cause I dont. After the shutdown of the towns industry and companies like GEC we were all told that new jobs would eventually turn up and that they would, in time replace these old, industrial type roles. Well they did, in the form of call centres who are only here because the area has just about the lowest average wage in the UK and high unemployment so people will work for peanuts and not make waves about poor conditions or they can be easily replaced.

We should refuse these roles and let them go offshore to India and expose the policy of successive governments for what it is. Or do what others who need to build a long term career do work, and sometimes live, elsewhere truly a case of Im a Hartlepudlian Get me out of here!

Cheers!

Headlander

p.s No joke this week Im far too depressed by it all. Im sure that Ill cheer up after tonight in the Pint and Fight.

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