London Plagued by Widespread Unemploymentality
This next post comes to us from our friend Natalia Kannas, an unemployed journalist in the UK.
Where has all the love gone, London?
I’ve been living in London for two years now and until recently, I thought I’d found a home in this vibrant, diverse city. But I’m starting to wonder if the love has fizzled out. I hate to say it, but since this damned recession kicked us where it hurts, London has begun to let me down. Things just aren’t bright and shiny anymore; the rose-tinted spectacles are spattered with crap.
And I’m definitely not the only one feeling like this; London is depressed. The economic crisis has hit us hard and you only have to go outside to see the results.
On Oxford Street, gloomy looking shop assistants wander around eerily deserted departments stores.
The Square Mile is quiet – I’ve heard on the grapevine that those who do still have jobs have started bringing in packed lunches, because nowadays, you never know.
And of course there’s the increasingly common sight (one I can identify with myself since being made redundant) – blue collar workers dolefully making their way to the tube station in the middle of the day, carrying those tell-tale plastic bags. Ah yes, the layoff walk; the walk of shame. It’s tough holding onto your dignity when you’re carrying two Sainsbury’s bags full of high heels, multiple Tupperware boxes and a stuffed camel. No wonder London is depressed; she is home to an economy ravaged by the recession. Suddenly jobsites like ‘Teleport my job’ don’t sound half bad.
I decided a quiet weekend away in Brussels (booked before I knew I would be jobless but thank heavens already paid for) was just what I needed to clear my head and decide whether my feelings for London are really over or just need rekindling.
Brussels is quiet, calm and I think to myself ‘yes, maybe this is what I need’. But by the afternoon I’ve walked across most of the city, I’ve seen the Manekin Pis, I’ve eaten the chocolates, I’ve tried the frites and I’ve eaten more chocolates. And I realise I’m not quite done with London yet. Depressed she may be, but London has been through way worse times than this. It’s been through fire. It’s been blitzed. London Bridge has fallen down multiple times. But somehow the city always gets back up and starts walking again, and that’s what will happen again, sooner or later. What goes down must come back up, right?
On my walk home from the station I see a group of pigeons squabbling over the chocolate flakes lying in a pool of melted ice cream. It is carnage, their feathers are covered with the stuff and it’s not pretty. Suddenly one of them breaks away with a chocolate flake, filthy but triumphant and I realise if I am to stay in London, I must be that pigeon. I will doggedly call those recruitment agents, even if they do tell me to go away. I will continue to apply for those jobs I never hear back from. Because like that pigeon I live here now, for better or for worse, and I’m not going to give up without a fight.
Hmmm, it’s not that bad! And not depressing at all! I was made redundant too last year, went freelancing and never looked back! People still go to pubs, restaurants, clubs, etc. Hey, I’m still hangover from last night!
)
However, what I am really worried about is the second half of the year and the next. I mean, things are starting to get very quiet in terms of work available and to be honest with you, if I reach a point that there is nothing here for me to do, I wouldn’t mind taking a break from this city; done it before, and I’m sure I’ll do it again! And sometimes it gets too much, especially when you have no work and the basic cost of living is so high!
Anyway, all the best finding a new job!
“I’ve heard on the grapevine that those who do still have jobs have started bringing in packed lunches, because nowadays, you never know.”
This is the whole problem. Its bad enough that people who have lost jobs aren’t spending any money anymore, but even people who do have jobs are so scared that they are starting to act as if they are unemployed. So, unknowingly, by saving and acting cautious, they put other people out of work (food vendors for example), which makes the economy worse and which puts them in even more danger of being laid off.
I don’t understand the above comment really – why wouldn’t people who still have jobs be a bit more careful with their money? Just because they have a job now, they may not have a job tomorrow and I know that I am bringing in a packed lunch way more because I want to save some money. Even people that are employed need to be cautious and it’s unfortunate because unemployment is a chain reaction, but those that still have jobs can’t be made to feel guilty because they do.
Roman’s comment makes sense (even though some like Amy might resent the notion and the feeling of guilt) but I think those with jobs spending less is not that significant and shouldn’t be taken too seriously. These governments need to be revamping the whole economic system instead of encouraging scandalous schemes by CEOs, investors, bankers, and circus freaks worldwide
Roman.. the idea that people saving money instead of spending is a problem is not true!
In fact, the savings money is the only thing that allows banks to make loans to people like us.
Any money given to bail out finance and banks has been given to the bank holding companies.. the parent companies. The holding companies are not giving much money to their subsidiaries in order to protect their own a$$es.
Banks that make loans to everyday people and business are allowed to loan out about 9 times the cash they have on hand… our savings is the only thing helping banks continue to make credit available to keep business going.
People should have been saving all along and now is NOT the time to go further into debt.
I hope to visit London and Paris soon but since I am suddenly out of work, there are higher priorities: food, clothes, making the mortgage payment. But you know I can read a book and learn about England and it will be all the better when we finally visit!