@Bobbyzen
They're still earning their full salaries in SA. There were talks of them getting 5% cut in salary but they're protesting that 5% cut. ...so their 5% cut hasn't happened yet.

[iol.co.za]

@TimeOutForMe Thanks for the link. SA’s government employees are unionized, which explains a lot. Here in the US, only a small percentage of state employees belong to a union. [en.m.wikipedia.org]

At the federal level, only about 100,000 of the 2 million federal employees are unionized.

@Bobbyzen you're welcome. Yip different countries have different policies and maybe if the majority belonged to a union in the US you'd have grounds.
...or perhaps its frowned upon.
I haven't worked for a salary for 26 years. I took the challenge of the hard way out and it worked out pretty well until covid-19 arrived.
[m.fin24.com]

@TimeOutForMe

I’ve been self employed three times in my life, but have had a salaried job for the last 15 years and I’m very lucky to still be employed. I hope you can make it through...

Union membership has been in a steady decline since the 1980’s there are two factors: Democrats used to be the party of workers and heavily supported unions, and vice versa. But in 1979 Democrats decided to take campaign contributions from corporations. No longer reliant on union support, they stopped being unconditional union supporters. Then along came President Ronald Reagan, who busted the Air Traffic Controllers union, which combined with Democrats’ abandonment led to a severe drop in union membership.

@Bobbyzen
Yip lucky you. I think 90% of salaried workers in SA are safe. Some had to take a 10-30% reduction in salary and perhaps some will be retrenched due company closures or companies not making a profit. I will be ok. ...just that I feel lousy as lockdown has stopped me from functioning however necessary it is. I've never experienced how an immediate decision by govt, just like that, can control your ability to work, to earn, to move. I think many feel their insides ripped out of them. I sympathise with those who have lost their lives and families still reeling and having to cope with these losses. It's just that no one saw this coming. This clamp down on our lives, our livelihood. Someone one seen me in 2012, this after 23 years. She said jeees you're still on the go, always having something to do or going somewhere, I'm surprised you didn't have a heart attack by now. Yes that's me but all my doings and goings was and is necessary. Now I'm pinned down. We're in level 4 since Friday, still 85% restriction, still excludes my job and no-one to be seen outside their homes before 8am and after 5pm, only essential workers, their jobs and emergencies. I know why this is necessary but I also think those powers are enjoying having control. Their presence are not in areas where those are out of control, they are not instilling the measures required and they have not complied with testing numbers and because of that our infection numbers and death rate have climbed since Friday and will continue to climb. We've had 17 food chains close on Friday because staff have been infected. Other essential businesses infected includes pharmacy staff, police military and traffic staff, hospital staff in both affluent and non-affluent areas. How the heck is things going to go back to normal anytime soon? Yes we can jog from 9-11am etc but our sanity and income has been compromised, those of us that don't earn salaries. I have so many thoughts about this virus I question it over and over again. now new findings says it effects your heart, your kidneys etc. ...and all these YouTube talks etc is mind-boggling. The 1918 flu pandemic killed 100m people but more than a century later we're wearing masks again, it's crazy!.
... and all because people are eating everything that bloody moves!!!!?

Aye, that it would.

@RoboGraham
What a wonderful world that would be. Sadly for a lot of us life won't be the same again. A lot won't recover and a lot will struggle to bounce back. Some may consider doing other jobs when all this ends.

You certainly can be thankful for that. Otherwise stress kills too.

@ LeighShelton
You're very right about that

I hear what you're saying about the "Every" part. There are those that put themselves at risk trying to save lives.

I hope cops are writing fewer traffic tickets and busting more violent criminals
......CONGRESSIONAL MEDAL of HONOR to DOCTOR LORNA BREEN

@TimeOutForMe thank you letter carrier bringing me mail 6 days out of 7

@TimeOutForMe sans holy days

I posted this yesterday. An approach to eventually phase out money, people owning the resources is perhaps a consideration for the future. Free from Economic Slavery.

I've said this before - Covid-19 arrived, Lockdown was necessary, the dead won't come back, the economy will recover in time but I am amongst those called the LIVING DEAD. I'm told I am forbidden to function to survive.

I think so too

Yip and our infected rate is climbing too and that's worrying. We had 5 weeks of lockdown and we're nowhere near the intended testing rate.

Yes we're not in easy times right now. IMO up to 70% of businesses are suffering losses including those people affected by these businesses. Commission earners are taking huge knocks. We contribute about 25% to the South African revenue services, yet not legible candidates to claim on any govt funded assistance/roll outs. Not guilty and under house arrest.

@TimeOutForMe least we're not in feudal Europe during the plague. Those people were fucked.

@1of5 not for long. They hijacked other countries when they recovered

@TimeOutForMe I said "we".

@1of5

@TimeOutForMe edited it to actually say "we're" instead of "were".

Never blindly trust spellchecker.

@1of5 "forgiven"