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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
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| Simon’s story and the tragedy of unemployment | Simon’s story and the tragedy of unemployment |
| (about 1 month later) | |
| John Owen recognises only too well the circumstances that led the subject of Aditya Chakrabortty’s article to an early grave. And Aditya’s piece made Jenny Mitton so angry she could burst | |
| Letters | |
| Thu 7 Dec 2017 18.46 GMT | |
| Last modified on Thu 7 Dec 2017 22.00 GMT | |
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| I’d like to thank Aditya Chakrabortty for his article on the plight of Simon in the Rhymney Valley (Opinion, 6 December). I live in Caerphilly, at the lower end of the valley, closer to Cardiff, but many of the problems here are similar to those farther up: mines and factories closed, men laid off in their thousands, replaced by minimum-wage call-centre jobs in Cardiff or Newport, both cities suffering from a destruction of their industrial base. | I’d like to thank Aditya Chakrabortty for his article on the plight of Simon in the Rhymney Valley (Opinion, 6 December). I live in Caerphilly, at the lower end of the valley, closer to Cardiff, but many of the problems here are similar to those farther up: mines and factories closed, men laid off in their thousands, replaced by minimum-wage call-centre jobs in Cardiff or Newport, both cities suffering from a destruction of their industrial base. |
| I was luckier than Simon. About 20 years younger, when I graduated there were enough mechanical engineering jobs locally to pick and choose. But then factories started closing, followed by the vicious destruction of the coal industry and loss of jobs. I found a job in an offshore oil consultancy in Cardiff but after a few years they relocated to London. So after trying the jobseeker’s allowance route, and getting nowhere, I joined the ranks of contract engineers, now probably called the gig economy. I had a series of jobs, up to six months each, travelling daily to Bristol, Swindon, Gloucestershire, out of the house 12 hours a day. After a few years I collapsed with exhaustion, only to be told I had to wait for any jobseeker’s allowance because I’d left my job voluntarily. When eligible, and able to sign on, I had to apply for 35 jobs a week. I was an experienced mechanical design engineer, yet told to apply for warehouse jobs etc. Luckily, after a few months, an ex-employer phoned and asked if I was looking for work. But I never forgot the system that destroyed my area, and the horrors of being unemployed. And why didn’t I move to the work? House prices.John OwenCaerphilly | I was luckier than Simon. About 20 years younger, when I graduated there were enough mechanical engineering jobs locally to pick and choose. But then factories started closing, followed by the vicious destruction of the coal industry and loss of jobs. I found a job in an offshore oil consultancy in Cardiff but after a few years they relocated to London. So after trying the jobseeker’s allowance route, and getting nowhere, I joined the ranks of contract engineers, now probably called the gig economy. I had a series of jobs, up to six months each, travelling daily to Bristol, Swindon, Gloucestershire, out of the house 12 hours a day. After a few years I collapsed with exhaustion, only to be told I had to wait for any jobseeker’s allowance because I’d left my job voluntarily. When eligible, and able to sign on, I had to apply for 35 jobs a week. I was an experienced mechanical design engineer, yet told to apply for warehouse jobs etc. Luckily, after a few months, an ex-employer phoned and asked if I was looking for work. But I never forgot the system that destroyed my area, and the horrors of being unemployed. And why didn’t I move to the work? House prices.John OwenCaerphilly |
| • I read Aditya’s piece and wept. Time after time, he brings injustice, government ineptitude and lack of compassion to our attention, and yet nothing changes. I’m so angry I could burst. I just don’t know what to do with my outrage.Jenny MittonSutton Coldfield, West Midlands | • I read Aditya’s piece and wept. Time after time, he brings injustice, government ineptitude and lack of compassion to our attention, and yet nothing changes. I’m so angry I could burst. I just don’t know what to do with my outrage.Jenny MittonSutton Coldfield, West Midlands |
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