Gis a job, I can do that

[Dave Clark Five]

What's the deal with zero hours contracts? I just don't get why anyone would sign up for one.

Depends on circumstances. Such a contract may be given to a person who has drawn his pension (perhaps a few years early) but wants to keep working on particular projects, maybe at a higher rate than in the full time role they previously had but without the luxury of such things as sick pay.

[SashasGrandad]

If the Aston Villa "Fan Squad" is anything like similarly named groups that I've seen in the USA, the job just involves firing t-shirts into the stands from a giant air gun.

When they tried that before the shirts didn't get very far only a few made it to the upper tiers. Perhaps they should advertise for a few javelin throwers.

[UK Redsox]

If the Aston Villa "Fan Squad" is anything like similarly named groups that I've seen in the USA, the job just involves firing t-shirts into the stands from a giant air gun.

When they tried that before the shirts didn't get very far only a few made it to the upper tiers. Perhaps they should advertise for a few javelin throwers.

Were they the same people who shot Santa out of the sky ?

[Mister E]

If this was in 4 years time and I'd finished my degree and looking for a full-time job this would be perfect for me. Grrrr.

It's not full-time though.

[Ad@m]

What's the deal with zero hours contracts? I just don't get why anyone would sign up for one.

Depends on circumstances. Such a contract may be given to a person who has drawn his pension (perhaps a few years early) but wants to keep working on particular projects, maybe at a higher rate than in the full time role they previously had but without the luxury of such things as sick pay.

But that then makes it a hybrid of being self-employed and being employed, but taking the worst bits of each.

The majority of advantages of being employed stem from the security of having a steady base level of income.  With a zero hours contract you don't get that.  It just seems to put the employer in a far too dominant position.

[Dave Clark Five]

What's the deal with zero hours contracts? I just don't get why anyone would sign up for one.

Depends on circumstances. Such a contract may be given to a person who has drawn his pension (perhaps a few years early) but wants to keep working on particular projects, maybe at a higher rate than in the full time role they previously had but without the luxury of such things as sick pay.

But that then makes it a hybrid of being self-employed and being employed, but taking the worst bits of each.

The majority of advantages of being employed stem from the security of having a steady base level of income.  With a zero hours contract you don't get that.  It just seems to put the employer in a far too dominant position.

At a certain stage of a person's career, he/she may decide to cut down their working hours. It all depends on the contract you sign up to.

[PGW]

What's the deal with zero hours contracts? I just don't get why anyone would sign up for one.

Depends on circumstances. Such a contract may be given to a person who has drawn his pension (perhaps a few years early) but wants to keep working on particular projects, maybe at a higher rate than in the full time role they previously had but without the luxury of such things as sick pay.

But that then makes it a hybrid of being self-employed and being employed, but taking the worst bits of each.

The majority of advantages of being employed stem from the security of having a steady base level of income.  With a zero hours contract you don't get that.  It just seems to put the employer in a far too dominant position.

At a certain stage of a person's career, he/she may decide to cut down their working hours. It all depends on the contract you sign up to.

This sort of arrangement suits me - i worked 37 years at a well known local chocolate factory and took redundancy at 53(6 years ago) plus a healthy pension i soon got bored and had to find me something to get me out of bed in the morning and found a part time job for 20 hours a week which was great but a year ago that was cut (NHS cuts) but i now just work as a bank porter covering sickness / holidays etc istill contribute to the NHS pension and pay me some beer tokens for my efforts.

If i was 35 then not for me but at my age perfect!!!

[Salsa Party Animal]

Just change the job for Stephen Ireland and he can do this on new contract. He probably won't notice the different

[Top Cat]

If the Aston Villa "Fan Squad" is anything like similarly named groups that I've seen in the USA, the job just involves firing t-shirts into the stands from a giant air gun.

When they tried that before the shirts didn't get very far only a few made it to the upper tiers. Perhaps they should advertise for a few javelin throwers.

Were they the same people who shot Santa out of the sky ?

We sit in Lower Trinity and the chap who sits in the row behind us was desperate to catch one but they came nowhere near us. I emailed the club and had a lovely reply saying there would be a t-shirt waiting for me at North Stand reception next home match we had. The chap was very grateful but I don't know if he ever wore it.

[Hillbilly]

http://fcbusiness.co.uk/jobs/detail/jobcode=171/title=fan+squad+position+at+aston+villa+football+club

[dave.woodhall]

http://fcbusiness.co.uk/jobs/detail/jobcode=171/title=fan+squad+position+at+aston+villa+football+club

Do you by any chance follow Dave Conn on Twitter?

[Hillbilly]

http://fcbusiness.co.uk/jobs/detail/jobcode=171/title=fan+squad+position+at+aston+villa+football+club

Do you by any chance follow Dave Conn on Twitter?

Busted. The original thread title was too subtle for me. I passed over it thinking it was another Bent/Ireland/whoever thread.

On topic, it's not a surprise but it's sad to see a business that sees fit to pay huge sums to Stephen Ireland can't spring a few bob for a proper contract.

[dave.woodhall]

http://fcbusiness.co.uk/jobs/detail/jobcode=171/title=fan+squad+position+at+aston+villa+football+club

Do you by any chance follow Dave Conn on Twitter?

Busted. The original thread title was too subtle for me. I passed over it thinking it was another Bent/Ireland/whoever thread.

On topic, it's not a surprise but it's sad to see a business that sees fit to pay huge sums to Stephen Ireland can't spring a few bob for a proper contract.

It's not like it's a proper full-time job, though. They work matchdays and when there's an event so there will be times when there's weeks without anything going on. Dave's a great writer but he doesn't half see things in terms of clubs being run by the equivalent of Victorian mill owners.

[Hillbilly]

http://fcbusiness.co.uk/jobs/detail/jobcode=171/title=fan+squad+position+at+aston+villa+football+club

Do you by any chance follow Dave Conn on Twitter?

Busted. The original thread title was too subtle for me. I passed over it thinking it was another Bent/Ireland/whoever thread.

On topic, it's not a surprise but it's sad to see a business that sees fit to pay huge sums to Stephen Ireland can't spring a few bob for a proper contract.

It's not like it's a proper full-time job, though. They work matchdays and when there's an event so there will be times when there's weeks without anything going on. Dave's a great writer but he doesn't half see things in terms of clubs being run by the equivalent of Victorian mill owners.

Agreed he can overdo it. But zero hour contracts have the stench of the mill owner. No matter how it's dressed up, it's despicable, lazy management. As a writer on the finance and administration of football, he's right to draw attention to it.

[dave.woodhall]

I can't see how it could be done any different. It's a part-time casual job, no different to, say, stewarding at Edgbaston.