The evil of after work drinks

[Nearly Sane]

Apart from the Irony of this being followed by drinks, and the whole idea that men don't want to see/look after kids, it wankmonger of the highest order. It isn't a fucking problem JC!!?

Not that that is any benefit to Owen Smith who likes talking about being served by ladies and wants the FM of Scotland's gob stopped.


http://www.itv.com/news/2016-09-02/jeremy-corbyn-after-work-drinks-discriminate-against-mothers/

[Gordon]

Aside from the irony of this nugget within the article 'Following the event, held at Unison's offices, a drinks party was held.' his stance reeks of simplistic generalisations that were no doubt intended as soundbytes that might impress the gullible.

On this showing he is an arse: possibly a thoughtful and well-intentioned one at times, but an arse nonetheless.

[L.A.]

Aside from the irony of this nugget within the article 'Following the event, held at Unison's offices, a drinks party was held.' his stance reeks of simplistic generalisations that were no doubt intended as soundbytes that might impress the gullible.

On this showing he is an arse: possibly a thoughtful and well-intentioned one at times, but an arse nonetheless.

Being an 'arse' comes quite naturally to Jeremy.

[Aruntraveller]

I have received my invitation to vote by e-mail, because I'm a member of an affiliated union I presume (I haven't been a member of the party for many a long year now) although I'm not sure I should have a vote, anyhoo that's all kind of irrelevant because neither of them are convincing me to vote for them.

As to drinks after work - oh I can't even be bothered to construct a coherent sentence to express my complete amazement that anyone thinks this is a burning issue.

Somebody please help. May to the right, Corbyn to the left. I am completely bewildered.

[jeremyp]

Apart from the Irony of this being followed by drinks, and the whole idea that men don't want to see/look after kids, it wankmonger of the highest order. It isn't a fucking problem JC!!?

Also, the idea that I, a person with no children, should give up an activity I quite enjoy just because other people choose to be responsible is wankmonger too.

[floo]

I wonder how many people who go for a drink or three after work, then drive home?

[Bubbles]

Mothers have their coffee mornings while hubby goes to work 

I really enjoyed the social side I had when the kiddies were small.

When you work full time it's not the same.

Lots of people don't want to have after work drinks with people they work with because they have seen them for so many hours a day.

I actually think those mums coffee mornings with small kids in tow was one of the most enjoyable parts of my life, one men are largely excluded from.

It's nice to have time to meet others in a way you don't as a couple.

If I was a bloke, I'd be quite jealous, never mind the after work drinks 

[ad_orientem]

I wonder how many people who go for a drink or three after work, then drive home?

Who cares as long as they're not over the legal limit? It's nobody's business then.

[BeRational]

Who cares as long as they're not over the legal limit? It's nobody's business then.

I would agree but I want the legal limit to be zero.

[Brownie]

Why do people think it is only men who go for drinks after work?  It is very common for women to do it, especially on a Friday night.  Going to the pub after work starts the weekend off well for many.  Nothing wrong with it at all as long as everyone knows their limit so that accidents don't happen - they all have to travel home eventually, often on a train, and it's not much fun if someone is sick or if they fall asleep and miss their stop.

Jeremy said: "...benefits men who don't feel the need to be at home looking after their children and it discriminates against women who will want to, obviously, look after the children that they have got."

Appallingly ungrammatical and sexist in the extreme.  Shame on you Corbyn, you're a socialist.

[floo]

Who cares as long as they're not over the legal limit? It's nobody's business then.

People should NOT drink and drive. I am of the opinion even a small amount of alcohol makes you less on the ball when driving.

[ad_orientem]

People should NOT drink and drive. I am of the opinion even a small amount of alcohol makes you less on the ball when driving.

It doesn't surprise me you think that. I'm glad you're not the one making these rules up because you'd a right little Hitler. Unless you're a complete lightweight then one or two drinks is of no consequence.

[floo]

It doesn't surprise me you think that. I'm glad you're not the one making these rules up because you'd a right little Hitler. Unless you're a complete lightweight then one or two drinks is of no consequence.

Better safe than sorry where alcohol is concerned, many people are probably over the limit and don't realise it!

[Bubbles]

Why do people think it is only men who go for drinks after work?  It is very common for women to do it, especially on a Friday night.  Going to the pub after work starts the weekend off well for many.  Nothing wrong with it at all as long as everyone knows their limit so that accidents don't happen - they all have to travel home eventually, often on a train, and it's not much fun if someone is sick or if they fall asleep and miss their stop.

Jeremy said: "...benefits men who don't feel the need to be at home looking after their children and it discriminates against women who will want to, obviously, look after the children that they have got."

Appallingly ungrammatical and sexist in the extreme.  Shame on you Corbyn, you're a socialist.

Women, if they are married and have children generally are expected to go home and put tea on the table for their families.

Who really has time to go drinking with work colleagues after work?

Sometimes ( but rarely)  at work we go out later for a team building meet up. Which can range from learning how to make cocktails to ten pin bowling or a meal.

Even then it's hard to get everyone to go.

People have commitments after work and women especially, with their families.

As for drinking you ask your other half to give you a lift home, both me and my husband give each other lifts in such circumstances as they never seem to coincide.

But drinks regularly after work isn't going to happen.

If you are young and single it might, because you don't have people expecting you home in the same way.

If you have a family, they expect you to be around.

Children have after school activities as well as wanting tea and sexist or not, mum is often looked to, for lifts and feeding.

I think Jeremy Corbyn is right, most women with children have to collect them from childminders for example.

Or from their mum, which is just restricting the freedom of another woman if you think about it.

Women who have their mums look after their children are only free, because they restrict another woman's freedom.

Childcare is expensive and it's usually the woman who has to sort it out.

[Brownie]

Better safe than sorry where alcohol is concerned, many people are probably over the limit and don't realise it!

I agree with you there, especially about drinking and driving.  Better safe than sorry.  One drink is enough for most if they are going to drive and, as you said, some are affected even after one (I think you said that, if not in those words).  However I doubt people would be driving home from work after a few drinks.  It's usually public transport, especially in big cities.

[floo]

I agree with you there, especially about drinking and driving.  Better safe than sorry.  One drink is enough for most if they are going to drive and, as you said, some are affected even after one (I think you said that, if not in those words).  However I doubt people would be driving home from work after a few drinks.  It's usually public transport, especially in big cities.

I think many people drive home inebriated, especially in rural areas. The police around here have crackdowns from time to time, stopping cars and breathalysing drivers. Quite a number were found to be over the limit, some way over.

[Brownie]

They are bonkers.  Even if they don't have an accident they will lose points on their licence.  The police are known to be quite hot on that sort of thing in rural areas.  If anyone wants a drink after work why don't they make arrangements to get home a different way.

[Nearly Sane]

I think many people drive home inebriated, especially in rural areas. The police around here have crackdowns from time to time, stopping cars and breathalysing drivers. Quite a number were found to be over the limit, some way over.

Socially the whole perception of drink driving has changed over the years. When I was first learning to drive, it was almost seen as acceptable. Drink ups after work, are now in my experience, far fewer, lighter in tone, and there will be people who perhaps have a court oe of drinks at the start of the evening and then switch to soft drinks, or don't have any alcohol. I think it would be sensible to back this up with a reduction in limit for England and Wales, as happened in Scotland some time ago.


That said, I think the whole idea of after work drinks being discriminatory is nonsense.

[Brownie]

Rose:  Women, if they are married and have children generally are expected to go home and put tea on the table for their families.


Not in this day and age.

As for drinking you ask your other half to give you a lift home, both me and my husband give each other lifts in such circumstances as they never seem to coincide.

My husband would always have given me a lift anywhere if he was about; he rarely went for a drink after work, he's no drinker, but I was perfectly capable of using public transport. I never got blind drunk after work as I know my limits (I'm a lightweight).  It was the same for most other colleagues, male and female.

I've known younger people, eg in their twenties, who seemed to enjoy heavy boozing on a regular basis, but that's something most outgrow.

[jeremyp]

I wonder how many people who go for a drink or three after work, then drive home?

That's one of the advantages of doing what I do: commute by train.

[Nearly Sane]

That's one of the advantages of doing what I do: commute by train.

or walk to pub and back, or walk back to hotel

[splashscuba]

I drink during work. It makes for a better experience.

[The Accountant, OBE, KC]

Apart from the Irony of this being followed by drinks, and the whole idea that men don't want to see/look after kids, it wankmonger of the highest order. It isn't a fucking problem JC!!?

Not that that is any benefit to Owen Smith who likes talking about being served by ladies and wants the FM of Scotland's gob stopped.


http://www.itv.com/news/2016-09-02/jeremy-corbyn-after-work-drinks-discriminate-against-mothers/

I don't know what it is like now as I no longer work in the City. From your link - JC highlighted a concern among many women's groups and the head of the CBI that a male-led after-work networking culture in some workplaces can be detrimental to the career progression of female co-workers who can feel excluded, especially those women with caring responsibilities.

My experience in investment banking is that there was a male-led after-work networking culture that revolved around drinking. But if you were a woman and you showed up for these after-work drinks and either drank alcohol or at least acted less inhibited after work as though you were slightly high, it got you a lot more friends in management and opened a lot more doors.

That life abruptly ended for me when I went back to my job at JP Morgan after my eldest daughter was 5 months old and could only rarely stay and work late or rarely stay for after-work drinks and definitely could not drink. I found not being able to work late more problematic than not being able to stay for after-work drinks.

If I did stay for after-work drinks I couldn't relax because I felt guilty that I had been away from my child all day and wasn't heading home to pick her up and see to her needs when she was so dependent on me - physically and emotionally. I could have had a nanny of some sort to look after her in the evening I suppose but that was expensive and plus I wanted to influence her personality to be fearless and I was worried that a nanny would have been too over-protective because she was looking after someone else's child.

It wasn't as fun staying for after-work drinks if you knew you had to get home and deal with keeping a baby in a routine of some sort that would help them sleep and feel safe, and also deal with groceries, laundry, your dinner, sorting out food and clothes to pack for her the next day and knowing you would have to get up a few times in the night because your daughter had eczema and would scratch and cry or have breathing problems and temperature spikes if she got a cold because of asthma. My husband did not seem to feel the same sense of responsibility for her emotional resilience, development nor feel guilt - he would work late, sometimes meet clients after work. 

So I get where the women's groups and head of CBI are coming from about it being an issue in SOME workplaces, but not sure what can be done about it. You have kids - your life changes - and from talking to other women we bonded over our sense of responsibility about how to bring up resilient daughters that few husbands shared. Maybe it is different now. Also maybe my experience would have been different if I had had sons - i don't know.

[Bubbles]

I don't see how it can change, if that network still exists, women still bear the brunt of the responsibilities for the children.

Women still feel guilty if they don't see their child because they were in bed by the time they got home.

Being a mother seems to mean always being torn when it comes to work.

Not many men are prepared to go home from work if their child is ill, it's usually the mum that gets the call from school.

Of course there will always be some men, but generally it's women that have to cope with that.
I have sons and it isn't any different really.

Even childminders won't take a child that is poorly, so you are stuck.
 

[jeremyp]

Not many men are prepared to go home from work if their child is ill,

That's not the case where I work. Can you substantiate your claim?