Wensleydale
Mate - you've moved me to log in for the first time in ages.
You don't do any of us any favours by posting what you did. I know you mean well but the fact that your previous colleagues (of which I was one for several years) told you 'stuff' in good faith shouldn't then mean you can then blab what they told you on here.
We are where we are. Its a nasty sandwich but we get on with it because of the professionalism of the people and the fact that they don't want to drop their mates in the proverbial.
I feel that I am quite lucky. At least I can afford to put my hand in my pocket to make good of the bad. Its the young (engineering) kids with families back home to support whilst they also work bloody hard to support the rest of us in doing the bidding of the penny pinching serpants that I really feel sorry for. They are the ones that really need the OA and who will get nothing.
SA