The 2015 Popularity Contest (aka UK General Election )

[Brennan]

Brennan that is the proposal that is coming out of the Labour camp.

I'm aware. Doesn't change my opinion.

As somebody who is party to plenty of discussion in my job about the impact of salary rises on a company in the UK which employs thousands of staff, a enforced wage of £10 per hour would result in more zero hours/part time contracts and more full time people being made redundant or pushed into early retirement.

 

[Seanjd]

The living wage does not need to be £10, and it's unrealistic to think that kind of figure can happen without significant numbers of jobs being lost.

I would argue that the living wage does need to be £10. Living on the minimum wage is becoming increasingly impossible as inflation continues to rise.

 

[Toffeelover]

I'm aware. Doesn't change my opinion.

As somebody who is party to plenty of discussion in my job about the impact of salary rises on a company in the UK which employs thousands of staff, a enforced wage of £10 per hour would result in more zero hours/part time contracts and more full time people being made redundant or pushed into early retirement.

In a few words, rising unemployment.

 

[Toffeelover]

I would argue that the living wage does need to be £10. Living on the minimum wage is becoming increasingly impossible as inflation continues to rise.

Inflation has been the lowest for several years and is damn near zero now so how did you arrive at your comment?

 

[Bruce Wayne]

Until or unless the Country can stop European workers coming here it will always be very difficult, right now the country can't because of the Freedom of Movement with in the EU. The current lot are trying to get a hold on this but it very difficult but back in 2005 is where the problem seeds were sown under Blair when control was thrown out of the window when the policy was open door.

European migrants are, on average, much better members of our workforce than their native peers. I don't have the stats immediately to hand, but there have been quite a few reports analysing the impact of the A8 countries since they were allowed freedom of movement within Europe, and most have been overwhelmingly positive.

I don't think I really understand the point you're trying to make. Absolutely, many migrants will see low paid jobs as a stepping stone to work.

My point was that in many communities, there are a lack of jobs. Traditionally, working class communities depended on industry for work, which paid relatively well. Since these jobs have ,diminished, since mines have closed and dock yards have dried up, the modern day equivalent are low paid call centres or supermarkets. These employ only a fraction of what industry once did.

Many companies get around paying the already insulting minimum wage by employing groups of migrant workers, to which a lower than minimum wage paying job might seem quite attractive when they pay more than your home country. Which in turn, leaves next to no jobs left for working class people in this country.

It is the fault of the companies who employ migrants at such a low cost.

I'm afraid the days of staying in your home town your entire life may be long gone, and I'm not sure it's really fair to critisise migrants who travel to another country to try and better themselves as somehow contributing to the inability of native people to move even outside of their hometown for work. They seem to offer a good role model if anything. Very admirable.

 

[Seanjd]

Until or unless the Country can stop European workers coming here it will always be very difficult, right now the country can't because of the Freedom of Movement with in the EU. The current lot are trying to get a hold on this but it very difficult but back in 2005 is where the problem seeds were sown under Blair when control was thrown out of the window when the policy was open door.

Of course there should be a freedom of movement. People should be free to come here and work, as should people from here be free to move elsewhere and seek work. It's an easy problem to fix. Stop companies being able to undercut the minimum wage by employing migrants. It is illegal to pay anybody in this country less than the minimum wage, but it happens.

 

[Brennan]

I would argue that the living wage does need to be £10. Living on the minimum wage is becoming increasingly impossible as inflation continues to rise.

Think you might want to read the news more often mate.

There is a massive jump from the current minimum wage to £10 per hour.

£11,830 per year, which is the amount you'd get for working 35 paid hours per week, is too low.

£18,200 per year, which is the amount you'd get under a £10 per hour system, is too high a starting point.

 

[Seanjd]

European migrants are, on average, much better members of our workforce than their native peers. I don't have the stats immediately to hand, but there have been quite a few reports analysing the impact of the A8 countries since they were allowed freedom of movement within Europe, and most have been overwhelmingly positive.



I'm afraid the days of staying in your home town your entire life may be long gone, and I'm not sure it's really fair to critisise migrants who travel to another country to try and better themselves as somehow contributing to the inability of native people to move even outside of their hometown for work. They seem to offer a good role model if anything. Very admirable.

I have not and will not criticise the migrants. I am criticising the companies who pay them a pittance.

 

[Bruce Wayne]

I would argue that the living wage does need to be £10. Living on the minimum wage is becoming increasingly impossible as inflation continues to rise.

Is it any surprise that inflation is what it is when governments throughout the western world have printed trillions in additional money in a Keynesian splurge, the like of which has never been seen before.

Economies grow through increased productivity, and that hasn't budged at all in Britain for some time. Printing cash only tends to result in inflation, that most hidden of taxes.

Sadly, hitting the printing presses seems to have been the default response by most governments, and those who have attempted to live within their means have been widely criticised. You kinda reap what you sow.

 

[Seanjd]

Think you might want to read the news more often mate.

There is a massive jump from the current minimum wage to £10 per hour.

£11,830 per year, which is the amount you'd get for working 35 paid hours per week, is too low.

£18,200 per year, which is the amount you'd get under a £10 per hour system, is too high a starting point.

You might want to not be so condescending, mate.

Huge amounts of minimum wage jobs don't give 35 hours a week. I don't think warning £18,200 a year working 35 hours a week is too a high a starting point, but that's where we differ,

 

[Bruce Wayne]

I have not and will not criticise the migrants. I am criticising the companies who pay them a pittance.

Not always that straight forward though. First employer my other half had was a charity (Sue Ryder), and I suspect they got around any regulations by offering bed and board. I dare say however that if they had to pay minimum wage that they either wouldn't have employed them, or the accommodation would have gone, which would probably have cost even more to replace.

It's often hard to see some of the unintended consequences of things we perceive as quite simple. Is there any info out there on what industries/sectors these low wages are being offered?

 

[Brennan]

You might want to not be so condescending, mate.

Huge amounts of minimum wage jobs don't give 35 hours a week. I don't think warning £18,200 a year working 35 hours a week is too a high a starting point, but that's where we differ,

You'd have people working in McDonalds on the till getting £18,200 a year. That's just bonkers.

 

[Seanjd]

You'd have people working in McDonalds on the till getting £18,200 a year. That's just bonkers.

McDonalds could afford to do that, couldn't they?

 

[bring the ghost on]

There is a situation that girls do get pregnant by partners and or boy friends who up and leave them to go off with some one else and leave the girl holding the baby, this is more common than you think. The girl has no option then but to seek assistance. as in many cases the partners will not or cannot pay maintenance.

Did you read my post?

I'm arguing against the suggestion that girls are getting pregnant for financial gain. I'm not arguing that Father's don't ever abandon their children, I don't know how you have picked up that point from what I wrote?

 

[Toffeelover]

Did you read my post?

I'm arguing against the suggestion that girls are getting pregnant for financial gain. I'm not arguing that Father's don't ever abandon their children, I don't know how you have picked up that point from what I wrote?

I read your post just pointing out there is another aspect where folk ask for assistance as for deliberately getting pregnant it has been known to happen.