Blair to announce minimum wage rise
Discussion
ananova said:
Blair to announce minimum wage rise
Tony Blair is to announce a pay rise for the poorest workers as Labour makes the minimum wage a key election issue.
An increase from £4.85 to £5.05 for the minimum hourly rate has been widely predicted, paving the way for £5.30 next year.
While breaking through the symbolic £5 mark will delight unions, businesses warn that such increases are unsustainable.
The Prime Minister will argue that poverty pay has handicapped the aspirations and prosperity of hard working families for too long.
Those on middle and low incomes must share the prosperity generated by a strong and stable economy, he will say at his monthly Downing Street press conference.
Cabinet ministers, led by Chancellor Gordon Brown, will mark the increase at simultaneous events across the country.
Posters highlighting Tory leader Michael Howard's previous opposition to the minimum wage will later be unveiled by Labour election chief Alan Milburn.
With a pledge card commitment to further rises in a third term Labour sees the wage as a major vote winner at the poll, expected in May.
Strategists aim to connect low pay levels in the 1980s and early 1990s with Mr Howard, who was a minister, and the current Conservative Party citing other examples such as Peter Bone.
Mr Bone, branded Britain's meanest boss after boasting he paid employees less than £1 at the party's 1995 annual conference, is now the Tory candidate in Wellingborough.
Businesses that cannot afford £5 per hour are not businesses the sooner these workhouses and sweatshops close the better. Where do these idiots get off driving round in BMWs with a 3k monthly income argueing their "business" cant afford minimum wages. Nobody can really live on £5 an hour anyway.
nonegreen said:
Businesses that cannot afford £5 per hour are not businesses the sooner these workhouses and sweatshops close the better. Where do these idiots get off driving round in BMWs with a 3k monthly income argueing their "business" cant afford minimum wages. Nobody can really live on £5 an hour anyway.
Business warned us in the first place that the minimum wage would lead to mass job losses, it didn't. They now warn us every time another 10p goes on the minimum wage that it is unsustainable. It makes those of us who manage or run businesses look "guilty by association." As Nonners says, there aren't many managers/business owners getting by on minimum wage. This carping every time the rate is raised is unedifying and embarassing frankly.
nonegreen said:
Nobody can really live on £5 an hour anyway.
I seemed to manage ok on not a great deal more, and run 2 cars and stuff. Think it comes more down to how you manage money.
Pisses me off as it makes my wage look really crap not being much more than minimum. Wonder why I make any effort.
So by that argument the minimum wage could be £10 per hour with little economic effect.
There are specific circumstances where a low wage is appropriate-when the business is incurring high training costs for example.
A Minimum wage is a balancing act between maintaining a decent standard of living for the lowly paid and it's negative effects on the economy. Large percentage rises in the minimum wage are simply Labour buying votes with other peoples money.
There are specific circumstances where a low wage is appropriate-when the business is incurring high training costs for example.
A Minimum wage is a balancing act between maintaining a decent standard of living for the lowly paid and it's negative effects on the economy. Large percentage rises in the minimum wage are simply Labour buying votes with other peoples money.
pesty said:
Wouldnt be trying to buy votes for the up coming election now would they?
nail, head, hit.
they have no interest in the low paid other than their voting potential.
UK business costs rise, making us less and less competitive in a global market where 'real' sweatshops happliy pay 5 pence an hour to kids.
Shame on you BLiar
b17nns said:
Wouldnt be trying to buy votes for the up coming election now would they?
nail, head, hit.
they have no interest in the low paid other than their voting potential.
UK business costs rise, making us less and less competitive in a global market where 'real' sweatshops happliy pay 5 pence an hour to kids.
Shame on you BLiar
I agree that it is an attempt to buy votes, it's convenient how it breaks through a psychological barrier at this stage in electioneering. But how do you suggest we compete with a sweatshop economy, and do we want to? I would have thought an extra 20p an hour would not suddenly make us uncompetitive, if we ever were.
I personally have no problem with people being paid at least £5 an hour in the uk.
What the government perhaps needs to do is lobby other governments to stop sweat shops and unfair employment practices. Maybe even ban imports from companies or countries that choose to operate in this way.
Im sure no business man will object to operating in a competitive environment as long as the playing field is level.
Unfortunately it always seems weighted against the honest brit who appreciates that his staff deserve the right to a decent wage.
What the government perhaps needs to do is lobby other governments to stop sweat shops and unfair employment practices. Maybe even ban imports from companies or countries that choose to operate in this way.
Im sure no business man will object to operating in a competitive environment as long as the playing field is level.
Unfortunately it always seems weighted against the honest brit who appreciates that his staff deserve the right to a decent wage.
Once again, Bliar is making sure that there is a group of people who are dependent on labour getting in again and again to protect their standard of living.
Didn't try at school? Didn't get any qualifications? Stuck in a sh1t dead end job? That's OK, Bliar will make sure you get a cut of the money earned by all the people who tried at school, got a degree and worked hard to provide for their families.
What a f
g sole this country is becoming. 
>> Edited by Vesuvius996 on Friday 25th February 10:11
Plotloss said:
Heard this on the radio, the rise is apparently only for over 21 year olds.
So does inflation not effect you until then, then?
The under 21 ones are those most in need of training when in work-the last thing we would want to do is discourage firms from taking them and training them to do make a productive contribution to the economy.
wolves_wanderer said:
Businesses that cannot afford £5 per hour are not businesses the sooner these workhouses and sweatshops close the better. Where do these idiots get off driving round in BMWs with a 3k monthly income argueing their "business" cant afford minimum wages. Nobody can really live on £5 an hour anyway.
Business warned us in the first place that the minimum wage would lead to mass job losses, it didn't. They now warn us every time another 10p goes on the minimum wage that it is unsustainable. It makes those of us who manage or run businesses look "guilty by association." As Nonners says, there aren't many managers/business owners getting by on minimum wage. This carping every time the rate is raised is unedifying and embarassing frankly.
Sorry, i believe the market should set rates of pay, not the govt. If people think they are worth more than £2 an hour - go prove it.
The people on minimum wage are by and large the people who couldn't be bothered to do anything at school and would be on benefits if they had the sense to feign a back injury.
This is welfare paid for by business which is wrong.
This whole country is screwed up.
We have devised a whole system of rewarding un-achievers.
Vesuvius996 said:
Didn't try at school? Didn't get any qualifications? Stuck in a sh1t dead end job? That's OK, Bliar will make sure you get a cut of the money earned by all the people who tried at school, got a degree and worked hard to provide for their families.
very very unfair.
it takes all sorts and thank god we are not all the same.
some people are not accademically gifted and may find school hard and university impossible but at least these people are working to support themselves and their familes.
perhaps you should vent your frustration against those who choose not to work at all and not the backbone of british manufacturing.
Vesuvius996 said:
Once again, Bliar is making sure that there is a group of people who are dependent on labour getting in again and again to protect their standard of living.
Didn't try at school? Didn't get any qualifications? Stuck in a sh1t dead end job? That's OK, Bliar will make sure you get a cut of the money earned by all the people who tried at school, got a degree and worked hard to provide for their families.
What a f
>> Edited by Vesuvius996 on Friday 25th February 10:11
Or the other way of looking at it without the minumum wage....
Want to work, but can only earn £3.50 p/h, don't bother, you'll get loads more on benefits.
I don't see it as the low paid getting a cut of anyones money, rather, if they make contributions then we all get a cut of their tax, rather than it not being worth their while to work and leeching from the system.
b17nns said:
Didn't try at school? Didn't get any qualifications? Stuck in a sh1t dead end job? That's OK, Bliar will make sure you get a cut of the money earned by all the people who tried at school, got a degree and worked hard to provide for their families.
very very unfair.
it takes all sorts and thank god we are not all the same.
some people are not accademically gifted and may find school hard and university impossible but at least these people are working to support themselves and their familes.
most of them sit around the schools and do absolutely nothing, and then complain they can't get a job.
Fair point - wasn't directed at everyone. I take that back to some degree.
Having said that though my mate left school at 16 without any qualifcations at all and now he has his own plumbing firm. He's driving a 360 Modena. Good work fella
If you try hard, you can make it in this country - no doubt. I still feel a bit aggrieved at the fact that the longer Bliar is in power, the deeper the government seems to shove its hand into my pockets at the end of every month to hand my hard earnedout to all and sundry.
>> Edited by Vesuvius996 on Friday 25th February 10:33
Vesuvius996 said:
Having said that though my mate left school at 16 without any qualifcations at all and now he has his own plumbing firm. He's driving a 360 Modena. Good work fella
Which proves there is no substitute for hard work, except going to the right school and uni - both things I detest. This is why these vocational curriculums in schools are very popular - why should kids who show no aptitude for more academic subjects (such as chemistry) be forced to sit there for two years learning for exams they will inevitably fail, and potentially disrupting lessons through lack of interest?
These voc curr. place these kids in work training (carpentry, catering etc) during the last two years of their school education – giving them some practical experience which they then take eith them when they leave. OK, it's not high-end stuff but some of these jokers are better off out of school than in believe me.
Sorry for partial thread hi-jack!
Look what Eton did for Price Harry ...
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