who defines what the minimum wage should be ?" also these people who define it have they ever lived on that amount themselves ? me thinks not .........fuckin hypocritics everyone of them .............welcome to the new world order ........slave labour .
minimum wage is a joke specially when the senate can give them self a wage raise when they feel like it . but we the scums have nothing to say or do about it . then you wonder why the french revolucion started.
Like Lord Irvine, who spent something like £60,000 on new wallpaper for his office, which was paid for by taxpayers money.
It's still £5.05 at the moment...the change comes in October. Either that, or t'factory is screwing me out of even more money...
At least we have a minimum wage, that is a blessing in itself. But you're right, it would be very hard to sustain a family on such an income. The European Decency threshold is considered to be just under £8 an hour, that would be a fairer minimum wage to bring in....
Yep, from the 1st October minimum wage goes up to: £5.35 for workers aged 22 and over. £4.45 for workers aged 18-21. £3.30 for workers aged 16 and 17.
It is quite shocking that working full time on minimum wage means that you have to live on what is officially recognised as being below the poverty line But, important to remember as was mentioned in the Thatcher thread that before the current Labour government there was NO minimum wage at all, and that it did represent a significant improvement for the lowest paid workers.
It would still work out as an exceptionally unfair wage, one a single mother could definitely not bring up a child or children on. America is conspiciously poor on its labour laws, rights and pay for workers....
At least they have a minimum wage. Go to Africa, Brasil or China etc. People always have to complain about something and some people think they're entitled to something for nothing. Like over here, at least the minimum wage is continuing to rise rather than stay the same or drop.
Um, thats a fallacious argument right there. Just because other places have it worse, doesnt mean that its not rediculously bad here. The value of a service or commodity goes by the labour gone into it. Those adding things to the commodity create the value of it, yet they make a very small amount of the money it is sold for. Without workers, there is no commodity, but without bosses, there is more money to those creating the value.... which seems fairer?
Ageed with Chris. Also, the minimum wage is not something for nothing. The essence of what it is, is something for something. Often something inadequate for something. As Chris points out, labour has a certain value, and in most if not all, countries, that labour is incredibly undervalued. This isn't about arguing by comparison, else we could justify any practice or policy. Nor is about 'complaining', it's a very serious issue that underpins economic systems around the world - the exploitative relationship between workers and their employer.
Fucking Hell, the minimum wage is getting so big in this country it's almost overtaking my wage..! When i started working i got £3.00 an hour and was happy for that. People expect so much these days, and are prepared to contribute so little.
I don't see how a minimum wage can be expecting too much. It's a safety net, under which no one should fall. But it certainly isn't a generous wage....
Well once again... at least we have one. People can really be so ungrateful. Go to Africa and then try and complain about the quality of life etc over here. Money money money... it doesn't bring happiness, just more misery and greedy people. The government raises it and still people complain that they need more money. It's the same with people who are claiming JSA. They aren't giving you the benefits so that you can go out and buy your kids an xbox, it's a minimum contribution until you get off your ass and work. They could review who gets paid what for the amount of effort they put into work, but I suppose it's all down to the employer at the end of the day. I suppose it's just the western way to complain about anything and everything until we get our own way. Maybe we should just think about how privileged we actually are (even those who don't earn much over here) compared to countries from what we'd consider to be Third World.
