'Would you forgo a payrise to help stop inflation?' Poll discussion

BigMikeyG

I'd take a pay rise no matter what. Why should I lose out so someone else can gain. that is hardly fair.

KME91

As a public servant who has just seen nearly 200 of my colleagues made redundant i can tell you it's not a safe cosy job, and the pension at the end of it is supposed to make up for the fact that we've been low paid throughout our career. what good is a pension to me at the age of 26 when i can't even afford to move out of my parents home?

Colleagues have been attacked, abused, sacked for being genuinely ill, suspended for speaking up about racist members of staff within the team, i could go on. Yet we still deliver your passports/driving licences/tax credits/job seekers allowance etc etc etc.

would i do all this and happily accept a below inflation pay rise? no chance. do i get a choice? nope.

i'm sick to death of people taking a pop at the people who work for the wellbeing and benefit of the general public every time inflation and wages come up.

[Deleted User]

I need a 20% payrise to counter-act my mortgage repayments jumping by 50%

Fingers crossed.... No way would i turn down an inflation-busting payrise

davidvernon

This is an interesting question...

My view is that we should allow price inflation to continue even if this worsens the potential economic recession in the medium term. For too long we have been fearful of a 'depression' when, in fact, one is long overdue. We have been sold the line that economic growth is almost a given.
I know for some people this view will be considered to be negative since a recession, yes, may cause people to lose their jobs as their employers face difficult times, but, a depression also causes prices to soften, skills to increase and financial prudence to prevail. We do not have a right to a job, nor do we have a right to be financially affluent - these things need to be earned, and an economic recession would encourage people to work harder to earn them. The people who subscribe to this site are the forerunners of the thriftier generation who will thrive during a depression as they are already seeking to obtain maximum value for the money they have. A short term (3-5 years) recession is historically the basis for a sustained period of significant growth as people increase their skills, companies are forced to operate more efficiently and governments are forced to reduce the tax burden on individuals. There are already examples of these things happening.

It appears to be the general view that the economy is slowing down as people are being more cautious with their spending. To put ourselves in a position to be able to 'thrive' during an economic recession it is imperative that we work to reduce our personal debt, reduce our spending on non-essential items and increase our asset base (savings, pensions etc). To do this, it is also important that we increase our earnings as much as possible now, to give us a better starting point from which to prepare.

So I would not even consider accepting a lower than inflation pay increase as I would put myself in a position where I will not be able to prepare for the forthcoming 'rainy day'. My employers need my skills - they employ me for them. It is because of my skills (and, of course, those of my colleagues) that my company has been able to succeed during the period of 'economic growth' we have had. If they can no longer 'afford' my skills then I either have to increase my skills until they will pay more, or I have to look elsewhere for employment.

If you needed something and you had to pay more for it, you would pay more and possibly cut back in other areas and/or seek to increase income. Companies are doing this (and have been for some time) - massive cost saving initiatives, as they seek to remain competitive in the face of rising raw material costs, and increasing prices where they can. To do one but not the other would reduce the value of the company. My view would be to act as they do - spend where you have to but also increase income wherever/whenever possible.

Almost as an aside, but definitely to finish, it is interesting that it is the government (and their 'advisors') who are advocating people take lower than inflation pay rises. If the government was forced to operate as a business and constantly sought to reduce its own costs, then perhaps we would not be faced with the massive tax burden that is adding momentum to this looming economic recession.

I wish you luck.

Bargainetta

When you are low paid the percentage rises are neither here nor there. The amount in your pocket is so little as to be just about unnoticeable. I remember back in around 1975 when we got a really decent rise when the real socialists were in power. It was a percentage unless that amounted to less than a certain sum and if it did you got a guaranteed amount. I loved it. It made a huge difference to me. A lot of places I have worked you only got a rise if you took on more responsibility. Nothing automatically! I think this current government has taken too much notice of the average wage which is massively skewed by big city salaries and bonuses. They have done all their calculations based on a highly dodgy figure.

jones4d

I voted for more cash now, and with good reason.
This hopeless government squanders our hard earned cash like it's going out of fashion, and some examples are -
Anything olympic related
Anything that was Dome related
Immigration policy
Quangos
Anything to do with Northern Rock.
Flogging off the UK gold reserves at boot sale prices

Then resorts to clawing it back via the routes of -
Fuel duty
Car tax
Stamp charges.
Speed cameras
Congestion charges
Our pension funds.
And many other ways.

The sooner we are shut of this lot the better we will be, Browns clowns are no substitute for a proper government who can navigate us back to prosperity. We will have a winter of discontent, gas and electric costs are soaring and all he does is tamper with the controls.
Lets get this country back on it's feet with some nuclear power and make our energy secure, and lets get some half decent people in Westminster, and out the jokers.

kevgy

Did my bit several years ago and it made not a ha'peth of difference (in the days when we had real halfpennies). As increases are percent each year, it's not just one year's loss given up. Unless my employer is genuinely against the wall and job loss is my and my colleagues' other option, I'd decline to be a voluntary martyr.

pinkshoes

I think those on the minimum and lower wages (public and private sector) should be the ones given a decent pay rise, as these people are the ones struggling and can't really make any more cut backs to afford a basic standard of living. It's even more important for low paid private sector workers, as they don't have the luxury of good pensions and job security!

Those in the public sector earning a more reasonable salary (say over £17k pa) should get only a basic pay rise of perhaps 1% or 2% maximum.

Those in the private sector probably won't get a pay rise, or only a tiny one of about 1.5% if they're lucky.

I would give up my private sector pay rise if it would guarantee that a minimum wage worker got given a decent pay rise. A 3% payrise for me would equate to an 8% pay rise for someone on the minimum wage.

JBEILBY

Bit disappointed there was no option for pensioners in thie poll. I am a carer and having to live on my company pension and I am still 7 years away from the state pension. My increase is 2.5% this year. Am thankful I froze my gas prices back in 2006 until April 2007 otherwise I would have to abandon caring for my mum and go back out to work to keep things together.

meester

sorry, this is ridiculous. One man forgoing a payrise is not going to stop inflation. Let's not forget plenty of people have got 10%+ YoY payrises (CEOs) etc. for the last 20 years and it hasn't caused inflation, it's just made them very wealthy, and you bet they're not giving the money back, and rightly so.

I am not going to hurt myself (for sure I would if I accepted a paycut) to supposedly help the country (no it won't make any difference).