Why Are Rates Of Pay So Low In NI?

dj9928

Its people like me these people effect, i'm unskilled, well I did serve my time as a workshop joiner, But that doesn't matter a damn, I'm stuck on min wage thanks to these foreign workers, Its easier for employers to train these foreign workers and pay them min wage than it is to give me a payrise. And min wage certainly doesn't reflect the work I do. I.E someone stacking shelves in Tesco's is on the same wage as me, and my job actually requires you to know what your doing. I.E how many of these shelf stackers could build a kitchen canopy.

Same job in London and I'd be on double what I'm on now if not more

Sure I could retrain but theres that many in Northern Ireland with degrees now adays theres not enough jobs to go around.

motorguy

cathy2702 wrote:

Live in the same area, and although I get what your saying and agree to a point esp with housing, these people are working the jobs we think we're too good for. Also regarding our low wages its because maggie broke the unions backs years ago and now we have noone to fight our cases.

As most people here know I'm a civil servant and even the recent pay increases had my blood boiling, !!!!!! and doesnt reflect the work we do and what does NIPSA (the union) care, !!!!!! all

Cath

You know that is sooo true. i couldnt find a way of wording what you put as "these people are working the jobs we think we're too good for", but to a greater extent thats whats happening. Our big factories in the area are full of immigrants doing the overnighters etc that noone else will do. Yet there are people on the dole who are, lets face it "work shy" and wouldnt consider a factory job.

And yes any unions there are have no teeth. I got made redundant last year and had been paying into the union for years, and the union was worse than useless. Never fought our corner, weren't there for us nothing. They still send me out their newsletter every month, which is about all they were good for - lip service to issues and flimsy magazines.

Err, getting off my soap box now....

motorguy

chunter wrote:

That should start the argument....

Hard for anyone to argue with the Truth!

dj9928

pgilc1 wrote:

You know that is sooo true. i couldnt find a way of wording what you put as "these people are working the jobs we think we're too good for", but to a greater extent thats whats happening. Our big factories in the area are full of immigrants doing the overnighters etc that noone else will do. Yet there are people on the dole who are, lets face it "work shy" and wouldnt consider a factory job.

And yes any unions there are have no teeth. I got made redundant last year and had been paying into the union for years, and the union was worse than useless. Never fought our corner, weren't there for us nothing. They still send me out their newsletter every month, which is about all they were good for - lip service to issues and flimsy magazines.

Err, getting off my soap box now....

If these companies where paying decent money there wouldn't be so many workshy. Why would anyone want to work all night for min wage. There used to be bonouses etc for doing that type of thing which made it work while, thats all gone now,.

I for one have wondered why exactly I am working quite a few times for min wage, when I could be sitting at home on the dole getting my house paid, I'd probably be better off

Colin_Kee

OK. Lets throw another arguement into the big old boiling pot.
The Consumer (ie all of us) demand cheaper & cheaper commodities, be it electrical goods, consumables, cars, Groceries etc.. etc.. As consumers we've never had it so good, the average food bill now-a-days is relativly (ie Income:Expenditure) cheaper than it has ever been, cars are cheaper, electrical goods are cheaper,, it used to be having something like a TV or the likes was a big deal, now it's seen as an expectation. Even the poorest of people will have things like a TV, video,
In the"Old Days", the poor were POOR!!
People complaing about only getting minimum wage really don't appreciate what they have. You can still keep a roof over your head with minimum wage, it's just you have to rent, BIG DEAL so you have to rent.
Rent in Northern Ireland is still pretty cheap.
Note: I could rent a £180,000 3 bedroom house in Craigavon for £500/month inc rates. (Rates £650/year)
In Newbury, Berkshire where I used to live a similar £180,000 house would cost £800/month exc. council tax (Council Tax £1300/year)

Probably a good reason why pay is generally higher in Mainland UK.

If you ask me it's a no brainer. How can the suppliers of these comodities make them cheaper.

1. Either they close up their business & move to Eastern Europe or Asia
or
2. Stay here and pay the imigrant workers or our own workers minimum wage

I also live in the Craigavon area & in our development I'd say a good 50% of the houses are lived in by imigrant workers. I actually don't have any problem with them at all and in fact have less hassle from the 3 people who now live next to us than the 3 (Northern Ireland) lads who used to live beside us (They were evicted becasuse of the noise they made from Friday night through to Sunday night).

There's two side to every arguement. cheap labour means cheaper goods, If you actually sit down and look at it you'll find the biggest expenditure of you income goes out on Bills such as Electriciy, Gas, Car Fuel, Car Tax, Rates, Mortgages.

Don't balme the imigrant workers, they wouldn't get the jobs if people from northern ireland would work the same jobs. And besides, they seem to be able to live on the Minimum wage well enough and still send money back to their families.. why can't "WE"??

choccybuttons

Hi

I moved to belfast 2 years ago after living in the both the south and north east of england. To be honest people here are lucky in many ways. There is a fantastic education system which means over 70% of children go on to higher education which mean a mass of graduates. So why would you pay an unskilled worker for a job when you have a graduate who is willing to work for low wages due to the lack of prospects.

House prices were stupidly low until a year or so ago and now they still cheaper compared to the mainland. The north east has a very similar economy but house prices have been sky high for years. The rates are so low its laughable (even with water charges).

Northern Ireland is beautiful. Iv never lived in a city where if I drive for 20 mins Im in the country.

Have people though that perhaps with a higher immigrant work force NI may attract bigger and better companys so we dont have to reply on state paid jobs.

talksalot81

choccybuttons wrote:

now they still cheaper compared to the mainland.

Errrr unless the Funday Times knows better than everyone else, you will find this not to be the case.

NAR

cathy2702 wrote:

As most people here know I'm a civil servant and even the recent pay increases had my blood boiling, !!!!!! and doesnt reflect the work we do and what does NIPSA (the union) care, !!!!!! all
Cath

So talk with your feet and walk away from them. The more members that do it will make them think twice( if they are capable!).

nelliebag

I think a lot of people on this site need to look back at Ireland's history. First of all the economy in many Eastern Eurpoean countries has crashed and for many people there who want to work immigration is the only option. The Irish went to America in the 19th and 20th centuries as well as Australia, Canada and England so that they could work and send money home to their families. At the time Ireland's economy was in exactly the same situation as those in Eastern Europe. For many Irish families in those days it was the only way they could get the help to exist.
Why is it so wrong for European immigrants to come here and look for a better life - like many Irish they are financial immigrants and when their economy improves they will return home.? If anyone is to blame, like Colin Kee says, look at the employers! At the end of the day they are the people who gain most by employing anyone on minimum wage.
Soapbox talk now finished.

nelliebag

IvanOpinion

dj9928 wrote:

If these companies where paying decent money there wouldn't be so many workshy.

Any job will only pay the market rate. The minimum wage has elevated many low paid unskilled jobs to be on a par with some skilled jobs, unfortunately that is life.

previously some skilled jobs did attract higher salaries however if there is someone willing to do the same (or a better quality job) for lesser money then who do you think is going to win. If you were looking for a plumber and got two quotes and knew both would do a similar job then which would would you pick ? Anybody with any sense will pick the cheapest .. does that mean that the other one can blame everybody else?

I have said before that migrant are workers are not 'stealing' our jobs .. they are coming over here and being given the jobs by the workshy who decide that they are better off sitting at home on benefits than earning a living. The problem was they started by giving away all the unskilled jobs that they did not want to do ... now the second wave of migrant workers is arriving and they are much more skilled, willing to work hard, not take sickies, not look for quick wins by suing etc.

If your skills do not attract the wage you want then you have no choice but to re-train into something that will.

Ivan