milliband - 1 in 5 on low pay

FBaby

Is he counting all those on part-time hours?

theoretica

Could well be the living wage as that 1 in 5 figure has been around for a while http://www.livingwage.org.uk/blog/1-5-paid-less-living-wage-says-kpmg

More recent data gives 5% of jobs are paid at minimum wage
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/percentage-of-national-minimum-wage-jobs-within-uk-regions-2013

Takeaway_Addict

tir21 wrote: »

But if he says 1 in 5 are low paid then he must have some figure that constitutes low pay

its the same as saying 20% are the lowest paid 1/5th of the working population....#jargon

tomtontom

frisbeej wrote: »

A job should always pay more than benefits and the government shouldn't subsidise companies by topping up their pay with working tax credits and the like.

Given that different groups are entitled to different levels of benefits, how do you propose that would work?

Errata

Low pay for Milliband is whatever the unions tell him it is.

Gavin83

tir21 wrote: »

Let's cut the minimum wage rate to £5 then

If increasing it is automatically bad and makes things worse it must follow that decreasing it is good and will make things better for everyone

Maybe we should decrease it. It'll certainly make us more competitive.

tir21 wrote: »

If someone does something to enable themselves to earn more money doesn't that mean someone else will end up having less money?

Essentially yes. People always need to do the low paid jobs. I think as an individual though its important to make sure you are not that person.

Low paid jobs should be done by those new to the job market or only wishing to work around children or close to retirement. Everyone else should be trying to better themselves. If this is though education or experience it doesn't matter but I see ambition as an important quality in someone.

ohreally

Gavin83 wrote: »

Low paid jobs should be done by those new to the job market or only wishing to work around children or close to retirement

Which 'ism to start with.

mro

shop-to-drop wrote: »

There are always nightshift vacancies in supermarkets and the pay is over £9 ph, go for it!:)

Where are those ?

michaelvintner

Undervalued wrote: »

Whatever he thinks will win him votes! Like most / all politicians his only real policy is to get elected!

Spot on. So basically if Labour win the next election in 2015 they say by the end of the parliament in 2020 which is over 5 years away the national minimum wage will be £8 and hour. Another meaningless pledge by a politician that means nothing. How about if we win in 2015 we will raise the national minimum wage to £8 as our first act now that would actually mean something.

Gavin83

ohreally wrote: »

Which 'ism to start with.

Say what you like. The only 'ism though you could possibly link to that is ageism so I don't see why you couldn't have just said it.

The fact of the matter is most people when they start work start on a low wage. Either part time around education or at the 'bottom of the ladder'. Everyone should aim to improve themselves.

As for my other examples some people wish to stay at home and look after their children with a small part time job to fit around this and similarly some people post retirement wish to work but as a shop assistant or something to continue working rather than for the money. I know several people that have been in both groups. I really don't think this is an usual situation. If however people wish to work in well paid jobs in this situation then that is entirely their choice.

I fully stand by the points I've made and don't think I've been unreasonable at all.