Unemployment number down

Quasar

I may well stand corrected, but it seems to be a case of too many low paid jobs and a benefit system that in a vast number of cases pays better.

kabayiri

jonnygee2 wrote: »

These figures are, essentially, lies.

There's an ever so small caveat down near the bttom of the ONS page - same one they've been using for years;



So actually, there were less hours worked.

What's happening is that, with more and more zero hour contracts and underemployment, the amount of available work (which has been decreasing steadily for years) is being spread between more people.

No surprise that wages are not growing.

It would be interesting to look at a particular sector, like taxi driving / minicab hire.

Has a disrupter like Uber changed the dynamic when it comes to the sharing of work?

kabayiri

Quasar wrote: »

I may well stand corrected, but it seems to be a case of too many low paid jobs and a benefit system that in a vast number of cases pays better.

There was a guy on a radio chat show the other day. I shall have to paraphrase what he said, because I feel confident I know who it is, but I don't feel it right to give too much away.

He needed someone for 6 months digital work; fixed contract; value £11K. That's not going to buy you high end staff.

An agent offered someone, but it was a Polish guy...far more qualified than needed.

When the potential employer questioned why, it turned out that the Polish guy would move him and his family over to NW UK; take up the 6 months deal; and then try and find something else.

Regardless of your/my political view, this is definitely different to how the labour market has worked in decades gone by. It feels like state subsidy, but is it really just a loss leader? Difficult to tell at the moment.

jonnygee2

Has a disrupter like Uber changed the dynamic when it comes to the sharing of work?

I actually speak to a lot of Uber drivers and by and large, they get enough hours and are happy with the conditions. I think it's become a headline issue that hides the real story.

There are a lot of sectors making increasing use of 0 hours or 'self employment' contracts- particularly retail, hospitality, carework, shipping and deliveries and cleaning. SMEs and smaller companies completely avoid the headlines.

jonnygee2

That might indicate that when a low paid EU worker leaves they take their job with them.

I feel, more likely, it's to do with automation than immigration. Because automation of jobs is actually a real issue / threat, albeit it one that doesn't sell newspapers or get votes.

kabayiri

ilovehouses wrote: »

It's you saying it can't be proved but that's not true.
...

Then I phrased my post poorly. Not intentional.

I'm just saying that we need more data; more time; to see the real trends.

lisyloo

jonnygee2 wrote: »

I feel, more likely, it's to do with automation than immigration. Because automation of jobs is actually a real issue / threat, albeit it one that doesn't sell newspapers or get votes.

Can you give us some examples of jobs that have been automated recently.

jonnygee2

Can you give us some examples of jobs that have been automated recently.

The company I work for recently automated a large part of the marketing campaign process and then made two out of a team of eight redundant. The last company I worked for automated a customer onboarding process which saved them 'several thousand hours of labour'.

I don't know a lot of details about others but I am sure it's a common experience that technology is making processes more efficient and therefore need fewer staff to administer them.

kabayiri

jonnygee2 wrote: »

The company I work for recently automated a large part of the marketing campaign process and then made two out of a team of eight redundant. The last company I worked for automated a customer onboarding process which saved them 'several thousand hours of labour'.

I don't know a lot of details about others but I am sure it's a common experience that technology is making processes more efficient and therefore need fewer staff to administer them.

Maybe we are getting used to change, and sometimes don't even notice?

Here's another example. A couple of local companies where a team of people would basically book your hotel for you.

Both companies a shadow of their former self. We are so used to doing B2B ourselves on the internet now. I can organise an entire trip to the other side of the planet, without speaking to any human to resolve the details.

There seems to be more interest in procurement gateways, possibly because things like the NHS are under pressure to cut admin costs.

lisyloo

what the ONS are telling us (EU workers are going home)

Can we clarify this please.


What I'm seeing in that migration is still adding workers.



https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/populationandmigration/internationalmigration/bulletins/migrationstatisticsquarterlyreport/february2018#net-migration-continues-to-add-to-the-uk-population

4. Net migration continues to add to the UK population

Net migration, the difference between those coming into the UK and those leaving the UK is positive, meaning that migration is adding to the UK population !!!8211; with 244,000 more people arriving in the UK than leaving.