As a lorry driver who lost my licenec because of a medical condition (vertigo), I have now at 48 started to look for other work. Even though I have a good standard of education (basically graduate who dropped out of the office options) I am increasingly alarmed at the low wages and dead end jobs out there. Furthermore, the demanding attitude of many employers and training providers is very demanding and disappointing. The average industrial wage is now 20,000 a year. Where does 5 quid an hour fit into that? Any body else out there with similar experience, or comment.

I'm a qualified joiner but have not had a great deal of 'on the job' experience. Because of this, no decent joiner's want to be seen within the same hemisphere as me.
Now i am joining bits of plastic together for HALF the money that my younger brother is earning for doing joinery!.
The only upside to this is my job is secure.

Originally posted by ThePiglit
The average industrial wage is now 20,000 a year. Where does 5 quid an hour fit into that? Any body else out there with similar experience, or comment.

£5 an hour multiplied by 80 hours per week equates to around £20,000 per year. We are a nation of overtime workers, I'm afraid.

It's sad but people on this sort of hourly rate are earning that kind of money.

only if they take less than their statutory 20 days holiday in the year.

And 80 hours is significantly in excess of the european working time directive.

It is no mistake that our own government is raping and crushing the masses in the UK or the US but I am too tired to rant about it just now !!!

Originally posted by Cyclone
only if they take less than their statutory 20 days holiday in the year.

And 80 hours is significantly in excess of the european working time directive.

Which the UK has not fullly signed up to.......

This aggravates ,me too. The government profess an interest in ensuring that everyone spends quality time together in families, is pro marriage, commends thw rok of churches, counselling services etc to maintaint he family unit and then expect at least one of the people to work ridiculous hours to support said family. This is after reducing married person reductions for tax extra and doing away with many of the financial benefits to being married.
its either one way or the other.
then they spout off about parents being more proactive and spending time with kids HA! how is that possible when the parent seffectively take turns at looking after them or placing them with sitters while they work some more.
Government is stupid. Low paid jobs should be given a basic guaranteed salary which covers the costs of food shopping heating, power, water, tax, housing, clothing, and medication etc and so on per person, per year. The government already have specific views on how much a person needs to live on. Anything earned above and beyond that is to improve the quality of life and to save etc.
No person of an adult age should suffer poverty at the hands of a pathetic self obsessed government who could never personally attempt to live on the dole financial criteria.
The minimum wage is pants and we should all be given a maximum working time per week which can be exceeded only by OPTIONAL overtime. Employers who threaten and manipulate regarding hours should be punished.
And I say all that as a person who does not suffer as a result of my work! My life is pretty good I guess.

I have just quit a 40k a year job to work in a proffesion that will pay much much less (start about 12-15k). There is never just one reason for making a decision like that, but my sanity was suffering a little from being a wage-slave!
I have chosen to train in a career that will bring me personal satisfaction. The training is going well and I have taken up meditation too which helps keep it alll focussed. So far I have no regrets. I will undoubtedly be leading a more humble life from now on, but in my opinion I will be far richer.

I should add I am single and do not have any dependant children. Its clearly more difficult to take such a decision with the extra responsibility. Although it could be argued a poor but happy dad is better than a miserable wealthy one.

I suppose I'm saying wages aren't everything. Just a different angle : )

yep £5 an hour and now they want you to work well past retirement age because they have spent our pensions. With the level of ageism in this country just try getting a job over the age of 50. They are shipping in workers from other countries to ensure that the low wages are kept that way, so don't expect any better. Blair has now fully completed what Thatcher began.

Originally posted by Whelk
Blair has now fully completed what Thatcher began.

Perhaps the most effective "Consertive" PM we have had in recent years?

Are we returning to a new age of slavery?

Originally posted by kilauea
I have just quit a 40k a year job to work in a proffesion that will pay much much less (start about 12-15k). There is never just one reason for making a decision like that, but my sanity was suffering a little from being a wage-slave!
I have chosen to train in a career that will bring me personal satisfaction. The training is going well and I have taken up meditation too which helps keep it alll focussed. So far I have no regrets. I will undoubtedly be leading a more humble life from now on, but in my opinion I will be far richer.

I should add I am single and do not have any dependant children. Its clearly more difficult to take such a decision with the extra responsibility. Although it could be argued a poor but happy dad is better than a miserable wealthy one.

I suppose I'm saying wages aren't everything. Just a different angle : )

I agree. I am currently retraining to do a job that is more satisfying. I have a well paid job at the moment and do well in it but want more out of life. I am retraining to do a job that may end up, and most likely will, be minimum wage. There may also be times when I won't be able to be paid for my work.
I am much happier already having taken a pay cut due to cancelling some work commitments and earning less.

In the beginning there were private landlords. The people were unhappy and struggled to pay the rents. When the people got their own government they built millions of houses which were nice and the people were happy because they could pay the rents and afford to eat. The wicked witch of Grantham saw this and tricked the people into buying these houses cheaply and sell them for more and have lovely foriegn holidays. The grand Wizard Blair then destroyed pensions and tricked people into buy-to-let mortgages to pay for their old age, he then destroyed the housing market.
Once again the people have no money and the housing stock is owned by private landlords.
That'll teach the people to think that they can have a better life sniggered Wizard Tony and the Witch of Grantham.

In 1 Week

I work as many hours as it takes to do the job
As many days as I have to
Drink loads of tea
Listen to the woes of all who happen to call me
Take an earbashing when I don't jump to attention
For as much money as I get in that week

And I love my job

When I first started my job 6 years ago I was on £6700 .. That has since tripled, all be it Im in another post (same organisation) I went to my new post on level transfer (same wage)..

I've had to work for my wage increases but as someone said earlier, I would take the risk in plunging to a lower paid job, training to do something I enjoy.. I enjoy what I do now of course but unfortunately I have to transfer again at the end of the year as my current job becomes surplus.

from someone who has gone from £17.5k to £11k due to redundancy there clearly are very few decent jobs for people in Sheffield (who are not IT trained)

almost everyone who left has ended up in dead end/poor hours/call-centre work or have taken an extreme pay cut...

I remember the 1970s when they were pedicting that everybody would only work 20 hours a week and wouldn't know what to do with their leisure time.

What has actually happened instead is that quarter of the people work 80 hours and the rest work zero hours, which still adds up to the same.

Originally posted by kilauea
I have just quit a 40k a year job to work in a proffesion that will pay much much less (start about 12-15k). There is never just one reason for making a decision like that, but my sanity was suffering a little from being a wage-slave!
I have chosen to train in a career that will bring me personal satisfaction. The training is going well and I have taken up meditation too which helps keep it alll focussed. So far I have no regrets. I will undoubtedly be leading a more humble life from now on, but in my opinion I will be far richer.

I should add I am single and do not have any dependant children. Its clearly more difficult to take such a decision with the extra responsibility. Although it could be argued a poor but happy dad is better than a miserable wealthy one.

I suppose I'm saying wages aren't everything. Just a different angle : )

Spot on, well said (or writen if you wana split hairs).

I was made redundant back in 2003, just as I was going through a divorce, the job really sucked and was in a high pressure environment where typically you could work 14-15 hrs a day 6 days a week.

Sure the job had its perks, company car, £20k.p.a. OTE but where was my quality of life - WHAT LIFE!!!

Clearly I wasn't suited to this as I ended up in hospital as a result.

Having never been out of work since leaving school I prided myself on never having to rely on state handouts, but sometimes you have to see sense and take back what you can from the system you have been feeding, no matter how pathetic an amount it may be.

What I am trying to say is this, no job is worth the money it pays if your having to sacrifice your health or your family/private life as a result, trust me I know from bitter experience.

I now run my own business and as a new startup venture haven't paid myself anything like what my previous employment afforded me, but you know what I have never been more sure about what I want and where I am going in my life than I am right now.

QUOTE - "How many people on their death beds wished they'd spent more time at the office"?

This makes for an interesting read (http://www.euromayday.org/lang_eng.html)

Or you could try playing tuboflex, some of the links are of a sexual nature so if you are not 18 please keep out! (http://www.molleindustria.it/home-eng.php#tuboflex)

Originally posted by venger
This makes for an interesting read (http://http://www.euromayday.org/lang_eng.html)

Maybe it would if it worked :confused:

Originally posted by owdlad
Maybe it would if it worked :confused:

Sorted it out now, sorry about that! (http://www.euromayday.org/lang_eng.html)

Nice not to get any "get a job sweeping the streets you ex fat trucker" comments. Guess I'll give in someday and smile as a willing worker and happy shopper which is what his smilingness wants us to be.
Interesting on the comments by downsizers but funny they never say what kind of a job they now do for **** money that's so great. I'd like that. I've done plenty of voluntary stuff in the past and that was dead satisfying but zero ccash. On with the struggle....hey they've won! xthepiglit

No big secret mate - I've trained as a gym instructor on the way to being a personal trainer / sports coach.
Might do a short term IT contract yet as I still have a lot of usefull skills I should cash in on - but above is the plan (...if I don't become a famous DJ overnight!)

I'm in a fairly badly paid job (£12.5k), and I'm not exactly loving the work, but I've been given the option to up my pay by working longer hours. I'm not sure whether to do this in order to secure a better future for myself (after all, you ain't going to get a mortgage earning that sort of money), or whether I should carry on with the shorter hours and enjoy the free time that I have. What do people think?

Originally posted by Funky Dave
I'm in a fairly badly paid job (£12.5k), and I'm not exactly loving the work, but I've been given the option to up my pay by working longer hours. I'm not sure whether to do this in order to secure a better future for myself (after all, you ain't going to get a mortgage earning that sort of money), or whether I should carry on with the shorter hours and enjoy the free time that I have. What do people think?

Its a very personal choice dave - but in my opinion your company should pay you more for improving the quality of work you do in your current hours rather than simply extending the hours.
This may require them to invest in some training for you etc but that is how a responsible employer should act.

my job (cable installer) has told us we will work tuesday to saturday every week, work 7.5 hr shifts that start at 8am and finish at 7pmand for the priveledge we can have 77p per hour pay rise, and wants to know why no-one is happy :huh:


UPDATE; i`ve been offered a job to start 4 jan, 37.5 hrs/week lots more cash i`ll actually get a dinner break, optional overtime, way less stress, more time with the family, it took me all of 3 seconds to decide to take the job now im wondering if its the right move ??? (not really !!) i handed my notice in and the manager wanted to know why i as leaving :heyhey: :bigsmile:

how does a 7.5hr shift stretch from 8 until 7? that's 11 hours, presumably minus 1hr lunch break.

Just a guess, but maybe - shift #1 = 8am-3:30pm, and shift #2 = 11:30am-7pm. (giving a 4 hour overlap)

Piglit. I'm sure the reason everyone has been very understanding, is that we all tread the career tightrope as well. I have a well paid and enjoyable job in a very small company, but I constantly wonder about what will happen in about 5 years when the boss comes to retirement age. Meanwhile I'm getting my mortgage payed of very quickly and doing some stuff at night school to give me more options for when I have to go it alone myself. There are lots of people living on borrowed time. I wish that they would plan better.

It's a cruel blow when your health takes away your lively hood. I hope you find a good job soon. If you can still drive, they're always looking for local van drivers at city link.

kilauea...spot on!!

mighty big drop to take though so good luk.

im on the verge of quitting my job to bugger off to college to learn something. this will mean its going to have to be loans and part time work all over the place to pay for the course and my house. but you spend far too long working to not enjoy what you do. i feel soul destroyed! if i dont get the course i want then i have 1 other i wouldnt mind trying. but then im in deep trouble!!

i just keep thinking of my bosses face when i tell him im off! :clap:
im sick of doing every1 elses work and getting no rewards. just coz i refuse to stick my nose up his bum like other people.

roll on college!!!

Originally posted by kilauea
I have just quit a 40k a year job to work in a proffesion that will pay much much less (start about 12-15k). There is never just one reason for making a decision like that, but my sanity was suffering a little from being a wage-slave!
I have chosen to train in a career that will bring me personal satisfaction. The training is going well and I have taken up meditation too which helps keep it alll focussed. So far I have no regrets. I will undoubtedly be leading a more humble life from now on, but in my opinion I will be far richer.

I should add I am single and do not have any dependant children. Its clearly more difficult to take such a decision with the extra responsibility. Although it could be argued a poor but happy dad is better than a miserable wealthy one.

I suppose I'm saying wages aren't everything. Just a different angle : )

All well n good, but I reckon your a home-owner based on your previous income. I graduated in 2001. I am yet to reach the 15k income level and at 27 am pretty tired of living with the folks! A degree is almost worthless in this day n age. I know very few people that actually earn good (in excess of 20k) money as a result of gaining a degree....in fact the people that earn most didn't go!

Just a thought.....

i graduated in 2000, walked straight into an IT job (I did an IT degree), am still with the same company and am working my way towards the 40% bracket.
An IT degree is the minimum we ask for at the moment when hiring people.

[QUOTE]Originally posted by pj66
[B]my job (cable installer) has told us we will work tuesday to saturday every week, work 7.5 hr shifts that start at 8am and finish at 7pmand for the priveledge we can have 77p per hour pay rise, and wants to know why no-one is happy :huh:


how it works; you get paid from 8 am, but you need to be in the yard at 7:15 to pick up your stock you get between 5 and 8 jobs to do a day these are chosen on a points system that gives 1 point per 15 mins, so on a 7. 5 hr shift you get 32.5 points irrispective of terrace at pitsmoor or a mansion at dore, there is no facility to hand jobs back cos the customer has waited in all day, oh, and you are required to go all over yorkshire, working hours weeks 1,2 and 3 =8 am to 4:30 week 4 =9:30 to 6:pm but you go into work at 7:15 and dont finish untill 7pm, (if your lucky) my advice to anyone thinking of a job installing digital tv, phone and internet, is dont do it you will have more stress than the 15000/year is worth, you do not have a family life at all, this is the worst job i have ever had and i used to clean sewers!!!