Inside the low wage economy..

We hear from the Conservative politicians that there are more people in work in Britain today than ever before, however many of them have found themselves in low paid, 0 hours and temporary work. 1 in 5 adults is now officially classed as low waged, and over half the working population earn less than £20,000, and many of those are well below that figure.

None of this surprises me, I've been saying it for a long time, but even I have been shocked at what it actually means to be in this kind of work. I have had my eyes opened watching a TV programme called 'Britain's hardest workers; inside the low wage economy,' (BBC2 7.0pm all this week.)

It's dressed up as a kind of elimination game show, but the reality is truly awful. Slave labour springs to mind. I urge everyone to watch it (and catch the important first 2 programmes on iplayer. There's also another programme following it on Wednesday at 8.0pm called 'Can Britain afford a pay rise' just to throw something else into the mix.) If ever anyone thought that low waged people are feckless, lazy, and lacking in drive, they have to see this. I just wish a few politicians would watch it as well.

It seems this is the way work is going to be from now on - unless we do something about it.

We hear from the Conservative politicians that there are more people in work in Britain today than ever before, however many of them have found themselves in low paid, 0 hours and temporary work. 1 in 5 adults is now officially classed as low waged, and over half the working population earn less than £20,000, and many of those are well below that figure.

 

None of this surprises me, I've been saying it for a long time, but even I have been shocked at what it actually means to be in this kind of work. I have had my eyes opened watching a TV programme called 'Britain's hardest workers; inside the low wage economy,' (BBC2 7.0pm all this week.)

 

It's dressed up as a kind of elimination game show, but the reality is truly awful. Slave labour springs to mind. I urge everyone to watch it (and catch the important first 2 programmes on iplayer. There's also another programme following it on Wednesday at 8.0pm called 'Can Britain afford a pay rise' just to throw something else into the mix.) If ever anyone thought that low waged people are feckless, lazy, and lacking in drive, they have to see this. I just wish a few politicians would watch it as well.

 

It seems this is the way work is going to be from now on - unless we do something about it.

Why would anyone think the low paid are feckless, lazy and lacking drive? Are you so prejudiced against people in above average paid jobs that you think we think so little of those that are low paid?

What do you propose we do about it? I suspect it involves Jeremy Corbyn. He's too busy trying to find a seat on a train though isn't he?

Is this the new kinder politics? Suggesting higher paid people think the low paid are basically scum? What absolute 100% undiluted twaddle.

I have never said anyone was lazy and feckless, however certain unkind people on here have. They have also applied 20th century thinking that 'they can 'work there way up' etc. and the common argument that the unemployed 'just don't want jobs' etc. I am merely suggesting they watch this to find out the reality of the situation, and why we might actually need someone like Corbyn (seeing as you brought him up.)

Of the two jobs I have had both have been low paid. To me earning 20k a year seems a lot. I have worked in a call centre where it was a bit above minimum wage with no progression. I have worked as a cleaner for minimum wage where again there was no progression. It was physically hard work and my PGP which I suffered with during my pregnancies reared it's head. But I needed the money so carried on.

When I graduated with a HND I didn't think this is how my working life would pan out. I believed that I might actually earn a decent living one day. But then when I started working in a call centre and saw how many other graduates there was working there reality starts dawning on you.

I'm not afraid of hard work but it would be nice if there had been some sort of progression in the jobs I have worked.

If the average wage is around 20k (it's a bit higher) then why would anyone be surprised that half of the working population earn less than the average... That's pretty much the definition of average (well, one definition anyway).

I thought the national average was about 26k?

It does depend on how the average is worked out as you say cyclone but I would have thought it wouldn't be a 50/50 split.

It depends on whether it's the mean, mode or median.

Median would be defined as the value that exactly splits the group (ie equal number of people above and below). Mean is a more useful measure though, and it's a little higher because of high earners and (if we're only counting FTE income for the employed) nobody earns less than about 10.5k on minimum wage.

This links says that the median is £528 per week for full time employees based on April 2015

http://www.ons.gov.uk/employmentandlabourmarket/peopleinwork/earningsandworkinghours/bulletins/annualsurveyofhoursandearnings/2015provisionalresults

Yep, it does.

So this

over half the working population earn less than £20,000,

Must be referring to actual earning (ie not everyone works full time), whereas the median is for FTE.

Either that or the >50% earn <20k is just wrong...

If you scroll down the page you linked to figure 5, I think this has the combined median (including part time) as about £425, that's £22100 which is getting closer to 50/50 around 20k.

Why would anyone think the low paid are feckless, lazy and lacking drive? Are you so prejudiced against people in above average paid jobs that you think we think so little of those that are low paid?

 

What do you propose we do about it? I suspect it involves Jeremy Corbyn. He's too busy trying to find a seat on a train though isn't he?

 

Is this the new kinder politics? Suggesting higher paid people think the low paid are basically scum? What absolute 100% undiluted twaddle.

Well the high and mighty on these threads soon start referring to people as Chavs or living on the council estate etc when it suits.

It only needs a leader to arise from those ranks who can organise the people who are ignored and not listened to and this Country would get a kick up the butt that would be hard to ignore.

History in Europe gives one the clue as to what can happen when the poor and disenfranchised are left out of the good times.

The masses have always been on low wages , we are no different it's just there are more things to buy , which makes us feel poor .

And in reality the poor today are much better off than the poor (or the rich) in the past.

The standard of living, even for the 50% earning below 22k is the highest it's ever been.

I don't think that earning less than the median immediately qualifies someone as poor anyway, otherwise 50% of the population will always be poor, no matter how well off they are.

But in the UK even the poor have most likely got a mobile phone, and a TV and multiple channels to watch, they have access to leisure facilities, somewhere to live and something to eat.

Deprivation exists, but simply earning less than the average doesn't mean you are deprived.