Russell Brand's alternative politics

[Bonzo77 13]

A living wage would imply that people in full time work won't need their wage topped up with benefits, is that the case?

 

It would certainly reduce the amount of benefits paid out.

 

research by Queen Mary, University of London, showing that paying the Living Wage has big benefits for business, workers and the Treasury.

 

http://www.livingwage.org.uk/blog/living-wage-costs-benefits-report

[tinfoilhat 11]

It would certainly reduce the amount of benefits paid out.

 

research by Queen Mary, University of London, showing that paying the Living Wage has big benefits for business, workers and the Treasury.

 

http://www.livingwage.org.uk/blog/living-wage-costs-benefits-report

 

The living wage does have benefits for business and the benefits to workers and the treasury are obvious. But it won't be feasible for all companies - it's too big a jump. The old chestnut of if a company can't afford a twenty percent pay rise for its workforce deserves to fail is both shortsighted and daft.

[ab6262 202]

If you run a business and you can't afford to pay your staff, you shouldn't be employing them.

 

You can always outsource your work to a business that is capable of paying their staff a living wage. A lot of sales companies do this. Some call centre sales staff are on a good wage £18K upwards, plus commission.

my goodness you clearly have never been in business with some of the rubbish you spout!, there are times when the staff get paid and the boss doesnt just to keep the business open:roll:

[jamesstarky 10]

The debate about wages is always a good one, but this thread is about alternatives. Brand is calling out for ideas and different ways of doing things that aren't heard in the mainstream media.

 

Does anyone have experience of other workplace organisation types? Like Co-operatives, collectives, or non-hierachical methods?

[skinz 10]

The debate about wages is always a good one, but this thread is about alternatives. Brand is calling out for ideas and different ways of doing things that aren't heard in the mainstream media.

 

Does anyone have experience of other workplace organisation types? Like Co-operatives, collectives, or non-hierachical methods?

 

Workplace ethics and common values will only come about as an extension of education. The present education system IMO devalues. If we want to change it needs to be at primary level.

 

Read this lately and fundamentally agree with..

 

"Puritans and moralists sometimes identify consumerism, the bonus culture, the acquisitive society, live-now-pay-later philosophy as "greed". But these, like all other sins and vices, have been recast by the altered moral order. Many of what were regarded as human failings have been transformed into economic virtues. Covetousness has become ambition, envy now reappears as a manifestation of a healthy competitive spirit, gluttony is only a natural desire for more and lust a necessary expression of our deepest human reality. Temptation is no longer an impulse to be resisted: it is our duty to yield to it in the name of that most exalted of purposes, "consumer confidence".

 

When what were regarded in a more primitive age as negative attributes are magically re-formed so they shine as virtues, it is easy to persuade ourselves that these represent human nature. It gives us permission, as it were, to be intemperate, self-indulgent and greedy. The morality of economic growth and expansion has invaded the psyche, the inner sites where people struggle with how to be a good person; and now reigns as the ultimate revelation of what it means to be human."

 

Does anyone have experience of other workplace organisation types? Like Co-operatives, collectives, or non-hierachical methods?

Watched a program years ago about a specific company in California..a cooperative I think. It worked within the present state framework but the CEO had only as much input as those on the shop floor. Everyone had equal shares and say in the running of the company. Interestingly the CEO was only on 75k more per anual than an average worker. The excess (written into contract) would cease once his initial investment was returned plus interest as though he'd invested elsewhere.

 

I'm sure it had something to do with food processing.

Edited October 29, 2014 by skinz

[Harleyman 12]

There's loads of fairer systems than the one we have. For a start a true capitalist democracy would be better. We don't live in a democratic society at the moment. If you want to read up on alternatives, feel free to do so.

 

Raising the minimum wage wouldn't hurt our small businesses and it wouldn't increase the cost of living.

 

Back to Walmart though, they CAN afford to pay their employees $15ph, they refuse to and the tax payer picks up the bill while the billionaire owners toss themselves ridged in their bank volts!

 

You base your statement on having seen the Walmart balance sheet for 2014 I presume

[SavannahP 10]

It would certainly reduce the amount of benefits paid out.

 

research by Queen Mary, University of London, showing that paying the Living Wage has big benefits for business, workers and the Treasury.

 

http://www.livingwage.org.uk/blog/living-wage-costs-benefits-report

 

Business leader will generally do anything that will benefit their business, the fact they some don't pay more than the minimum wages is evidence that paying more won't benefit them.

[Bonzo77 13]

You base your statement on having seen the Walmart balance sheet for 2014 I presume

 

No it's based on the owners having more wealth that 150,000,000 of the poorest Americans!

[pb1977 10]

Could Walmart afford to pay its staff a minimum of $15, yeah I'm sure it can. This would though add billions and billions of $ to its yearly payroll bill.

 

Should it pay it's staff a minimum of $15 is a totally different matter. Walmart creates entry level jobs for people who don’t have a lot of skills, these jobs don’t and really shouldn't pay lots of money.

 

People might see figures of X amount of billions in profit but Walmarts margins are quite small, I think the business has a profit margin of around 3.5 maybe 4%. Not a huge profit margin is it.

Edited October 29, 2014 by pb1977

[ab6262 202]

Could Walmart afford to pay its staff a minimum of $15, yeah I'm sure it can. This would though add billions and billions of $ to its yearly payroll bill.

 

Should it pay it's staff a minimum of $15 is a totally different matter. Walmart creates entry level jobs for people who don’t have a lot of skills, these jobs don’t and really shouldn't pay lots of money.

 

People might see figures of X amount of billions in profit but Walmarts margins are quite small, I think the business has a profit margin of around 3.5 maybe 4%. Not a huge profit margin is it.

oooohhhhh stop talking common sense Bonzo77 wont understand:roll:

[Bonzo77 13]

oooohhhhh stop talking common sense Bonzo77 wont understand:roll:

 

Stop being a patronising fool. This is a discussion thread, back your comments up with something constructive or don't say anything. I might not agree with other posters comments, but at least they engage and for that I respect them, every one of them. Comments like yours are what get threads closed.

 

---------- Post added 29-10-2014 at 22:07 ----------

 

Could Walmart afford to pay its staff a minimum of $15, yeah I'm sure it can. This would though add billions and billions of $ to its yearly payroll bill.

 

Should it pay it's staff a minimum of $15 is a totally different matter. Walmart creates entry level jobs for people who don’t have a lot of skills, these jobs don’t and really shouldn't pay lots of money.

 

People might see figures of X amount of billions in profit but Walmarts margins are quite small, I think the business has a profit margin of around 3.5 maybe 4%. Not a huge profit margin is it.

 

A better paid employee is a loyal one though. Some people don't want to see a job in a department store as an entry level job, they might want to stay there as long as possible.

[tinfoilhat 11]

Stop being a patronising fool. This is a discussion thread, back your comments up with something constructive or don't say anything. I might not agree with other posters comments, but at least they engage and for that I respect them, every one of them. Comments like yours are what get threads closed.

 

Pot. Kettle. Black.

 

You aren't the worst for it by some distance, in fact you don't often resort to name calling if ever but if anyone is disagreeing with the new messiah that is Russell brand, we're often sheep, "these people", uninformed, sleepwalking, etc etc.

 

I'm not any of those things - I'm just not taking the, often long and important sounding, words of a comedian with a book to sell as though he's the best thing since sliced bread.

 

---------- Post added 29-10-2014 at 22:14 ----------

 

Stop being a patronising fool. This is a discussion thread, back your comments up with something constructive or don't say anything. I might not agree with other posters comments, but at least they engage and for that I respect them, every one of them. Comments like yours are what get threads closed.

 

---------- Post added 29-10-2014 at 22:07 ----------

 

 

A better paid employee is a loyal one though. Some people don't want to see a job in a department store as an entry level job, they might want to stay there as long as possible.

 

And they do stay at the asdas and morrisons for years. A lot of the faces at halfway have been there years. They can't be that unhappy - aldi are always looking for staff (at a decent hourly rate) and I've only ever seen half a dozen in there at anyone time!