UK's Labour vows to more than double youth minimum wage

 

Britain's opposition Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn speaks at the launch of Labour's European election campaign in Kent, Britain, May 9, 2019. REUTERS/Toby Melville/File Photo

 

LONDON (Reuters) - A future Labour government would more than double the minimum wage in Britain for workers under the age of 18 to 10 pounds an hour, its leader said on Saturday, stepping up his campaign over the cost of living.

 

Jeremy Corbyn told a party gathering that employers should not be allowed to exploit younger workers and vowed to bring the salaries of those under 18 in line with the broader workforce.

 

Former Labour leader Tony Blair introduced a minimum wage in Britain in 1999. Overseen by an independent body, it has steadily increased and now stands at 8.21 pounds for workers over 25, while those under 18 are entitled to 4.35 pounds.

 

Labour has vowed to increase the overall minimum wage to 10 pounds an hour, and to include younger workers.

 

"It's time to end this discrimination. Young people's work should be properly valued, not exploited by employers to cut their wage bill. If they're doing the job, pay them the wage - the real living wage," he said.

 

With British politics in deadlock over Brexit, company bosses are increasingly examining the policies of Labour to see how they would be affected by a change of government.

 

Labour, which under socialist leader Corbyn has shifted from a centrist pro-business platform to a more interventionist left-wing pitch, vowed last year that large companies would be forced to transfer as much as 10 percent of their shares to workers, to help more people share economic prosperity.

 

It has also announced plans to nationalise key industries such as water, energy and rail, and to give workers seats on boards.

 

Labour said on Saturday it would give support to small and medium sized businesses to help them fund the wage increase, by making savings on the benefits that are paid to people already in work.

 

Paul Johnson, director of the Institute for Fiscal Studies, said the proposals could deter companies from hiring younger workers.

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2019-05-12

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I wonder where he finds the money to pay for it

2 minutes ago, dutchdude said:

I wonder where he finds the money to pay for it

He's not paying for it - he's going to force the employers to pay

Bad move Mr. Corbyn (and Tony Blair). We are in a serious deflationary environment that's getting worse. All this will do is deter companies from hiring more young workers as stated by Paul Johnson, director of the Institute for Fiscal Studies. Why pay-up for inexperience?

 

What Corbyn and the rest of them need to do immediately is try & understand 1. Why we have this deflationary slump and 2. How to avoid the looming economic collapse.

12 minutes ago, dutchdude said:

I wonder where he finds the money to pay for it

'The trouble with socialism is that eventually you run out of other people's money'- Margaret Thatcher

Or in other words Corbyn tries to bribe young people to vote for him .

Labour ought to start by paying its interns...

Who is going to employ a kid with no work experience when they can employ someone with years of experience for the same money? 

Or in other words Corbyn tries to bribe young people to vote for him .

Trouble is ,so many are stupid enough to do it ,i know i was when i was young

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Last time he promised free university
This time it is to double the youth wage - which will only result in nobody employing youths!
The man just opens his mouth & spouts rubbish

Double your wages, or keep your job? 

One more idiot idea from a moron with little intelligence, business knowledge, or talent. Kids know little, they are kids,  and usually are making a very tiny contribution to overall activity in an organisation.  They should be learning and growing in knowledge and effectiveness,  but in the early stages  are often as much of a drain on an activity or business as they are an asset. They are paid accordingly. 

Edited May 12, 20197 yr by Pilotman

Yet another “foot in mouth “ idea from this idiot. How to shut down youth employment in one stupid move. No more bar staff, waiters, shop assistants, baby sitters, etc etc etc. 

3 hours ago, bert bloggs said:

Or in other words Corbyn tries to bribe young people to vote for him .

sounds like the Shins at work lol...

I'm sure Dianne Abbot has done all the maths on this for him!

 

 

Edited May 12, 20197 yr by Orton Rd

13 minutes ago, oilinki said:

Free education is actually very good idea for a country. Let your best to gain access to a good education and they will pay back to the community later on with their labour.

 

But that's probably too socialistic idea for the Brits. 

we have free education, University was free as well with living expenses paid until the 1990's. The growth of the numbers made it unsustainable, if we went back to just intelligent kids studying useful courses we might be able to make Uni courses free again. Tony Blair is to blame with his idiotic 50% of School leavers target of going to higher education, when only 10% at most are capable. Media studies degrees, surfing technology and gender studies are not going to pay back anything.

Edited May 12, 20197 yr by Orton Rd

Doubling the pension would be a far better idea and get the millionaires to pay for it Mr Corbunkel????

Comrade Corbyn of course could only manage a couple of poor A levels then flunked out of a London Polytechnic, he is not very bright but good at slogans and promises.

10 minutes ago, Orton Rd said:

Comrade Corbyn of course could only manage a couple of poor A levels then flunked out of a London Polytechnic, he is not very bright but good at slogans and promises.

Guess it depends upon how you rate success in the world. Academic achievements, business success etc etc.

2 minutes ago, geoffbezoz said:

Guess it depends upon how you rate success in the world. Academic achievements, business success etc etc.

Both of the above. He has neither. 

19 minutes ago, Pilotman said:

Both of the above. He has neither. 

 

19 minutes ago, Pilotman said:

Both of the above. He has neither. 

Well, just go to shows then what is wrong with the UK in general if you think academic and business success are the only criteria that may benefit the population . I actually think that humility and the ability to understand others are a  better attribute. Of course JC may not have those either but certainly to ensure the youth of the country get a fair minimum wage (which is what this thread is about) , and it those youth that will eventually run the country, is the better course of action rather than treat them as second class citizens when they are young and then be surprised later that they feel subjugated, with the potential to become radicalised towards the more extreme political activities.

Edited May 12, 20197 yr by geoffbezoz

I have never been a supporter of Youth rates. Never met an Employer of worked in an industry that did not demand the same level of work from a 16 year old after 3 months as they did from other workers. As a kid on 60% of the Adult wage i still had to pay the same for boards, clothes and transport.

I have seen youth rates legislated in and Out in my lifetime but nothing changed the level of youth Employment up or down.

The problem with most English speaking Countries is We want to pay low wages but maximise profit.

Places like Germany pay for productivity and know workers secure and care for are more productive.

I always liked the Idea if a CEO of an organization could only earn 10 times the salary of his lowest paid worker what and Incentive that might be.

When you pay your CEO's in millions they become detached from reality. 

And forget the kids at the bottom struggling to survive.

How do you expect kids to get a penchant for saving if you start them 40% behind the lineup

6 hours ago, rooster59 said:

UK's Labour vows to more than double youth minimum wage

Sounds insane, but then it is also irrelevant. If Labour win pretty much nobody will bother going to work anyway. Why bother grafting for a salary when you can fire up some skunk, lie back in the sofa and watch junk on TV while getting paid for doing so?

 

https://www.theguardian.com/society/2019/may/12/labour-would-trial-universal-basic-income-if-elected-john-mcdonnell-says

33 minutes ago, geoffbezoz said:

 

Well, just go to shows then what is wrong with the UK in general if you think academic and business success are the only criteria that may benefit the population . I actually think that humility and the ability to understand others are a  better attribute. Of course JC may not have those either but certainly to ensure the youth of the country get a fair minimum wage (which is what this thread is about) , and it those youth that will eventually run the country, is the better course of action rather than treat them as second class citizens when they are young and then be surprised later that they feel subjugated, with the potential to become radicalised towards the more extreme political activities.

Typical socialist BS mate, and i didn't say it was only those skills. They already have a fair minimum wage.  Nobody treats UK kids as second class citizens, they are immensely privileged, due in total to the economic success of the UK business  world.  I grew up in a council house and went to a secondary school.  The UK provided me with all the opportunities I needed to get ahead.  I didn't need unrealistic handouts and neither do they now. 

1 hour ago, Orton Rd said:

I'm sure Dianne Abbot has done all the maths on this for him!

 

 

I wonder which one of the many answers she came up he chose? She should be the poster woman for STEM to demonstrate what you end up with if you cant do simple maths

1 hour ago, geoffbezoz said:

 

Well, just go to shows then what is wrong with the UK in general if you think academic and business success are the only criteria that may benefit the population . I actually think that humility and the ability to understand others are a  better attribute. Of course JC may not have those either but certainly to ensure the youth of the country get a fair minimum wage (which is what this thread is about) , and it those youth that will eventually run the country, is the better course of action rather than treat them as second class citizens when they are young and then be surprised later that they feel subjugated, with the potential to become radicalised towards the more extreme political activities.

If you want English youth (and everyone else) to have jobs, you need to exclude all foreign passport holders from the employment market. Zero migrant workers.

38 minutes ago, Pilotman said:

Typical socialist BS mate, and i didn't say it was only those skills. They already have a fair minimum wage.  Nobody treats UK kids as second class citizens, they are immensely privileged, due in total to the economic success of the UK business  world.  I grew up in a council house and went to a secondary school.  The UK provided me with all the opportunities I needed to get ahead.  I didn't need unrealistic handouts and neither do they now. 

Just prove how out of touch you are. You benefited from the social aspect of a council house, now not available to most, . You consider a minimum wage below poverty level is adequate !! Carry on and that is exactly why dinosaurs and those fortunate enough to have been born a half century + ago can not quite grasp the real world and the the depressing situation facing them.

 

23 minutes ago, Benroon said:

If I have to pay a wet behind the ears INEXPERIENCED youth £10 an hour to get in the way while he learns and also have to pay the same rate to someone who knows what they're doing and will contribute to the bottom line - who would I pick ? 

 

Not all companies can a) wait for the youth to flourish or b) run the risk that when trained he will bugger off 

 

The more companies have to shoulder the less they will produce the less jobs they will offer - Corbyn/Abbott what a dream ticket that is !!

a truism that goes right over the head of socialist supporters.   Dumb as bricks 

22 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

If you want English youth (and everyone else) to have jobs, you need to exclude all foreign passport holders from the employment market. Zero migrant workers.

Well that is one point of view but the other argument is why youth will not work for poverty wages. If they had the advantage of earning the minimum  10 GBP per hour then maybe the majority would be satisfied with earning that rather than rely on benefits. As for Zero migrants I agree 100% especially as my family line goes back to 1536 where our ancestor arrived from what is now Sweden. I would love the UK to expel anybody who can not prove their family lineage to being British for say at least the last 400 years. But that's just me and fortunately the UK is still free enough to express personal opinion.

Edited May 12, 20197 yr by geoffbezoz

15 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

If you want English youth (and everyone else) to have jobs, you need to exclude all foreign passport holders from the employment market. Zero migrant workers.

Good point. You're average, working class, English guy, has no chance. They're ill-educated, lazy, and too me, me, me. Now, when I was a kid, I'd be very thankful to earn a few bucks, strangely enough, they'd add a few extra, just to keep me onside.