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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Who do you think deserves to be paid £70K +?

72 replies

drdreamboat · 08/06/2011 10:20

Just out of interest, I was wondering who MN thought "deserves" this sort of income?

Judging by the threads on here, most people feel that GPs, midwives, teachers and health visitors don't deserve it.

So does anyone? Or should we all live in an equal society?

OP posts:
MadamMemoo · 08/06/2011 10:21

All NHS doctors ( especially the obstetrician who saved DD's life)

mosschops30 · 08/06/2011 10:22

Midwives
Nurses
A&E, ITU, Surgical doctors
Military personnel on the frontline
Fire service
Frontline police officers

Thats my list

MadamMemoo · 08/06/2011 10:22

Fire fighters!

MadamMemoo · 08/06/2011 10:23

Definitely agree with military personnel.

RockinSockBunnies · 08/06/2011 10:23

Hmm. 'Deserves' creates difficulties. In an ideal world, nurses, midwives etc should command such sums. Footballers shouldn't.

But, given that we live in a capitalist society, I would say that those that deserve such money are those that can generate significant sums (investment bankers, lawyers, private doctors etc) and reward themselves as a result.

I suppose the other aspect to the question of wealth is that, in theory, individuals have a choice as to what career path to follow, knowing what kind of money they'll earn.

Cursingtheboobytum · 08/06/2011 10:24

Me!

SunRaysthruClouds · 08/06/2011 10:25

your answers'll be :

From people who earn less than 70k: 'No-one'
From people who earn more than 70k: 'Us'

coccyx · 08/06/2011 10:26

How silly.

pingu2209 · 08/06/2011 10:27

Me too!

hildathebuilder · 08/06/2011 10:27

We should live in an equal society, but we don't.

Personally I think many doctors who have experience in their fields, many teachers and lecturers, senior police officers, policitians and senior council members, judges.

I do earn more than 70k myself, and deserve it no more or less than the next person. I am a lawyer for what its worth and have spent a long time getting to the position I am in. I employ other people and have a book of business worth a lot more than 70k but I don't see that as that relevant on the question of desert. My husband on the other hand is an academic, earns a lot less than 70k and has taight many many people to an extremely high leel. he is just undervalued for what he does,

Cocoflower · 08/06/2011 10:27

If 70k is what someone is worth to their employer then they should be paid that.

Unfortunately in private sectors the employee is paid because they generally bring money to the corporartion, where a public worker will always be taking money away from the system (though of course are of tremendous value).

It may not seem fair but that is the facts

Callisto · 08/06/2011 10:28

Anyone whose job is of worth to society - whether that is economic worth (running a business that creates jobs etc) or social worth (care workers, nurses etc).

Firawla · 08/06/2011 10:28

whoever works for a company that wants to pay them that? unless we are paying the salary ourselves i don't really see why its anyone's business. so the public sector ones you mentioned i think generally no because 70k is a lot and i doubt that kind of pay can be afforded for all those workers. some teachers, dr etc get it though don't they? for top doctors like surgeons etc i can understand it
living in an equal society in terms of pay will be silly if thats taken literally, so people will get the same for sitting on their ass doing nothing as those working long hours, then what motivation would people have?? although is not fair that people work all hours on minimum wage ending up with hardly anything and other people do earn loads

hildathebuilder · 08/06/2011 10:28

oops bad spelling there. But I will say I am not sure I do deserve more than 70k despite my high income.

CogitoErgoSometimes · 08/06/2011 10:30

'Deserves' is possibly the wrong word because then we start looking about and making value judgements saying it should only go to people who work hard, contribute to society or are intrinsically worthy in some way. When really salary comes down to market rates, qualifications, experience & how many other people are capable of doing the same job. You can be the hardest working, cleanest-living, most loveable street sweeper in the world but no-one's going to offer £70k for doing it.

SexyDomesticatedDab · 08/06/2011 10:32

I get paid the market rate the HR department regularly review based on what others in 'equivalent' companies get paid. Having saidf that we got no raises for about the last 4 years and just managed to post a small profit last year so finally a bit of a bonus.

Life is not equal - but I think you should pay a fair amount of tax back in. More should be done to close the avoidance of personal tax loopholes. As long as its legal it's Ok (even if morally questionable) if the Govt can't sort out correct tax legislation they only have themselves to blame for any that can't be collected.

SunRaysthruClouds · 08/06/2011 10:34

Living in a market economy means that jobs with social worth will never be valued in monetary terms.

anyway I am fortunate enough to be paid well but am not 'earning' it right now (as I am posting on MN). Has caused it's share of problems in my life though...

in other words I think focus should be on making sure everyone has a basic standard of living (which I don't think is the case at the moment) but apart from that it is impossible to determine someones 'worth'

elephantinroom · 08/06/2011 10:45

Teachers.

nijinsky · 08/06/2011 10:49

So does anyone? Or should we all live in an equal society?

I think they tried this in the former USSR. Doctors paid not much more than cleaners, etc..

Highly skilled work will always attract more pay than lower skilled. So doctors tend to earn more than nurses, although they both may work equally as hard. Doctors have more overall responsibility and its a lot harder to get into study medicine at university and to complete the course, than it is the become a nurse.

Likewise, there is a lot of work to become a member of my profession (the law) and you need high marks to get in to study it, compared to some courses, so you are already attracting the brightest. Should I be paid the same as my paralegal? I don't think so.

Managers with a lot of responsibility are paid highly. I do think in the public sector though there are a remarkably high amount of managers with little responsibility who just wouldn't cut the mustard in the private sector and wouldn't ean nearly as much as they do in the public sector.

nijinsky · 08/06/2011 10:52

SexyDomesticatedDab Life is not equal - but I think you should pay a fair amount of tax back in. More should be done to close the avoidance of personal tax loopholes

Most employees in this country pay plenty of tax. The main tax avoidance mechanism involves a limited company and favours large companies, and the Government seems disinterested in tackling this. I always think though for those who advocate really high taxes, there should be an option on their pay slips to pay an extra 10% or so in tax, so that they can enjoy their ideological heaven without subjecting others to it.

SunRaysthruClouds · 08/06/2011 10:53

Yes but we all know lawyers earn too much

(Just going through a divorce at the moment so might be slightly biased...)

nijinsky · 08/06/2011 10:54

Nothing to stop you doing it yourself then...

Punkatheart · 08/06/2011 10:55

Anyone who works hard enough. Subjective I know but true.

littlemissboden · 08/06/2011 10:56

My husband basic is slightly more than that, and the income he generates for his company i would say they have a bargain!! Infact if he left, they would have to recruit at least 2 members of staff to replace him, possibly 3 (and i am not exagerrating) so I would say him!

Ishani · 08/06/2011 10:58

Me !!!!!

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