How do you feel about the introduction of the Labour party's minimum wage, after 23 years in place this April?

[JC544D]

How do you feel about the introduction of the Labour party's minimum wage, after 23 years in place this April?

I think it's basically a good thing, although I don't agree with lower rates for under 25s.

Or is that 24?

Taswama

I agree. I've always though that a little unfair.

I remember about a year before it came in, a girl from my school working for £2 an hour in a local shop...

It's definitely a good thing

Comedycook

I was on 1.30 an hour in a Wood mill and had to pay for the taxi there.

Bloody brilliant. I was on 2 quid an hour, there were security guard jobs being advertised at 1.90ph in my town at the time.

They failed on two fronts - to up the rate for young people, and to agree some kind of long term mechanism to push wages slowly and steadily up, this reducing inequality. A missed opportunity.

@Taswama

I think it's basically a good thing, although I don't agree with lower rates for under 25s.

I agree, why do people under 25 need less money than people over 25!

It's a good thing so at least it guarantees a standard wage for a 40hr week. It helps set taxation rates also to avoid those at the lower end of the pay scale.

It’s an essential safety net.

It was a step in the right direction so that
the benefits system wasn't just subsiding profit making companies paying low wages

I understand the objections to a minimum wage; but its needed because the alternatives are worse. I don't know anyone who's on minimum wage that objects to it.

I agree, why do people under 25 need less money than people over 25

I always thought it was so that companies would be incentivised to hire people who are just starting out in the job market and don't have much experience?

It came in at £3.60, which was about what I earned at the time, but I had friends on £2.50, it was desperately needed.

Labour did seem to let it wither somewhat over the years though. I remember the Conservatives being very against it at the time, but their policy lately seems to have been to raise it quite substantially, which I strongly agree with.

I have had nurse friends complain they’re not much above living wage, and I can totally see their point, but they forget they have so many benefits on top, plus career progression.

There’s no easy answer, but we have to pay a decent minimum wage, so I think it needs to keep going up above the average for a good few years yet.

There didn’t use to be a right to paid holiday either, years ago. I was so happy when that law came in.

Australia has a lower minimum wage for younger people. Though it doesn't go up to 24, it maxes out at the adult rate at 18 I think.

I think the idea is to encourage the creation of jobs for young people who don't have as much experience and who are likely to be in school so limited hours, and also living at home.

It would be interesting to know if it's effective.

I have what might be considered a controversial view on this. I think when it first came in it was great and a “good thing”
Now I think it is one of the means of keeping wages lower than they would otherwise be. It’s a tool to keep inflation down ( obviously not working at the moment- although without it right now wage inflation could be through the roof I guess) so it benefits employers and not employees as employers just pay minimum wage or just above sage in the knowledge that competitors just do the same.
Keeping wage inflation down does benefit the rest of us as it keeps prices low so I am conflicted about it generally.

DogsDinner

That's right. There was no legal right to a paid holiday and many were stuck in agency positions long term with no paid holiday.

sashagabadon
I don't think current inflation is being driven by wages increases, as far as I'm aware wage increases are at historically low levels and have been for years.

The top age band used to be 25, but now is 23 and over.

I am undecided. It feels like once minimum wage was set there was a drift towards more and more jobs being minimum wage and general wage stagnation. But i dont know enough about whether there were other causes of this.
I also have a vague notion that there are less opportunities for teens /starters.

I think it's good there is something in place and it's good that they've lowered the minimum to 23 (it should be 21 and over or 18 and over but baby steps)

That being said, I think the whole thing needs a reform. I always see minimum wage as "this is the lowest legal amount we can get away with, we would pay less if we could"

It's meant to be the minimum that a person could live on but it isn't anywhere close anymore (I read an article about two people working full time, both on minimum wage and were struggling)... but it's a delicate balancing act as the costs need to be passed on which makes everything else more expensive.

A wonderful move. I was over the moon when Gordon Brown announced it (plus independence for the Bank of England).

It has benefited so many over the years, mainly women who are disproportionately low-paid.

It should be raised. The Real Living Wage (the current National Living Wage is just the Minimum Wage rebranded. It isn't what an individual needs to live on - the RLW is) should be introduced. Some employers are RLW employers- though not all of these pay their outsourced staff the RLW.

@Onionpatch

I am undecided. It feels like once minimum wage was set there was a drift towards more and more jobs being minimum wage and general wage stagnation. But i dont know enough about whether there were other causes of this. I also have a vague notion that there are less opportunities for teens /starters.

I think it's really complicated and difficult to isolate all the effects and their causes. Which is why it's possible to have a variety of views about it without all those people being jerks who don't care about fair pay for work.

There's nothing stopping companies paying more that the minimum wage if they wish.