Interesting article on the minimum wage

The argument about what should be paid for out of taxation is a very wide one. I deal with the NHS as a contractor - I know the minute you suggest the NHS wastes money that you are a swivel eyed Daily mail Nazi, but trust me - in certain sectors it absolutely pisses money away - more than enough to get A&E right. Taxes pay for the profligacy, but NHS management is so piss poor and overpaid it will keep things as per as long as it can get away with it. Talking of fat cats, I know an NHS 'manager' on £145k pa, who hasn't done a full week in 4 years. How many nurses would his salary pay for ? But imho there isn't the political will to get it working - Labour would just tip more money in, whilst The Tories are continuously altering its structures to set dept v dept, hospital v hospital to ensure its demise, and seamless transition into a private scheme. Thee watch.

It's all about what you see as priorities, but I find it fascinating we can support a campaign in Iraq but we can't ensure that pensioners homes are heated properly.

 

... when you look at the level of direct taxes NI and indirect taxes such as Vat fuel and alcohol duties airport taxes it is staggering. There's not a lot left for the average person... and you want more ? I agree about targeting the spend better hmmm... I think we could cut down on the planning work undertaken by certain North Yorkshire councils ... agreed ?

 

Bloody accountants.

Agree with your other point, the Govt takes more than enough to get things sorted.

 

I appreciate this isn't a simple debate with simple silver bullet solutions. Hence my questions. I'm prepared to have my views challenged and people in this thread are far better informed that me. I only go wading in when I'm pretty sure of my opinions.

If I was heartless a flippant response would be are those businesses viable. However, I understand that most SMEs are competing on an entirely unfair playing field where they (and society) are shafted over by big business.

I suppose as per Jimmy Cricket's point, would it be viable for them to pay living wage IF the SME were given tax breaks or govenrment funding? I appreciate this is largely the same as tax credits but it would ensure that big businesses weren't benefiting and improve the employees well-being and commitment to their job as they would feel they were being paid a good wage by their employer rather than getting money from the government.

 

... don't you slag me you'll need my help putting your oodles of cash into an offshore trust in the Camen Islands. The cash that you've stashed exploiting the downtrodden workers you fat cat capitalist !

 

Thought we'd agreed to keep that schtum ?

 

Ah but all that is born from trying to run public services as businesses. Private sector good, public sector bad. The joys of New Public Management. Thatcherism and Reaganomics at its finest.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_public_management

 

All started with the Tories in the 70's - making 'management' the pinnacle, rather than service and duty within the NHS.

****s.

 

Don't know your business, but if more folk had spare money after the essentials then maybe your business would be better off.

 

It isn't heartless, in some cases it is true. Some businesses are only viable because of the sacrifices made by their owner. The number of butchers greengrocers pubs on my books has been decimated in the past 20 years.

BTW not all SME owners are so altruistic, I've known some right b##stards in my time.

 

or more likely spend it at Tesco ?

 

Isn't that where we all come in though, buying from local SMEs? I won't hold my breath expecting the government to regulate or tax the supermarkets

 

It's a free market but it's his business to not let that happen.

 

yep, but folk on low income will buy where it is cheap. Now if only folk earned a living wage.... hmmmmm

 

Now there's a thought!

 

yeah .. ok ... sorry sorry... shhhhhhh !

 

There's one thing missing from this thread...

... well apart from petty insults and name calling...

Redstar ! I miss mi mate he's have loved this :frown:

 

Re: There's one thing missing from this thread...

Was just thinking the same myself.

 

Re: There's one thing missing from this thread...

The Commie ****.

There you go Dave, sorted.

 

raise everybodys wages,why not?

i'll tell you why, because it wont belong before you are paying a fiver for a loaf

whether you like it or not,big business do it to earn money for their shareholders who have invested to make that business work,they want a profit,they don't invest to break even.
bigger overheads,especially wages will mean less jobs because the man in the street like myself wont start up in business to earn less than his staff.

its a vicious cycle,we'd all like big wages,but on the other hand we want our good cheaper and cheaper.,you cant have both and utopia does not exist.