I'm not sure about how you intend this proportionately to actually work, turning to the next part surely the only way to stop the low paid jobs being done by foreign labour is to stop the flow of that labour? Not really one of your rants. As to the honest unemployed being priced out of working, hasn't this been the result (at least in part) by the import of cheap foreign labour.
Personally I'd vote to stay in, as unpopular as it may be you have to be economically pragmatic. While much of our economy does not rely on the EU as a whole, the trade agreements it opens up do benefit us especially with regards to imports (which do a lot of). Also, I remember hearing recently that the USA would be averse to dealing with singular nations economically regardless of who they are because basically it is better for them to deal with economic blocks, a trend which is increasingly present and indeed has been historically present. I recall ol' Cameron going over to China as well to arrange trade agreements and expand markets etc etc but that did not give the success he was after because ultimately we're not a big enough economic player to offer anything but services. I find it a bit of a conundrum because I do believe in national sovereignty and we should be able to decide on our own laws because that's why we have a Government and its a form of Government that has taken a lot to develop. However economically I don't think it makes sense to go it alone, it may only jeopardize our economy because of the loss of trade agreements with larger economies and probable increases in import/export duties. Money makes the world go round and I think its a big gamble to go it alone.
I'm not convinced by the argument of people being priced out of work in this case, the minimum wage is there for everyone, thats its whole purpose. If people are not paying it (hence making labour cheaper) then its about enforcement. No one should be paid below the national minimum wage (or living wage as its called now??)
There should be a rule that once you're over 50 you can't vote anymore. Let the young decide their futures.
This is the pro european position that we should fear the unknown. Rather than a full analysis of where we are at, plus what further meddling from the EU will cause. See that is what everyone thinks of just the minimum wage jobs. What about those jobs where the wages should be better than minimum wage, but the big corporate employers tapping into these big cheap foreign labour sources are able to pay less than what that job should, factoring training etc, pay.
As for other countries not wanting to trade with us ( or at least made harder to do so) out with the EU, what a load off ballcocks. We only hear propaganda like that because the other major players ie germany don't want us to leave as it'll have to shoulder the burden of the crap its caused
I'm not leaving Europe. I was born here. If the voting majority disagree I'll be on the first ferry over to the "mainland" with @lost-en-france and the rest...
Whose to say what jobs are worth what wage if its not the employer? Training costs would be incurred regardless of the nationality of the prospective employee (unless one person is already trained and qualified).
Too many of us "old" folk around for any politician to risk their careers voting for that one. Old saying "as I am now so you shall be"...if you are fortunate.
I've always wondered what happens here..... A few years back an unskilled labourer might of earned £4 /hr. While a person in a skilled job earned maybe double that. Fast toward to now, the unskilled dude is on nearly double what he was while Mr skilled has only gained a couple oif quid. Is the skilled mans job now devalued?
....in which case there should be two levels of minimum wage (living wage is actually a different thing paying higher than minimum) - skilled and unskilled - with all jobs put into one or other classification - seems common sense to me. I remember when school dinner ladies and cleaners were on a lower rate than male caretakers etc - they were reclassified and now councils are having to reimburse back pay!
All I see is a nation built on slavery, sustaining pseudo-judicial systems to maintain inequality between the sexes, rich and poor....nowt great about that IMO Given that no man is an island, you can extend this to groups of individuals, regions and entire countries. We know the earth isn't flat. We know that the carp that we make comes back to haunt us eventually, so considering the fact that we all live on the same rock, it makes sense to collaborate to ensure it can continue to provide us with the means to exist. As far as I'm concerned, the EU's function was/is to establish a 'level playing field' for favourable commerce and industry to take place between member states, while ensuring social and humanitarian justice for it's citizenry; all based upon agreed principles. As our technological capabilities, methods of production and scientific understanding increase, the rules of engagement need to be tailored accordingly, while the fundamental principles remain. Cameron et al seem to wish to change the principles, rather than the rules of engagement. I agree that there are many changes that need to me made, but these things take time
Look at this way: If you run a large business requiring a large pool of relatively unskilled labour, to maximize your profit margin and minimize your costs, you're going to seek to pay your employees the bare minimum, and provide them with the basic, legal requisites according to employment law...(safe working conditions, etc etc) If on the other hand, you can find a way to circumvent these legal requisites (and you have a somewhat skewed moral compass) you will. Certain industries have been capitalizing on such loopholes, safe in the knowledge that there is always going to be supply of desperate folk willing to fill the vacancies created by those who have left when those working conditions became untenable...regardless of whether they were born in the UK, or hail from farther afield. So who is actually to blame? The company manager, the employee, the government that enables this practice to go unchecked, or the unwitting consumer who wishes to consume the products/services the company supplies, at the cheapest possible price? The short answer is everyone involved: on the basis that 'if I didn't do it, somebody else will' Hence the need for collectivised consensus on what is fair, just and acceptable...I keep pushing the organisation I've linked to in my signature, Simpol....check it out....it's a way out of the carp that we've created
WTF do you really mean ... looks like a load of gobbledegook to me the level playing field is for us as a relatively rich hard working and prosperous EU country to give that to the remainder, sorry be told to give it to them without being able to stand our ground on anything, and despite Cameroon's negotiations I fear it will get worse. That's exactly what has happened and many of these 'desperate folks' have come from other EU countries. I don't blame the people for coming but it seems to me this has helped widen the divide between rich and poor in this country.
Surely this is simple economics, suddenly provide a larger historically lower paid work force and the employer will have the bargaining position to pay less.
