Mathom Posted February 6, 2008 Share Posted February 6, 2008 No I'm not happy about it, but I don't see it as a problem that should be addressed at Tescos, but at the Government. If it wants to create a joined-up policy, it can simply raise the level of the minimum wage, so why doesn't it? Secondly, how do you know you would have the money in your hand over time? Policies that retard economic growth tend to reduce personal wealth, not increase it. You know why. Even Labour Governments work very closely with their mates in the business sector. It also looks nice and shiny that we are all entitled to these little tax benefits "Oooh, even middle class people can get some benefits! How nice for us!" - but look under the surface and you see the nasty side to it. And they said minimum wages would retard growth, but they didn't. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mr contrite Posted February 6, 2008 Share Posted February 6, 2008 How come Aldi staff are paid about twice as much as Tesco staff then? Also, how about public services workers? Hospital cleaners for example? The companies who won the contracts for those services pay appalling wages but the 'customer' has no choice there. Can you prove that ALDI staff are on somewhere in the region of J13 an hour? Public Service Providers are bound by law to source the lowest bids for outside companies bidding to provide the services, so by definition the lowest bid will pay the lowest wages, the Govt looking for value for money, basically it still boils down to the same thing, we expect things as cheap as we can get them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darbees Posted February 6, 2008 Share Posted February 6, 2008 Yes you do. You pay tax which then has to go on tax credits to bring low earners' wages up to a (barely) decent standard. The money goes round and round all the time and people get different amounts for different reasons. Not everyone on mimimum wage gets tax credits, that is based on their individual circumstance and is not a concern of the employer. You are just coming over as one who is jealous of the rich and making excuses for it. Branson has nothing to do with it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tricky Posted February 6, 2008 Share Posted February 6, 2008 So actually it is the consumers fault for the low wages, we continually want goods at cheaper prices, we should collectively hang our heads in shame, (tongue in cheek) but basically thats what it boils down to. If we want to move further away from capitalism and more towards a country run on socialist ideals, we just need to place our crosses in the appropriate place on the ballot box. I can't believe I'm defending Tescos, they are an awful company in many ways, but treatment of staff isn't one of them. What's the point of having wealth creating companies if we penalise them the moment they make any money? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mr contrite Posted February 6, 2008 Share Posted February 6, 2008 If we want to move further away from capitalism and more towards a country run on socialist ideals, we just need to place our crosses in the appropriate place on the ballot box. I can't believe I'm defending Tescos, they are an awful company in many ways, but treatment of staff isn't one of them. What's the point of having wealth creating companies if we penalise them the moment they make any money? So what is the socialist option at the ballot box? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaFoot Posted February 6, 2008 Share Posted February 6, 2008 Welcome to the politics of envy. .... And what do these businesses do with the money they earn? Well just look at how many people Tescos employ, then factor in how many others they'll employ indirectly, then look at how much they contribute in taxes to things like benefits, education and the health service. ... Where do they think the money goes? Do people have a vision of it being stored in a large warehouse somewhere in the Midlands? I would imagine a lot people believe the profits go to the wealthy to make them wealthier. All the time there are bits on the news about bosses getting massive payoffs. eg. shareholders have to have a bit of spare cash from somewhere to invest, which gets returned (hopefully) in dividends/rising share price. It is this feeling that the profit goes into (already) well off people's pockets that generates the envy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tricky Posted February 6, 2008 Share Posted February 6, 2008 ... And they said minimum wages would retard growth, but they didn't. With national debt standing at over £500billion (excluding all the dodgy off-the-books stuff like PPPs), one could argue that none of the Govt's measures have been paid for...yet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mathom Posted February 6, 2008 Share Posted February 6, 2008 So what is the socialist option at the ballot box? There isn't one. There's just slightly less capitalist options If you want to see what Aldi staff are on just look out for the job ads in your local paper. It's an eye-opener! I know people who have quit good office jobs and even nursing to go to work for Aldi. Now I have no beef at all with wealthy companies. What I DO have a beef with is me having to subsidise the wages while they make big profits for shareholders. I'm sure nobody really believes the sob stories about "Oh we need the money for investment" that CEOs come out with any more, given all the publicity about their vast wages and how much they are also exploiting smaller businesses. Fine, moan all you like, Mr CEO, but please pay your staff enough money so that I do not have to subsidise them. Jealous? Damn right! Who wouldn't be jealous of a CEO who watches profits grow and thinks of his jaunt to the Maldives, all helped along by the British taxpayers? And people have a pop at the unemployed... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mr contrite Posted February 6, 2008 Share Posted February 6, 2008 I would imagine a lot people believe the profits go to the wealthy to make them wealthier. All the time there are bits on the news about bosses getting massive payoffs. eg. shareholders have to have a bit of spare cash from somewhere to invest, which gets returned (hopefully) in dividends/rising share price. It is this feeling that the profit goes into (already) well off people's pockets that generates the envy. And as tescos are, i believe, the secong largest employer in the country, look at the revenue they generate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darbees Posted February 6, 2008 Share Posted February 6, 2008 Jealous? Damn right! Who wouldn't be jealous of a CEO who watches profits grow and thinks of his jaunt to the Maldives, all helped along by the British taxpayers? And people have a pop at the unemployed... You shouldn't let that influence your opinions though. Yes, some of them are overpaid but paying them less would make little difference to the economy as a whole. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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