@Hostafan1 "What about those , who, with the best
will in the world, no matter how hard they try, are not able to
undertake a " high skilled " job? What happens to them?"
Well I put in this thought. Before minimum wage was brought in, most factories employed what would unkindly (and now not PC ) be called the village idiot. I knew one such man. Lets called him George. He was only able to follow one instruction at once. He didn't think for himself. He could print his name,(slowly) he had learned to do that because he had to sign for his wage packet. He worked at the same factory as his brother, a few hundred yards from where they were born. His brother was quite highly skilled, and paid a good wage. George usually swept the floor and occasionally would be sent on short errands with a note, fetching and carrying. He did that from the age of 14 until he was 65, and gained his pension. By this point he was living with his brother, his parents had died. When Georges brother died he had to go into sheltered accommodation. George was always wanting to be useful, so the warden would give him a job, like take this prescription to the chemist. We would ask him to sit down, and when it was ready, George would be instructed to take it back to the warden. The warden would then give him another little job, and again he would be instructed to go back to base. Similar to his working life, but no longer paid, but still feeling useful to his community. The crux of this is that George was never paid a huge wage, probably half what most of those around him got. From an employers point of view, he did half a jobs worth, and got half a wage. He did however have a feeling of usefullness and the pride of being employed. Bring in the minimum wage, all those jobs are wiped out at a stroke. Instead the government has to pay incapacity benefit or whatever for all his life. Someone has to look after him, more cost. George was physically capable of a simple job, but not mentally able to do much, but he was always willing.
Now he would be on the scrapheap from when the schools finished with him, all his life a burden on the state.
@fidgetbones I'm really not sure jobs like that would currently exist in our economy now anyway. The odd good employer might offer George a job, but most are looking to get the most they possibly can for the minimum outlay. I don't think the minimum wage is the issue...
@Hostafan1 "What about those , who, with the best
will in the world, no matter how hard they try, are not able to
undertake a " high skilled " job? What happens to them?"
Well I put in this thought. Before minimum wage was brought in, most factories employed what would unkindly (and now not PC ) be called the village idiot. I knew one such man. Lets called him George. He was only able to follow one instruction at once. He didn't think for himself. He could print his name,(slowly) he had learned to do that because he had to sign for his wage packet. He worked at the same factory as his brother, a few hundred yards from where they were born. His brother was quite highly skilled, and paid a good wage. George usually swept the floor and occasionally would be sent on short errands with a note, fetching and carrying. He did that from the age of 14 until he was 65, and gained his pension. By this point he was living with his brother, his parents had died. When Georges brother died he had to go into sheltered accommodation. George was always wanting to be useful, so the warden would give him a job, like take this prescription to the chemist. We would ask him to sit down, and when it was ready, George would be instructed to take it back to the warden. The warden would then give him another little job, and again he would be instructed to go back to base. Similar to his working life, but no longer paid, but still feeling useful to his community. The crux of this is that George was never paid a huge wage, probably half what most of those around him got. From an employers point of view, he did half a jobs worth, and got half a wage. He did however have a feeling of usefullness and the pride of being employed. Bring in the minimum wage, all those jobs are wiped out at a stroke. Instead the government has to pay incapacity benefit or whatever for all his life. Someone has to look after him, more cost. George was physically capable of a simple job, but not mentally able to do much, but he was always willing.
Now he would be on the scrapheap from when the schools finished with him, all his life a burden on the state.
And the Tories fought "minimum wage " tooth and nail
The enormous loss of community support, which is not replicated in the current system where everyone is stretched beyond their means, is evident in George's story though.
I think it was common in large factory areas. My husband said when he worked for Bentley they also had someone like that. He had to go when minimum wage came in. Now they have overqualified staff who think it beneath them to do the tidying up. There is even a shortage of naive apprentices to send for skyhooks.
We have a chap at Waitrose who does that sort of thing. Not sure what he's paid, or even it is by Waitrose or via some sort of "scheme". Pity about the "Georges" of the country , but the millions lifted out of virtual slave labour when Minimum wage was brought in my opinion is surely be better for society overall?
I've just remembered that when I worked in a large hospital trust, we had staff with learning disabilities placed in similar jobs, placed by a local charity. This was post-minimum wage, but they were not paid as full time staff... Not sure sure how it worked but it certainly didn't mean they couldn't have those opportunities.
@Hostafan1 "What about those , who, with the best
will in the world, no matter how hard they try, are not able to
undertake a " high skilled " job? What happens to them?"
Well I put in this thought. Before minimum wage was brought in, most factories employed what would unkindly (and now not PC ) be called the village idiot. I knew one such man. Lets called him George. He was only able to follow one instruction at once. He didn't think for himself. He could print his name,(slowly) he had learned to do that because he had to sign for his wage packet. He worked at the same factory as his brother, a few hundred yards from where they were born. His brother was quite highly skilled, and paid a good wage. George usually swept the floor and occasionally would be sent on short errands with a note, fetching and carrying. He did that from the age of 14 until he was 65, and gained his pension. By this point he was living with his brother, his parents had died. When Georges brother died he had to go into sheltered accommodation. George was always wanting to be useful, so the warden would give him a job, like take this prescription to the chemist. We would ask him to sit down, and when it was ready, George would be instructed to take it back to the warden. The warden would then give him another little job, and again he would be instructed to go back to base. Similar to his working life, but no longer paid, but still feeling useful to his community. The crux of this is that George was never paid a huge wage, probably half what most of those around him got. From an employers point of view, he did half a jobs worth, and got half a wage. He did however have a feeling of usefullness and the pride of being employed. Bring in the minimum wage, all those jobs are wiped out at a stroke. Instead the government has to pay incapacity benefit or whatever for all his life. Someone has to look after him, more cost. George was physically capable of a simple job, but not mentally able to do much, but he was always willing.
Now he would be on the scrapheap from when the schools finished with him, all his life a burden on the state.
There's always some company willing to take someone like him on. Mycurrent and past employers have a few barely functional workers. Barely able I read is present, people who can't add up, one guy can count to ten but not much higher. If he has to make 25 parts per container his supervisor has to tell him count ten in, then another ten, then a five. That's what he does. Mind you only 25 fits in the container anyway. There was a guy who ended up going off on disability because he guy worse and became too unsafe to work in a factory with so much going on. Others are bright enough but need loads of supervision, like they can't think for themselves. All I same wage. There's plenty who have worked a long time but no longer able to do the work they used to, they were loyal so the owners are now loyal back.
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Pity about the "Georges" of the country , but the millions lifted out of virtual slave labour when Minimum wage was brought in my opinion is surely be better for society overall?