17th October 2005, 05:46 PM
The problem with fair wage seals or IFA/BAJR minimum wages is that all they do is enshrine the existing market rates that they're based on, and in so doing legitimise them. Employers pay low wages because they can, not because they're nasty people but because that's what they do. By the same token employees will work for the highest wages they can command, broadly speaking.
If the market rate went above the recommended levels, that is if people could be hired for lower wages, you can bet your bottom dollar that employers would ignore the pay scales. If they can't get staff for love nor money, the wages will go well above the scales. You can't buck the system I'm afraid.
Now, if you all pushed off to retrain as cheesegraters, then cheesegrater's wages would drop and archaeologist's wages would rise.....
Today, Bradford. Tomorrow, well, Bradford probably.
If the market rate went above the recommended levels, that is if people could be hired for lower wages, you can bet your bottom dollar that employers would ignore the pay scales. If they can't get staff for love nor money, the wages will go well above the scales. You can't buck the system I'm afraid.
Now, if you all pushed off to retrain as cheesegraters, then cheesegrater's wages would drop and archaeologist's wages would rise.....
Today, Bradford. Tomorrow, well, Bradford probably.