Minimum Wage To increase

Former Member

The national minimum wage is to rise from £5.35 to £5.52 an hour from October 2007. The rate for workers aged 18-21 will rise by 15p to £4.60 an hour from £4.45, while workers aged 16 and 17 will get a 10p rise to £3.40 an hour from £3.30.

The new rates still fail to address the age-related pay gap. British Youth Council argues there should be equal pay for equal work and all young people should be entitled to a living wage.

Check out BYC Minimum Wage Campaign

Do you think young people are paid less than adults, simply because of their age and because of their capabilities or responsibilities?

Former Member

I think part of the reason why young people are paid less, is to make paid employment seem less attractive vs. full time education, as the government want as many grads as possible. I think 50% of all people they want to go into higher education. I'm not sure if that just means uni, or uni and some work-related things as well (which unfortunately, employers don't seem to think are any good anyway, in many cases).

The increase to me just seems to be to keep it in relative terms the same, due to inflation....

Former Member

Cathryn wrote: »

The new rates still fail to address the age-related pay gap. British Youth Council argues there should be equal pay for equal work and all young people should be entitled to a living wage.

Thing is, these aren't set rates of pay, they are minimum rates, they reflect the experience these younger people have or lack, and the level of jobs they will be entering. So in most jobs that companies in question will have their own pay structure, the minimum wage isn't to ensure that everybody can own their own house, and save for cars and holidays, but to ensure they aren't being took advantage of for pennies.

Who is going to pay £5.50 an hour for a 16 year old to collect glasses in a pub, when they could higher somebody who is 19 for the same amount who would be able to do the same job, but also serve behind the bar too?

It's fine saying in an ideal world everybody would earn the same and the minimum wage would be more like £8 an hour, but all that would happen then is companies wouldn't be able to afford the levels of staff they have now so prices would shoot up, to make that £8 go as far as the £5 does now, or staff numbers would be chopped, and the government would be slated from that side!

Sorry going off topic a little there, but i think it's right there is a staggered minimum wage, it if anything encourages people to give these younger teens a job in the first place.

Also considering the levels of commitments a 16 year old has to those of a 25 year old i bet in most cases it balances out somewhat

Former Member

Hopefully the government will honour my cost of living increase this year as they should with the NHS and fire service. They tried to duck out of it last year the bastards.

Former Member

Whowhere wrote: »

Hopefully the government will honour my cost of living increase this year as they should with the NHS and fire service. They tried to duck out of it last year the bastards.

Wrote a letter to my MP on your behalf buddy, they did well in keeping me informed of what was happening in regards to what i put, they passed that specific request on to the Home Office who sent back an expected, fairly pointless reply explaining how they are waiting for the report to come back from Sir Clive Booth to make a decision regarding the pay rises

Former Member

Which means they won't give us one. My council tax has gone up, as has my income tax, fuel duty, everything. But when I ask for a pay rise to go with it I get laughed at. Go figure.

Former Member

I sympathise, which obviously doesn't help in paying your gas bills.

I fear it will be a case like the NHS, with a below inflation rise, probably set for 3 to 5 years as such too, as an attempt "to keep inflation under control" :rolleyes:

Do the PCSOs work towards the same (in effect, not monetary) pay stages as the regulars do, with each year of service being a set pay level?

Former Member

We do, but we're cut off after a set number of years. I reached the cut off ages ago so the only increases I get are from overtime or my £50 cost of living increase.