Sign of the times

[redken1]

I received a text today from a construction recruiting agency looking for self employed painters in Street. £9.00 per hour less 20% CIS deductions. The same agency was paying me £11.00 in 2004.

[Uber Dave]

And yet at the same time every day things are going skyward in cost...... Sad times we live in!

[Toph]

Ive just got my P60... I'm earning £2500 pa less now than I was earning 3 years ago, doing the same job without overtime .
Central heating oil has doubled in that time, petrol, food,council tax, etc etc etc.. has rocketed, no wonder I'm skint!!! :(

[Nooj]

The last time I was doing electronic assembly work about five years ago I was on about £8.50 an hour. If I was to go back to that I'd be on £6 an hour now.

[Ryan]

bad aint it, really is bad.

[Beamer]

If I change my contract to the company that took us over a few years ago I will lose any sick pay, lose half my holiday allowance and take a pay cut....so much for improvement.....luckily Im still covered by TUPE!!

[FJ_Biker]

Yep one of the meanings of the big society I guess is bigger wage gaps between the rich and the poor, one pay rise in the last five years for me.

[Nooj]

The rich are being hit as well, The Missus is £500 a month worse off following the last budget!!

[FJ_Biker]

Nooj I am on about wages in general not the last budget

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/7080374/Wealth-gap-in-Britain-is-wider-than-ever.html

[Mark_Able]

Compared to two years ago, we're seeing about a third of the level of business. That's a two thirds drop in the number of people wanting to do their bike test. In that time, insurance has continued to increase. Costs like test fees and fuel have rocketed. And we've struggled to keep prices down, so as not to put new riders off riding bikes. :(
I blame the government for trying to cut too much, too quickly... >:(
And the DSA for continually cocking around with the bike test... >:(
And MCN for scaremongering about the test changes... >:(

[Nooj]

Nooj I am on about wages in general not the last budget

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/7080374/Wealth-gap-in-Britain-is-wider-than-ever.html

Debz is earning less now than she was a few years ago when I met her. Her contracting rate (Pharma IT, working in the City) is the same now as she was on a decade ago with far less experience. And permanent rates for her industry are a fraction of what they used to be.

The last budget was just adding insult to injury really.

[redken1]

Nooj I am on about wages in general not the last budget

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/7080374/Wealth-gap-in-Britain-is-wider-than-ever.html


With reference to the above article, the official report by “The National Equality Panel” confirms what I already knew.
“Britain is now one of the world’s most divided countries with children born into a wealthy family having far more advantages than those who are not. “

The report shows that, while gender and ethnic background are all factors in determining a child’s success, it is the social class into which they are born that is still most important. No prizes for guessing which social class will be hit the hardest by the £9000 university tuition fees. “A fairer Britain” my a**e. >:(

[NoYou]

Compared to two years ago, we're seeing about a third of the level of business. That's a two thirds drop in the number of people wanting to do their bike test. In that time, insurance has continued to increase. Costs like test fees and fuel have rocketed. And we've struggled to keep prices down, so as not to put new riders off riding bikes. :(
I blame the government for trying to cut too much, too quickly... >:(
And the DSA for continually cocking around with the bike test... >:(
And MCN for scaremongering about the test changes... >:(
Less people wanting to do their bike tests makes me a Sad Panda! :(
Its also surprising tbh, i thought with the fuel prices going up so much as of recent more and more people would be turning to bikes, yes the initial hit to the wallet is fairly sizable but the amount you save, especially with a 125, on road tax and fuel pays for it in not much time at all, i mean damn! i went to Abergavenny and back for about less than £40. find me a car that can do that and i will be surprised!
Also I really don't see why the test changes are made out to be such a big deal, the current test isn't hugely difficult with the right training... ... ... :p and from what i've read recently they're actually making it easier with a 5% lenience on the speed trap to stop so many people failing by 1-2 mph and changing the order or just scrapping some of the exercises in mod 1.
But to be honest I'm not really in a position to comment on this because working in the current climate is all i've ever know i was working for £5.25 an hr when i was working in a garden centre! I can only go up from there ^^
Geo

[Mark_Able]

Bike prices don't help either George. Yamaha prices have risen by 34% in three years. My FZ1 was a shade over £7k when I bought 4 years ago. It now lists at £10.1k! Unlike the car manufacturers, when the recession hit, instead of offering incentives and cheap deals, the bike manufacturers put their prices up. It doesn't make sense. They're a bunch of muppets! >:(