Re: UK minimum wage: Steep increases could kickstart workplace automation revolution

But swim if they are taking away jobs with automation how are the ones willing to work going to do it ? If they automated to point there are half the jobs for our population size either those making a profit hand over some help to those not working or we cull ?

Re: UK minimum wage: Steep increases could kickstart workplace automation revolution

I agree, but when automation dramatically reduces jobs, so less tax is paid, who will produce the taxes to pay for these benefits?
I realize that Jeremy thinks we have a never ending pot of gold, but we don't... and those sort of attitudes have created the position we are in already!

I hasten to add that so much money has already been invested in automation, it is unlikely that anything will stop jobs being lost!

Re: UK minimum wage: Steep increases could kickstart workplace automation revolution

Thinking about Julie's posts, I have come to believe that this is the way of the world for human beings and other animals. We are not all equal - we never have been. It is up to each one of us to do the best with the cards of life that we are dealt - and this to me means from the day we are born. It also depends greatly on the circumstances we are born into - which country, our fitness, our drive, our intelligence, personality, etc. - so many things.
There are so many elements which come into play as we go along in life - some folks will reach as far as they can go and be successful or unsuccessful, or somewhere inbetween, others will coast along. We also have good, bad and indifferent fortunes. We can have good fortune fall into our laps, frequently not. Life is not fair, it never has been and it is unrealistic to expect that is ever can be IMO. When you look around at other countries I think we do pretty well in this country in looking after the weaker, unfortunate individuals in our society. We generally have a good safety net, but we can only have what we can afford. Even Brexit will come into this in our future progress as a nation - but the great "all knowing" public majority voted out and now I think we will all be taking a step down in our expectations and what the country as a whole can afford. It is not only the Brexit debacle It is happening already. In years to come I am convinced everyone who stays in this country will be poorer and the less fortunate, disadvantaged, etc. will inevitably take the biggest step down. It is the way of the world and if there is one lesson I have learned in life, it is survival of the fittest. I am just surprised there are so many people who seem blinkered and unable to see this.

Re: UK minimum wage: Steep increases could kickstart workplace automation revolution

Hi

Jobs change with automation, less need for unskilled workers, more need for skilled workers.

The world will not end, it will change, as it did when horses were replaced by engines.

We have a huge skills gap here in the UK which we need to address, it is just wrong that we having to import HGV Drivers, hydraulic engineers etc.

We need to train our own in the skills we need, automation will reduce jobs,and we need to address that by severely restricting Immigration.

We have a shortage of Nurses, we now charge them to train and yet we are jetting off to the Philippines to attract nurses here.

Sheer madness.

Re: UK minimum wage: Steep increases could kickstart workplace automation revolution

Sorry Julie, but I don't believe there ever was a correlation between hard work and doing well. Nothing has ever been this way. History tells us that there are countless people who worked hard all their lives and only just managed to keep their heads above water (if they were lucky).
This is a very interesting subject and as ever our opinions are often formed through our individual experiences and our interpretation of reality as a whole.

Re: UK minimum wage: Steep increases could kickstart workplace automation revolution

I am sure you are right and we all have to make do with less. Every week I hear that some unfortunate group need this or that and the government or charitable people are expected to provide it..... but that has to change and we should be making the people realize this now! What anybody needs to survive is some form of shelter, food and heating.... not luxurious but they won't suffer!
When political parties stop making false promises, to win votes, these people will start to learn that they need to budget expenditure based on what they get, because there is no money for extras!

Re: UK minimum wage: Steep increases could kickstart workplace automation revolution

It's inevitable, we aren't going back to spinning and weaving by hand, or grinding corn.

But they will still need consumers who can afford to buy their produce.

Re: UK minimum wage: Steep increases could kickstart workplace automation revolution

I've never really believed there was its others thinking somehow they've worked harder than poorer people that think that IMO

The richest don't work harder very often than the poorer. They are simply luckier or cleverer or cheat more.

Re: UK minimum wage: Steep increases could kickstart workplace automation revolution

Well they won't have many if they really don't look after the less well off. They can't simply sell to each other and maintain their wealth.

Re: UK minimum wage: Steep increases could kickstart workplace automation revolution

Intelligence is a great asset, that is how they got the better jobs with higher pay... but most of them had to work hard at school and college to acquire that intelligence.

There is always a degree of luck in setting up a business, so they also have to be brave to invest money into that business and risk it failing! Once again intelligence helps them to make decisions to avoid that failure.

I am not sure what you man by "cheat", but if it is something illegal, they will be punished as hard as anyone else, rich or poor!

Nobody would dispute that some manual workers work physically hard, but they get a days pay at the end of it! Wealthy businessmen have to work hard by gaining knowledge and expertise about the business they want to set up. They continue to work hard dealing with potential customers, and they spend many hours doing so. The difference is that there is no guaranteed pay for the work they do, and that is where a little luck comes in, by spending time with a customer who may want to deal with you!
The wealth they end up with has been created by many years of hard work... with no guaranteed return!