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Never understood the age = minimum wage

No where else on the planet that i can think of are you paid less for being younger.

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Avatar for Drewski
Drewski
19
Original post by Realitysreflexx
No where else on the planet that i can think of are you paid less for being younger.

In pretty much every job on the planet you are paid commensurate with skills and experience. These almost invariably come with age.
Original post by Realitysreflexx
No where else on the planet that i can think of are you paid less for being younger.


You are unaware of countries called Australia, Ireland, Luxembourg, Netherlands, New Zealand or Chile, then?

The logic for the minimum wage being lower for the young is to encourage employers to take them on, as most would otherwise choose someone with more experience (of both life and work) in a search for reliability, leaving the young with a right to the same wage but being unable to find anyone that will pay it..
(edited 5 years ago)
If you give young people too much money they spend it on drugs and motorcycles, well known British fact.
When the minimum wage was introduced there were a lot of worries about teenage jobs being killed off, also if you had it had at 16 then many would not go to college or university.
Original post by Realitysreflexx
No where else on the planet that i can think of are you paid less for being younger.

Yeah it's a very stupid idea
Original post by StriderHort
If you give young people too much money they spend it on drugs and motorcycles, well known British fact.

Do you mean peds? I haven't seen any teenager riding around on a Harley before :tongue:
Original post by Good bloke
You are unaware of countries called Australia, Ireland, Luxembourg, Netherlands, New Zealand or Chile, then?

The logic for the minimum wage being lower for the young is to encourage employers to take them on, as most would otherwise choose someone with more experience (of both life and work) in a search for reliability, leaving the young with a right to the same wage but being unable to find anyone that will pay it..


Absolutely. It also means an employer can take someone younger on and train them up which saves them having to employ more people in the long run and gives the employee better job security.

It also makes sense in that older people generally have more outgoings and expenses - bills, mortgages, rent, food etc - although I realise this isn't the case for everyone.
Original post by thestudent33
Do you mean peds? I haven't seen any teenager riding around on a Harley before :tongue:

Or whichever form of time appropriate rebel themed transport you prefer.
Original post by Good bloke
You are unaware of countries called Australia, Ireland, Luxembourg, Netherlands, New Zealand or Chile, then?

The logic for the minimum wage being lower for the young is to encourage employers to take them on, as most would otherwise choose someone with more experience (of both life and work) in a search for reliability, leaving the young with a right to the same wage but being unable to find anyone that will pay it..

Germany and the US don't do it, and i figured the UK should be measuring up with them rather the countries you've listed save the netherlands.

Do you really think people who stop hiring if the minimum wage was equal?!
Original post by StriderHort
Or whichever form of time appropriate rebel themed transport you prefer.

:cool:
Original post by Realitysreflexx
Do you really think people who stop hiring if the minimum wage was equal?!


Presumably, if you feel we should emulate the Americans, you'd be happy with a minimum that is lower than the current UK one.

I don't think there is much doubt that most employers would rather take on an older, experienced person with responsibilities than a teenager with no experience or personal resonsibilities if they had to pay them the same wage.
(edited 5 years ago)
I think its B.S. Just a cop out to keep wages low in the UK. Which are notoriously low....in general... Take consulting starting pay in the UK at an average consultancy,

£30,000

Compared with €55,000 in Germany or Netherlands...

Please dont claim pound strength.....its all but irrelevant now.
Original post by bones-mccoy
Absolutely. It also means an employer can take someone younger on and train them up which saves them having to employ more people in the long run and gives the employee better job security.

It also makes sense in that older people generally have more outgoings and expenses - bills, mortgages, rent, food etc - although I realise this isn't the case for everyone.
Original post by Realitysreflexx
Germany and the US don't do it, and i figured the UK should be measuring up with them rather the countries you've listed save the netherlands.

Do you really think people who stop hiring if the minimum wage was equal?!


The US is known for its terrible attitude to workers rights- I'm not sure it we should be emulating them at all.

People wouldn't stop hiring, but they'd have no incentive at all to take on a 16yo who had never had a job over someone more experienced in their 20s/30s. At the moment, the lower minimum wage can help people get their foot in the door when they might not otherwise.

If you stay in a job long term, you can always ask for a pay rise later on.
Original post by Good bloke
I don't think there is much doubt that most employers would rather take on an older, experienced person with responsibilities than a teenager with no experience or personal resonsibilities if they had to pay them the same wage.


Older more experienced people shouldnt be competing exponentially for the same jobs.....

At some point your supposed to outgrow retail, wether by training for practical profession... Such as plumber etc... Or university education.. So the cycle should balance.

Im pretty sure its just another scheme to keep wages low. The UK really does a meal of it.
Older people tend to have a more expensive life. Independent living, children to support. It's a matter of common sense.
Original post by Realitysreflexx
Older more experienced people shouldnt be competing exponentially for the same jobs.....

At some point your supposed to outgrow retail, wether by training for practical profession... Such as plumber etc... Or university education.. So the cycle should balance.

Im pretty sure its just another scheme to keep wages low. The UK really does a meal of it.

How does one 'compete exponentially'? If you expect your income to rise exponentially you either have no idea what the word really means or are doomed to disappointment.

Some people either do not wish, or are unable, to get better employment.
Obviously you get fired for not pulling your weight in the U.S.

However, a fastfood job there or retail is no worse or better than in the UK and everyone is paid equally and plenty of teens work in this area.

I made $9,000 working at taco bell for 6 months. As an 18 year old. No shot of that in the UK.

And looking at salaries in general its depressing on the island.

Obviously not fair to compare US wages...

But even against the EU (luckily im a german citizen also after graduation). Its looks rather bleak.
Original post by SarcAndSpark
The US is known for its terrible attitude to workers rights- I'm not sure it we should be emulating them at all.

People wouldn't stop hiring, but they'd have no incentive at all to take on a 16yo who had never had a job over someone more experienced in their 20s/30s. At the moment, the lower minimum wage can help people get their foot in the door when they might not otherwise.

If you stay in a job long term, you can always ask for a pay rise later on.
Why should a 16 year old earn £8.21 an hour. If you tried to enforce that, they wouldn’t be hired.
The government shouldnt determine your worth based on age alone. Nor your outgoings, what about those working to get away from there parents on benefits etc who dont provide what they should.

Should be equal minimum wage all ages.

Let's stop rewarding employers with cheap labour for no apparent reason.
Original post by Notoriety
Older people tend to have a more expensive life. Independent living, children to support. It's a matter of common sense.

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