On 17/02/2018 12:15, T i m wrote:
On Sat, 17 Feb 2018 11:51:05 +0000, Fredxx wrote:

snip

The labour market used to determine wages, but when there is an influx
of workers into the work force who consider the minimum wage many times
their expectation,

But what of those companies who wouldn't exist were it not for those
people willing (and able) to survive on such wages?

Then they would have to employ the French model where employment costs a
company 30% more in taxes than a UK company. As a result they invest
more. There's no need, of course, if cheap labour can do work that could
otherwise be mechanised.

A local company
employed about 30 people, some were immigrant / migrant workers and on
whatever wage the Co considered (as you say) appropriate for those
roles. Then the minimum wage came in, first 50% of the staff were laid
off and then the company went down the pan. So, you could say that in
that case the minimum wage cost everone their jobs, even the managers
and owners etc.

They would have moved to more profitable and productive businesses.

Maybe they should have asked those working if they wanted to carry on
with a job on low wages, or have no job at all?

The thing is, if you are working 10 miles away for minimum wage or a
short walk away for less, you could still *actually* be better off
getting less than the MW.

Agreed, and in-work benefits tend to disregard work-costs.

Brexit happens.

Whatever that is.

The referendum?