Recently, I was reminded of a time in our past, under Harold 'SuperMac' MacMillan, when we 'never had it so good'. A worker could leave a job, and easily find another. We had high levels of employment and low levels of benefit payments (although I do realise that benefits were a lot less generous back then) the economy was booming.
Contrast that with now. We have rising levels of unemployment, particulalry among the younger age groups, and benefit payments are also rising, (we are also in danger of putting more people at risk by cutting their benefit). As a consequence, the Government's intake from tax and National Insurance from the working population is decreasing, and they are having to borrow more to cover the deficit (who from?).
The effect this is having on people that do have a job is well known. They work lunch-times, work unpaid overtime, and try not to phone in sick. All due to fear that they might lose their jobs if they are seen as being 'unreliable'.
The most extreme example of this, I found out about recently. There is a fast-food chain operating in the Esat-End of London that frequently hires people whose immigration status is not clear. Frequently pays them below the National Minimum Wage. Sometimes has staff staying 'on site' in store cupboards, frequently involving 'hot bedding' which is where one member of staff works, while the other sleeps, and at change of shift, they change places. Although many laws are being broken in these situations, nothing has happened to the owners of the company, because none of the staff are willing to make a complaint, because they fear that doing this will result in them losing their jobs. I have another term that describes this situation - SLAVERY, and this has been illegal in thsi country since 1833. However, many commentators claim that there are more people in slavery now than in the 1800's. Here's a few more to add to the list.
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