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Job vacancies surge past one million in new record

bbc.co.uk

221–230 of 385 posts

Re: Job vacancies surge past one million in new record

#221
post #192

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The Tory governments of the last 11 years were not elected by anything close to "the vast majority"

You are right, I didn’t express myself correctly. I meant that the vast majority of Britons (and of Westerns) believe that immigration has a negative effect on wages, which is a false credence. They haven’t all voted for the Conservative party, but the notion that these people have been gaslighted or ignored by the elite (which includes the parliament and the government) is patently absurd, given who ruled the countr…

> I meant that the vast majority of Britons (and of Westerns) believe that immigration has a negative effect on wages, which is a false credence.

Maybe they read Bank of England reports? [1]

> The static results suggest that the statistically significant negative effects of immigration on wages are concentrated among skilled production workers, and semi/unskilled service workers.

[1] https://www.cityam.com/bank-of-england-mass-migration-can-de...

Re: Job vacancies surge past one million in new record

#222
post #78

I am curious when the UK will be less strict with worker visas again for European workers after Brexit. It seems the UK has way more economic issues during this phase of the pandemic than mainland EU. On the mainland there are no empty supermarkets, or farms not being able to harvest because of labour shortages. So it seems to be a Brexit issue. But if they allow more European workers again, what was then the point o…

I don't think they can. Anything related to the EU is toxic within the current government, including relaxing immigration from Europe. Nothing will change unless we get a new government.

Re: Job vacancies surge past one million in new record

#223
post #129
post #81

Earlier quoted context omitted.

But if there aren't enough workers to give the pay increase to, then what? Reducing the pool of workers (Brexit) doesn't sold the wage problem. If a production line requires 30 people, and there are only 20... increasing their wages won't help. It won't encourage additional staff, as company B to Z is doing the same, and people aren't out of work because the wages are too low. Increasing minimum wage is the better wa…

Good question. You have to understand that "labour shortage" is code for "I cant find workers for the price that I would like". Clearly there isn't (and can't be) and actual shortage of workers, there can only be increased competition between employers for available workers. Its worth noting that in recent history, the times when democracies have been closest to actual labour shortages (post WWI and WWII) have in fac…

The pool of workers available to UK companies has just been significantly and suddenly reduced. There is an actual shortage - the number of vacancies has exceeded the number of unemployed, without even taking skill into consideration.

Re: Job vacancies surge past one million in new record

#224
post #39
post #11

"We advertised locally for 70 fruit-pickers and we had nine applications. On follow-up, only one was still available... in terms of recruiting locally, we failed completely," says Ali Capper, the owner of Stocks Farm in Suckley and chair of British Apples and Pears. At her orchard, harvest has just started. It must be done quickly and requires many pairs of hands. Ali had to turn to specialist recruitment firms and h…

I love how all the elite arguments that immigration doesn't reduce wages (which the working class always thought were complete bullshit) were proved to be complete bullshit during the pandemic-related border closures. Of course, the discussion about what to do about that remains - open borders & keep wages low, or close borders & raise local wages, or close borders & keep wages low & invest in automation - but it's n…

The meme to mock those critical of immigration (usually conservatives) is "Those dirty immigrants are taking our jerbs!"

It's a miss statement about when the crux of the issue is. It's not jobs being taken, it's wages being held low.

I worked at a warehouse that started pay at $12/hr. This was in 2016. Talking to one of the older guys, he started at $12/hr as well. In 2001. I'm sure you can guess what the worker makeup of that place looked like. There is no need to raise pay if you always have willing workers.

Re: Job vacancies surge past one million in new record

#225
post #184

The market for jobs isn’t clearing. Jobs growth is weak and yet there are many vacancies. Does this mean people are finally holding out for higher pay? The goals of UBI have been demonstrated? And we have barely given out a UBI, only a few stimulus checks. Perhaps people got a taste of working from home and companies need to allow more remote work. Either way, I do not see this as a bad thing.

>only a few stimulus checks

The article is about the UK, there have been no stimulus cheques.

Re: Job vacancies surge past one million in new record

#226

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Only masochists go near that sub, it's pretty much the most miserable place on the entire internet.

Which one? UK, UKpol, and even AskUK all creep there on occasions.

Not sure how /uk works, but /Canada is basically made up of people whose own metro/regional/provincial subreddits don’t have a critical mass, which basically makes it representative of low-population density areas in low-population density provinces.

Re: Job vacancies surge past one million in new record

#227

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Build more housing. A lot more housing. A good portion of it should be publicly owned.

Existing owners won't let you do that, as it would depreciate their real estate portfolio.

Yeah, it's a political struggle. It's also the only solution. NIMBY landowners cannot be allowed to override human well-being and political will and economic growth indefinitely.

Re: Job vacancies surge past one million in new record

#228
post #39
post #11

"We advertised locally for 70 fruit-pickers and we had nine applications. On follow-up, only one was still available... in terms of recruiting locally, we failed completely," says Ali Capper, the owner of Stocks Farm in Suckley and chair of British Apples and Pears. At her orchard, harvest has just started. It must be done quickly and requires many pairs of hands. Ali had to turn to specialist recruitment firms and h…

I love how all the elite arguments that immigration doesn't reduce wages (which the working class always thought were complete bullshit) were proved to be complete bullshit during the pandemic-related border closures. Of course, the discussion about what to do about that remains - open borders & keep wages low, or close borders & raise local wages, or close borders & keep wages low & invest in automation - but it's n…

It is a bit more complicated because if the wages of fruit picker decreases, the farmers may sell their fruits for a lower price. So everyone else's wage actually increases. Not the amount of £ you get at the end of the month but what you can afford with these £ (more fruits).

Re: Job vacancies surge past one million in new record

#229
post #220

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I agree. Also, High streets don't have to 'die' due to excessive rent either, the government could hike taxes on vacant stores 1000% then make possession orders on unpaid premises after 18 months. Then the gov can nationalise shop rents according to reasonable incomes.

I'd advocate for scrapping council tax and business rates, replacing them with a land value tax payable by the freeholder rather than occupant. I just don't see the current Tory party touching it with a barge pole.

Only issue is that UK politics are dominated by rich landowners...

Re: Job vacancies surge past one million in new record

#230
post #153

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Define 'commutable distance', because to me that means 30-40 minutes door to door. Hitchin is 33 minutes to Kings Cross on Thameslink and I could definitely do my commute from Hitchin station in ~50 minutes, which is roughly 10 minutes more than it takes me from Zone 3, door to door, now. If you look around on RightMove, 2 bed flats going near Hitchin station (Purwell) are ~£335K and a 20 minute walk away, so my comm…

>I think anyone earning in the top 2% should be able to do this, yes. After all, central London contains 2.3% of the UK population. If they're all at the top then by definition it should be possible. Ok but if you're barely in the top 2% that would sound like you'd afford the worst in London - is it the worst you're going for or are you expecting to be the quality of what you'd get other places? Obviously I don't kno…

Clearly some of the top 2% would live outside of London as well
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