[JoshBB]

Originally Posted by kirklancaster

I agree with your 'Counter Productive' comment, and also that 'something' needs to be done to stop this predictable farce.

Many SME's simply cannot afford to absorb this but - as you say - there are a hell of a lot of other companies who have multi-million pound profit margins and they SHOULD be prevented by law from hiking up the cost of their goods/services simply as a sneaky way of compensating themselves for being forced to pay their workers a fairer wage.

I have not much time Josh because I'm in and out (plastering) so cannot discuss this comprehensively, but I have been employed, self-employed and an employer, and I always paid my employeees above the min imum wage or 'going rate' because I have worked for peanuts when employed.

In brief; I actually think that the answer is for the Government to draft new legislation which COMPELS employers of a certain size (to be ascertained) to make all employees shareholders. If a company grows into a multi-million pound entity then it is with the aid of its workforce so it seems fair to me that the workforce should enjoy a fair share of the rewards of that success.

Tax Relief for small companies so that they can pay the new wage would be a wise move I think, with proper vetting of course so we know they're legitimate and not just aiming to evade tax.

Originally Posted by Cherie

A lot of companies will turn to the under 25s to avoid paying this

Could be very bad. While Under 25s could then get jobs, it means that their wages won't be enough to pay the bigger cost of living.

I don't know what can be done, but we can't just let the free market dictate because it's proven not to work for working class families