Why is it that middle class people getting paid similar to what they were getting paid 10 year ago and as now?

Question

Details to that question: - I think, and I speak for all Australians that we are not getting paid enough through the jobs we do. Labouring, factory hand, security, customer service fields, etc. Why is it that when everything's prices skyrockets, like rent, food, fuel, clothes, interest rates, etc but our wages stay the same where is the justice in all this? Just to get by we are optionless to work 2 jobs nowadays or we bankrupt. Alot of Australians are struggling just to keep their heads above water. I think a rise in wages significantly will remove 90% of stress off all of us. I have researched and some countries make a payrise once sometimes twice a year and yes along with it everything else's prices go up too but we dont even have that so please I urge the Australian government to take this as seriously as possible and I'm asking all Australians to stand up and point this most important question to the government.

Answer 1

We have exactly the same problem in Canada... in fact Statistics Canada came out with a report in May of this year quantifing the drop in household income for just about all but the top income earners over the last 15 years (whose income rose 22% over the same period).

This is no longer a blip, it is a trend. And it is not an equitable sharing between labour and capital as promised by some neo-classical economists. There are solutions, but they are not being sought by our present government.

Peace

Answer 2

Spare me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The first thing that you have to realize is that what you are paid has nothing directly to do with how hard you work, how long you work, or the type of work that you do. It has EVERYTHING to do with the value that the market puts on your output. If you want to get paid more, then you either have to produce more or produce something that is more highly valued by the market.

If you can't hack it in a capitalist country, then a third option is to move to a socialist country where they levy extreme taxes so that they can redistribute income to people like you. However, you will have to deal with fewer choices, a smaller pie, and be lucky to get a job- any job- in a country that has unemployment rates in the low teens or higher.

Answer 3

Same problem in the US. In the early 70's, one income was equal to what it takes 2 to earn now. Putting this into perspective, the economy now gets two workers for the price of one. No end in sight.

Answer 4

Pay depends an market value of labor which is set by supply and demand. With increasing globalization of labor through trade and immigration the supply of low skill labor has increased so only high skilled labor is seeing their incomes go up and much of the economic growth is captured by superstars in financial markets and CEO's.

Answer 5

its just not in australia that this is happening.but i understand where your coming from.i live in north carolina and even though there is some growth here, people are losing there jobs everyday.one of our major companies here is moving to europe which is putting 2500 people without a job.they say that 58 %of people income goes to there morgage and 38%goes to food,so i honestly dont see how they expect us to make it.my son makes 10hr and takes care of 4 people ,he works everyday but still cant make it,i buy my granchild clothes and help them with food when i can, my heart goes out to you.and i hope things get better for you.take care