Churches ask: Can capitalism deliver a living wage for all?
Posted: Friday, September 19, 2008, 11:48 (BST)
Working long hours for little pay is a harsh reality for many Londoners. But how do we tackle the problem? This question will be considered at next week's JustShare debate, Can Capitalism Deliver a Living Wage for All?
Despite the fact the Greater London Authority now sets a tariff for a 'Living Wage' at figures higher than the National Minimum Wage to reflect the higher costs of living in London, around 15 per cent of full-time and 45 per cent of part-time employees are paid less than the 2008 recommended amount. Worse still, one in seven workers is paid less than the poverty threshold wage.
Since the launch of the Living Wage Campaign 2001, the working conditions and pay of many cleaners and other contract-workers employed in the City of London has improved, says JustShare, a coalition of churches and charities dedicated to ensuring the world's resources are more fairly distributed. Major companies such as KPMG, Barclays, PWC, HSBC and Morgan Stanley have all committed to paying the living wage set buy the GLA.
However, the coalition warns that many contractors still work long, unsociable hours for very low pay. The average earnings of a randomly-selected group of contract workers surveyed for a 2005 Report equated to just £10,200 per annum before tax and NI, and over half of those surveyed said that they received no sick pay or paid holiday.
Taking part in the JustShare debate are Ian Tew of KPMG and Gavin Edwards of UNISON. The debate will be chaired by Lucy Anderson of the GLA.
As a Living Wage employer, KPMG guarantees to pay all its employees and contractors at least the London Living Wage. Tew is expected to argue that capitalism can deliver a living wage for all, discussing the business case as well as the social justice case for supporting the Living Wage campaign. Edwards on the other hand, is expected to explain why he believes capitalism has failed to deliver a living wage for many employees both in the UK and in the developing world.
On the web: www.justshare.org.uk
The comments below are readers' personal opinions and are in no way intended to reflect the editorial opinion of Christian Today.
Added: Saturday, September 20, 2008, 21:24 (BST)
The simple answer is NO ! The reason, it is predominantly for creating a minority or sup rich people and where the vast majority of the world's population live in comparable poverty. If it were so good we would not have millions dying every year from poverty and where there are still half the population of thew orld living on no more that $2 a day.
Added to this and unfortunately for people throughout the world, Bush and all other leaders et al with their venerable armies of advisers could not see the failings of the market system. Indeed, they worshiped the system like it was a religion. So these same people who are now saying that they will be our saviours and fix the system that they up to two weeks ago adored, are to be expected to make things better. I do not think so and all this is a load of 'hot' air as usual. Things are going to be bad, very bad indeed for quite a few years now (possibly at least a decade) and no matter what these leaders of our say, I would not believe them if they were the last people living on this planet. Their hypocrisy is without compare.
Considering everything, the capitalist system is totally flawed. Only the few benefit with wealth far in excess of their wildest dreams whilst millions starve to death every year (I thought again that our present leaders were doing something substantial about this awful situation, but I have not heard/seen anything of any major substance yet). Economics has now to change to 'need' economics from the greed economics of the past. If not, the capitalist system will eventually be the end of human life on this planet. It is only a matter of decades and not centuries we are looking at here as natural resources deplete.
Let us hope therefore that the financial collapse of major institutions that exploited/supported past greed to the limits and where the US government is now pumping in at least US1 trillion just to buy the debt that they have created, will make our political masters see the light and that a new dawn has to be forged based upon humanitarian principles and not the planet's destructive forces - super capitalism (globalization).
Next month the World Innovation Foundation's new global economic framework will be outlined in accordance with what is required by the laws of sustainability and the continuation of the human experience. This outline is being given to Press TV and no other Media source. Therefore if those who wish to know of a new system based on human values and international commerce I would recommend that they visit Press TV around the end of October. It is a totally independent submission based upon the private thinking of many of the world's leading minds.
Dr David Hill
World Innovation Foundation Charity (WIFC)
Bern, Switzerland
dr david hill, bern, swiss
