The question? For a country that used to make things but now just puts things together or acts as a middle man lets just say things are pointing South. I suggest a national airing on every hi-fi system and radio station of ‘Tramp The Dirt Down’ {E. Costello – Youtube it!} upon MT’s demise. Hats and coats folks the parties over.

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And the question is??? There is no answer the only answer I can find is that we are growing increasingly worried about jobs/how we will live, but we are so used to living the life of luxury, that of course we will worry about having enough money, I for one ohave had to cut right back, and having call centres over the other side of the world is ridiculous, how are we meant to understand them….. its ok giving them the work becos they’re cheaper but there are so many people out of work in the uk, surely they could do it. We just can’t compete against them, they want less money so they get the jobs!

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I have to agree with English Exile! …… like him I got out many years ago! …… dismayed by the fact that it was possible to get a better reward by not working than by working! …… at that time there were many venues in the World that offered a Skilled Tradesman opportunities that were diminishing in the UK!…….. a situation that has been progressively exacerbated by Political Parties at both ends of the spectrum until the UK is now awash with Service Industries and a huge Core of Professional Scroungers.

I still pay the occasional visit and each time I am saddened by what I see and hear! …… I realise that the Country that I was born in now no longer exists except in my memory and what a little dictator failed to do by force of arms in the 40′s has now been achieved by Rot, Corruption and Stealth today ………..

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Keith,

The principal reason for multinational companies exporting jobs abroad is the greed of their senior execs. Wages are the highest cost to most companies and multinationals will always find a way to reduce these costs (although strangely they never see the need to replace their expensive executives with say, cheaper CEOs from India or Eastern Europe).

UK health and Safety law is the same as that across the EU – more often than not it’s our own ridiculous interpretation of the law that cuses us problems, rather than the law itself.

Energy costs are also rising due to the greed of oil speculators, and the senior execs of our privately-owned power companies. It’s capitalism at its most immoral that’s to blame – not public servants.

I would suggest that next time you need medical treatment, help from the police, from the DWP, HMRC etc. you mention that you regard them as ‘non-earners’ and see how much help you get. You’ve clearly never looked at the pay scales for some of these jobs – perhaps you don’t meet the necessary academic standards to get some of these jobs for yourself?

Either way, like a number of others who contribute to these forums, you clearly have no idea, other than a caricature tabloid view, of what our public services do – all public servants pay full tax and NI (no black economy for them) – give them a little more respect.

And no – I’m not a public servant – I was many years ago – and I can tell you there’s a lot more waste in large private sector companies, much of it in expenditure on greedy senior execs and their perks.

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For once I can agree with Peter, the sole reason for exporting our jobs abroad is pure greed. The best example being all the many UK call centres being relocated to Mumbai in India where, I was reading, a basic female telephone operator was paid £12 per week.
Some Companies in this country now boast of having English people on the end of a phone when one has to contact their firm. What on earth are we coming to where an English person on the end of a phone rather than someone abroad is a “sales point” rather than a normality.
The total immorality of this practice is highlighted when a man who is almost impossible to understand, speaks with a broad Indian accent and tells you that his name is Michael or a woman who say’s that her name is Ann or Valerie. If they have to do this, something is seriously wrong and their values are all skewed.
I refuse to deal with any firm now who have call centres abroad. The salaries of people in this country should be commensurate with the cost of the products or services that they provide and as far as I am concerned, if they cannot pay the going rate to our own people in this country, then they shouldn’t be producing the goods or providing the services that they do.
Firms that move jobs abroad in order to avail themselves of cheap labour and undercut our own workers should be made to feel, the lepers that they are.

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Look at it seriously , we are a third world country , we cant even make our own laws any longer 95% OF THE ARE DONE FROM EUROPE as the farmers and all the people that are fighting to keep up with european laws , and uk owes more money now than some of the so called third world countries , time for a change of government , WHO next i wish i could predict that lol

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A point conveniently overlooked on EU directives, (which become enshrined in UK law through Act of Parliament) is that frequently they originate from the UK.

A recent example is the requirement for ISP’s and Telecoms firms to retain data on emails, calls etc. Implemented in the UK in response to an EU directive. But the EU directive was made at the request of the UK government (and it follows the wording of the proposed UK legislation).

Why do UK government do this? Simple, any unpopular legislation can then be excused as following a requirement of the EU.

In relation to the comments made on “greed” the blame cannot be laid at the door of the so called “fat cats”. All of us are responsible, we all demand more for less. To keep costs down (because customers demand it) suppliers have to look elsewhere, thus jobs are exported.

You can ask a question 2 ways,

First, “do you want to deal with an offshore call centre”?

Second, “are you prepared to pay more for your goods and services so that we may employ people in the UK and operate our call centres here”?

another example.

First, “do you want to see extra funding in the health/education/armed, services”?

Second “do you agree to your taxes being increased to pay for extra funding in health education etc”?

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Very good points Barrington-Black.

If people want inexpensive services then they have to put up with those services coming from offshore – kinda logical isn’t it!

With due respect Peter, it seems obvious that you have never run a business or employed people – otherwise you would have a very different ‘Weltanschauumg’.

The idea that small businesses profit from black market sales is ludicrous – governments keep very strict tabs on companies’ accounts (certainly in this province and I’m sure things are the same in the UK)… have you ever been through a government audit Peter?

And then, let’s not forget Peter, that trade and professional unions run, or invest heavily in, the multi-national corporations which drive wages down not only in the home country but also in the (usually) second or third world country providing those services.

For example several water and power companies operating in the UK are owned by unions’ here in Canada… for profit…and to the detriment of British consumers.

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