How do you feel about the economy/job market?

[TemperateSeaIsland]

The UK economy really seems to be struggling fluctuating between very low to negative growth.
Although my contract will last until Oct 2013 I keep an eye on what the job market is like and in my sector things are not looking terribly good, very few jobs compared to around 3 years ago when I was last actively looking for work. Hopefully things will change over the next year or so but I'm not feeling terribly optimistic.

How do you guys think things are going?

 

[Whistle Blower]

The UK economy really seems to be struggling fluctuating between very low to negative growth.
Although my contract will last until Oct 2013 I keep an eye on what the job market is like and in my sector things are not looking terribly good, very few jobs compared to around 3 years ago when I was last actively looking for work. Hopefully things will change over the next year or so but I'm not feeling terribly optimistic.

How do you guys think things are going?

I agree with you. I don't see any way out of the current crisis, which I believe will deepen and will result in people making lifestyle changes that may never be reveresed!

That in itself may not be a bad thing because it would appear that the rich west has been getting richer and fatter at the expense of others in the world!

I suspect that what we are seeing is a reversal and that in some respects life will become less stressful in the long run, with a reduction in consummerism, which will hopefully lead to less greed, and maybe a return to more traditional values. A simpler lifestyle is the way forward for us all.

 

[Hexa]

It would help if the government prioratised their cost cutting. Instead of cutting government paid roles at what ever level (NHS, Police, local libraries ect), find other area to save money (i can think of plenty).

It seems simple, if people are out of work, they can't contribute to the ecconomy. The governemnt needs to maximise their profits where they can, rather then save money by cutting jobs.

 

[Whistle Blower]

It would help if the government prioratised their cost cutting. Instead of cutting government paid roles at what ever level (NHS, Police, local libraries ect), find other area to save money (i can think of plenty).

It seems simple, if people are out of work, they can't contribute to the ecconomy. The governemnt needs to maximise their profits where they can, rather then save money by cutting jobs.

Your heart has to go out to the cabinet, at the last count 19 of them are millionaires, so not easy for these poor souls to understand where the majority are coming from when it comes to the real impact of the cutbacks! It is understood that Cameron is worth 33 million, so how can he know what it means to have hungry children, or to have to go without so that a bill can be paid?!!

 

[MorkandMindy]

In our present system it is right for a company to pay as little to get something made as it possibly can.

That allows the company to increase it's profits - and over the past decade the rich have gotten very much richer, there is no recession when it comes to 200 foot yachts -

and means paying less to the workers, or often moving the manufacturing out of the country which again cuts costs increasing profits and often also reducing costs to the customer.

It is seen as right to pander to the customer, ie. the one with the money, which could be an older post employment person or a multimillionaire, at the expense of anyone unfortunate enough to still be in the employment World.

Those still in employment are experiencing falling wages, falling job prospects and shrinking pensions.


An economy run in favour of capital/ existing wealth to the expense of workers is right wing.

 

[MorkandMindy]

With part of the production process being done outside the country, part of the money also goes out of the country, so everytime we buy something a fraction of the money leaves the country, and we have a balance of payments deficit.

It would work out OK if we exported things to the country doing our manufacturing, but we don't. There is a hope that in the future we will invent things worth a bundle.


But unfortunately our track record recently with inventions hasn't been that great.

About 75% of all body scanner magnets in the World were made here in Oxfordshire and that brought in a huge amount of money. Those companies have been sold off (foreign investment hooray) so now they generate less than a tenth as much money for the country as before. Most of the components are now made by German-owned companies in Europe, very little left in England other than the main assembly plant.

And the new mini was sold to BMW, Ruston gas turbines is now also owned by the Germans, and a substantial chunk of it moved to Germany.

Rolls Royce cars is gone, Bentley is gone, Cunard is gone, ditto the water supply, electric distribution and generation. Can you think of anything worthwhile that is left?


I'm not sure we can count on new inventions to restore our balance of trade and provide well paid jobs, when we allow the owners to sell everything and anything that makes money off to people in other countries.


We don't live in a country, we live in a crazy free market economy experiment.

 

[MorkandMindy]

How do we lose while others gain? They don't play by the same rules. Germans for example can not sell companies to non Germans if the government decides that it is not in the nation's best interests.


Successful economies do not allow the free movement of assets / intellectual property / companies.


I wish all people who favour right wing / free market economics would ask themselves if they are willing to work for the same rates of pay as people in China.


Successful economies can not allow every job to go to the lowest bidders in the World or they will have very few jobs left.


I've lost all three of my previous jobs due to the companies being sold off. I'm now in the government sector. I've given up on trying to be productive.

 

[MorkandMindy]

The UK economy really seems to be struggling fluctuating between very low to negative growth.

80% of all new jobs in this country go to workers from other parts of the EU.


The good news is the more highly skilled / qualified jobs and especially those that require a high standard of English stay mostly go to British candidates


- but I'm sure one day EU rules will change that.

 

[lismore]

How do you guys think things are going?

I agree that jobs are few and far between because the economy is bad.

I cannot see it picking up again any time soon.

Now is the time to survive.