Monday, August 06, 2012

Apprenticeships and the Minimum Wage

This is the first of two articles our branch secretary David Fish has contributed to the blog.


"A friend of mind through church is surviving on benefits and casual work.  He is receiving travel costs and free teaching in English and it’s amazing how he has improved.  He has done some ‘voluntary’ work in industry. Could it be making balloons? I will find out.

"After two months the factory are pleased and so offer him an apprenticeship for the job he can already do. He will receive £2.50 an hour, £100 a week and lose benefits.  In addition he will have to pay £25 a week travel.

"The company will receive £1500 for having an apprentice.

"I think that the apprentice system is a way of undermining the minimum wage."

Thanks, David. 

What do we think about the latest wheeze for massaging youth unemployment figures, the ominously-named National Citizen Service? 

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