Dansi Posted May 13, 2012 Share Posted May 13, 2012 Aussies do work harder and on the building 6 days 50 hours was seen as the norm, people IMO are far mre lazy in the uk. I average about 55 hours a week as a commercial mechanic, as do most of my colleagues. My partner is in healthcare where overtime is the norm, so i'm gonna say that I feel that is an unfair statement.... The UK is a struggle for workers at the moment, with people having to work the extra hours to meet the cost of basic living.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Perthbum Posted May 13, 2012 Share Posted May 13, 2012 I average about 55 hours a week as a commercial mechanic, as do most of my colleagues. My partner is in healthcare where overtime is the norm, so i'm gonna say that I feel that is an unfair statement.... The UK is a struggle for workers at the moment, with people having to work the extra hours to meet the cost of basic living.... I am nt talking about people who ave to work I am talking about on the building site, Aussies work harder while most Brits I find chat or go for a smoke a lot more often. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
k8bug79 Posted May 13, 2012 Author Share Posted May 13, 2012 The problem in the UK is that jobs are becoming more and more scarce, Although the number of jobs in the country IS increasing it is at a lesser rate than the number of people in the UK is increasing. This means that School/college/Uni leavers are unable to find work to get the experience that is required in other jobs. To accompany this there are cut backs due to current and recent economic conditions, which contributes to the cost of living going up at a higher rate than inflation. If you take my situation for example; With a household income of £40,000 ish before tax (depending on overtime), we are just over the threshold of being eligible for any assistance from benefits. This would be fine if it wasn't for the increase in the cost of living. Where we were able to find spare cash to go to the pictures or go for a meal once or twice a month as little as a year ago, we now find that we need to borrow a little from time to time to meet bills. This situation isn't looking to get any better, in fact it is definitely getting worse with people on lower household incomes or with household incomes made up differently receiving less than they had previously been used to. It is being reflected on the high street with pubs closing on a regular basis, and charity or low cost shops popping up where the previous tenants have gone out of business, due to people not having anywhere near as much disposable income. Anyone that says that things are all rosey in the UK, doesn't really have a firm grip on things here. Last week we had different marches and strikes from civil servants, police officers, teachers and many many others due to changes in pay and pensions that will have life changing effects. I will be the first to admit that I do not know the ins and outs of the financial situation in Australia, but everything I have read while researching 'the big move' suggests that Australia is experiencing somewhat of a boom, and teenage jobs are not in as short supply. Well thats my tuppence worth. Simon. You have hit the nail on the head there for me. Just a few years ago we were on a low income, I was part time and my husband had a below average wage, we got assistance rom benefits and found it a struggle (which is rightly so) my husband got a better job and I took on more hours and as I said in my original post still get assistance with child care. The thing is if I were to be offered this job it has what I would perceive to be a good wage, certainly above average. On that wage I would expect to have some small luxuries. A family holiday, an occasional meal out. But the reality is that whilst we still perceive that to be a good wage living costs have risen and it is no longer true. Government means testing hasn't shifted to these new costs (righty or wrongly I'll save for another argument) and therefore there is a whole band of people in this above threshold income who are suffering. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
k8bug79 Posted May 13, 2012 Author Share Posted May 13, 2012 I had my sons 20 years ago- i cleaned chairs at a dog stadium, worked night shifts in a nursing home and managed with my husband earning very little as self employed with just child benefit. Thats all we were entitled to. Then I went to night school and paid to get exams to enroll as a nurse. I trained as a nurse with a £5000 bursary and worked 4 night shifts a week for those 3 years. I earn a good wage as band 8A nurse. I have worked hard to get there and worked even harder to get my sons through uni with no help as at that time even though we could just about pay the mortgage we still earned above the level to get help. My point is I never look to see what anyone else gets or doesnt get. I have made the most of the opportunities I could and I have worked hard to achieve the success I have right now. Every time I look at that Ahpra confirmation I know I deserve it. I have no idea whether I can now get a job in Oz and at 46 sponsorship is the option I have. I will work really hard to get there ( alone no one else is coming with me) and whatever happens I do believe that life sometimes takes you sideways and backwards to go forwards! First I shall say well done, being a apparant today with the added assistance of childcare I admire Mums who had to work to bring up there children. I think the real advantage of our system, and please no offence is intended by this, that whilst your child was young you had to work any low wage job you could take to make ends meet, it was the same for my husbands Mum. There was no real option to go out and strive for a career because childcare cost prohibited it. Therefore and I hope you don't mind me taking your story here as point, you are no in your 40s starting a career and I hope for you that it all works out. My Mum was in a similar situation and now at 50 is still studying trying to find something that will take her age vs experience and give her a chance. So for allowing me the opportunity to push my career ahead now whilst I have children, rather than wait til they are older I really am pleased we get the help we do. Like you I don't really look at who gets what compared to me, I look at what different circumstances mean for me. Whilst I appreciate the assistance we get it does seem ludicrous that by improving my situation we end up worse off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Delaneym Posted May 13, 2012 Share Posted May 13, 2012 Thank you I started my career in my 30s and very happy to be earning the wage I earn as band 8A (£45k ) and like you i didnt wait for them to grow up i started when they were little with what I had. The move to oz is just something that has happened over the last 2 years and whilst most people think I am crazy to want to see what its like there I am happy to start a new career somewhere else ( and my job will be kept open for 2 years so I am not being rash for once!)you go for whatever seems right and for the best for you and your family and good on your mum! never too old to want to make something better for yourself Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jasepom Posted May 14, 2012 Share Posted May 14, 2012 It is not a good time to come back to the UK atm with the current economic climate and cost of living. If you have a secure job in Oz and are enjoying a good standard of living (talking about $1200/week household income to be comfortable), then my advice is to stay there and count your blessings. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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