Another Comparison

[KARL]

The OECD has published statistical comparisons in relation to such things as employment rate and average income in 2017. Looking at the UK's position in these tables it becomes clear why there is the constant emphasis of not losing, creating, etc. jobs in the UK. The average annual income in the UK is plainly rather mediocre on an international scale and if the employment rate suffers a knock then the UK could slide back beyond the mid point in the annual income table. Watching this comparison in the coming years will be one interesting measure of the effects of Brexit.

See the tables here
https://data.oecd.org/earnwage/average-wages.htm
and here
https://data.oecd.org/emp/employment-rate.htm

[jno]

I suppose you have to balance wage levels against the cost of living; if things are cheaper you don't need to earn as much.

[New Judge]

"...if the employment rate suffers a knock then the UK could slide back beyond the mid point in the annual income table."

Why should it? Why should average income fall if numbers in employment fall? There may be a small influence if unemployment rises as employers may be able to offer lower pay when there are more people chasing fewer jobs. But it certainly won't have any effect on the lower paid jobs as minimum pay is regulated.

"Watching this comparison in the coming years will be one interesting measure of the effects of Brexit."

No it won't because nobody will know what the figures would have been without Brexit.

[Old_Geezer]

Indeed, watching any potential short term blip as things change, that might not even appear, then potentially watching us soar up the table will be yet another knock to the fear stories. Of course it'll need a real exit, not a fake one where we're still in thrall to the EU and it's present custom union.

[KARL]

I find the suggestion that a rise in comparative rating will not indicate improvement or vice versa intriguing. So comparison with others is no indicator then - success and/or failure are non-existent or at least utterly irrelevant. We simply continue calling ourselves wonderful, infallible geniuses, superior, etc. regardless ?

[-SharonA-]

I've never done jury service and it doesn't look like I ever will. :-(