Them & Us


Bosses overpaid…

Pay for chief executives is “absurdly high” according to the top ten international recruitment firms.

The London School of Economics found that average pay for bosses at FTSE 100 firms is now £4.6 million a year. Meanwhile, the Royal Bank of Scotland paid its chief executive £3.8 million for losing £2 billion in 2015.

Even when they’re not scuppering the economy, top bosses’ and shareholders’ pay is pure theft. Workers make all the wealth they portion out among themselves. Let’s take it back off them, and plan its use democratically to meet our needs, not their profit targets.

…women underpaid

Women earn almost £300,000 less over their careers than men.

Figures from recruitment firm Robert Half described an average 24% gap between men and women’s salaries. The impact of childcare means women are likely to be in lower-paid jobs or miss opportunities for advancement. That’s on top of gender discrimination in education, hiring and promotions.

Over a 52-year career, the £5,732 annual gap amounts to £298,064. The Socialist fights for free childcare and education, and secure, well-paid employment for all workers. For a socialist society free from discrimination, where everyone can reach their full potential.


‘Democracy’ hypocrisy

The Tories’ planned Trade Union Bill will force unions to count abstentions as votes against striking. It will insist on minimum thresholds for some workers – 40% overall on a minimum 50% turnout – before unions can take action.

No such restrictions for the establishment’s ‘democratic’ attacks on workers.

Readers may want to search for actual responses to ‘budget consultations’ that councils publish as justification for cuts. One reader noticed that Labour-controlled Derbyshire County Council claimed support for a council tax rise of 4% and huge cuts to services.

Yet the total number of respondents was under 900, out of a population of 780,000. Even allowing for those under voting age, this means those ‘supporting’ the council amount to well under 0.5%!

‘Darren’, trade union organiser