Comments on: Primark – well, what did you expect? http://thesmediolanumlif.com/?p=285 Thes - Old English for "this", neuter of thes, of West Germanic origin: Mediolanum - old name for Milan: Lif - Old English for "life", of Germanic origin; related to Dutch lijf, German Leib 'body' Fri, 16 Nov 2018 07:21:49 +0000 hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=4.1.41 By: Andy http://thesmediolanumlif.com/?p=285#comment-348 Tue, 13 Jan 2009 22:13:55 +0000 http://www.vandainmilan.com/?p=285#comment-348 Hi Alex,
I too have some Primark clothes and, as I have mentioned in a previous post, the prices are incredible but the quality is not brilliant. I too do not feel convicted over this although I thought that they were made in India and the like.
IMO, not only are workers not aware of better jobs (because, you’re right, there aren’t any, especially with the caste system they have) but, the cost of living is less than here (the West).
However, I take issue with you over the workers here being aware of better wages and the minimum wage. It seems, from the report, that most of these people are illegal immigrants. They have no choice as to what job they have. I suspect that, for them, even street cleaners and bus drivers (and there’s nothing wrong with being a street cleaner or bus driver) are unavailable given the UK Government’s ‘crack down’ on illegal immigrants working. Just like the rose sellers here, for whom I feel great sadness.
But you are right, Primark will become more popular as even unemployed people can afford something at Primark.
I really must do a post about the rose sellers and street hawkers here, sometime.
Cheers Alex, good to know you’re still around. Take care.
Andy

]]> By: Alex Fear http://thesmediolanumlif.com/?p=285#comment-347 Tue, 13 Jan 2009 21:56:38 +0000 http://www.vandainmilan.com/?p=285#comment-347 Admittedly, I own some Primark clothes, but oddly I don’t feel convicted over the price.

Perhaps in my mind anyone living in the UK should be aware that there is a minimum wage and better paid jobs (even as street cleaners or bus drivers) (and I’ve worked as a street cleaner in a previous life).

Workers in the third world (India for example) aren’t aware of better jobs and conditions – there aren’t any, plus there is the oppressive cast system.

It’s true there are vulnerable people in the UK, it’s just odd that Primark could get away with this in the UK, it’s like having a revalation that there are people dumping excement in the street when toilets have been around and in common use for a few hundred years.

I suspect that this news is not going to faze many. Number one, as mentioned, people who are dissatisfied with Primark wages should be aware of better work conditions here. Secondly, the current economic climate and coming depression is going to make Primark even more popular in the next few years.

]]> By: Andy http://thesmediolanumlif.com/?p=285#comment-346 Tue, 13 Jan 2009 19:19:45 +0000 http://www.vandainmilan.com/?p=285#comment-346 Hi Cecilieaux,

They do, indeed. I suspect that, in spite of the Governments ‘crack down’ on the employers that flout the minimum wage and health and safety laws, it has always been so, especially for immigrants.

Just like the rose sellers here, they are lucky to get enough money just to survive let alone have any sort of life.

]]> By: Cecilieaux http://thesmediolanumlif.com/?p=285#comment-345 Tue, 13 Jan 2009 18:33:01 +0000 http://www.vandainmilan.com/?p=285#comment-345 This was in Manchester. The “satanic mills” churn on!

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