CEOs now paid approximately 183 times the average UK worker

[abaris]

I wonder how these figures look in other countries. In my book that's not a free market anymore. It's a pseudo feudal system with a select few dominating a vast majority of Helots.

FTSE 100 CEO Pay climbed to £4.964 million in 2014
CEOs now paid approximately 183 times the average UK worker
Top pay up significantly from £4.129 million in 2010
Findings will create pressure for further action to reduce gap between the super rich and low and middle-income earners

http://highpaycentre.org/pubs/new-high-p...pense-of-o

[Minimalist]

They are mere amateurs compared to the corporate thieves we have running around loose over here.

http://www.cnbc.com/2014/04/23/are-ceos-overpaid.html

According to Executive Paywatch, the CEO to worker pay ratio was 331:1 in 2013, with CEOs of the S&P 500 Index companies earning, on average, $11.7 million in total compensation.

When it comes to GREED, 'Murrica is #1.

[ReptilianPeon]

Hm, I thought it was the poor who were lazy. But, of course, Fox News would never lie to us. Oh right...

[Napoléon]

So, the rich are getting richer? What's new there.

[brewer]

Look at this list.

http://www.equilar.com/publications/49.5...-2015.html

See any companies that you help support by using/purchasing their products or services?

[Napoléon]

See any companies that you help support by using/purchasing their products or services?

Most of them?

I know what you're insinuating, but for most of us it's simply not feasible to boycott every mega-corp we inadvertently "support". I'd have to have my own farm, my own livestock, become a carpenter, an electrician, a plumber, a builder and form my own bank, and come up with a way to connect to the internet on my own, and then start making my own brand of coke, in order for me to really avoid some of these corporations.

That or go live in the Alaskan wilderness and live as though it's the 18th century. No thanks.

It's quite unavoidable to 'support' these companies when pretty much all of them have a huge monopoly in their respective field, and are so deeply entrenched, IMO.

[BrianSoddingBoru4]

Nappy's got it right. The wage gap isn't going to be addressed by consumerism. For instance, agribusiness has a helluva lot to answer for, but people keep eating food. *shrug*

Boru

[brewer]

I just don't like blanket condemnations.

If this is what companies need to pay to stay/continue to be competitive I don't have that much of a problem with it. Apparently this is what the market will bear. If the companies need to pay out to bring us the goods and services we want, so be it. I'm not sure why the blame is placed with the CEO's and not the companies.

Of course I don't wish/want this disparity. I don't think any right minded person would. On the surface it does not seem fare or equitable at all. I don't think the company stockholders/investors would mind a narrowing of the gap either.

So, whats the solution? I don't have one. I know bitching about it because it makes you feel better won't get it done. Maybe if you work for the company or are a stockholder you could gather enough support/backing to make a change.

[Pyrrho]

I just don't like blanket condemnations.

If this is what companies need to pay to stay/continue to be competitive I don't have that much of a problem with it.

It simply is not needed.  It is done because rich people want to do it.

Apparently this is what the market will bear. If the companies need to pay out to bring us the goods and services we want, so be it. I'm not sure why the blame is placed with the CEO's and not the companies.

I doubt you will find many who condemn the wage gap but who do not blame the companies as well.  The companies are run by people.  Rich, greedy bastards, but people.  They inflate their own pay and squeeze the workers as much as possible.  This is because they are greedy and do not care about the lives of the workers who are necessary for their company to function.

The workers are stuck because they need money to eat, and the other companies are doing the same thing.  So the workers are forced to work at below the value of their work (you can know it is below their value, or there would not be enough money for the companies to make huge profits and to pay CEOs and other top executives huge salaries and bonuses).

Of course I don't wish/want this disparity. I don't think any right minded person would. On the surface it does not seem fare or equitable at all. I don't think the company stockholders/investors would mind a narrowing of the gap either.

So, whats the solution? I don't have one. I know bitching about it because it makes you feel better won't get it done. Maybe if you work for the company or are a stockholder you could gather enough support/backing to make a change.

There are several possible solutions.  The French revolution comes to mind on this.  But it could also be dealt with by law, by making it illegal for there to be such pay disparity in a company.  For example, there could be a law requiring that total compensation for any one worker cannot be more than 10 times the total pay of the lowest paid worker (another number could be selected, of course; the 10 times is just a hypothetical example).  Of course, such a law is not going to pass in the U.S., because corporations have too much political influence, and there are too many brain dead morons who believe corporate propaganda about it being somehow necessary or good for the CEOs to be paid so much.

[abaris]

Of course I don't wish/want this disparity. I don't think any right minded person would. On the surface it does not seem fare or equitable at all. I don't think the company stockholders/investors would mind a narrowing of the gap either.

You're only scratching the surface here. I guess nobody would argue against a private company paying their CEOs whatever they want. But in many cases it's not the reality. There are two problems. One, the system of short term bonusses. Managers take unnecessary risks to meet the requirements for their annual bonus. Two, in case of failure, absolutely nothing happens. As has been shown in 2008 when the state bailed out the losers and risk takers. Not a single one of them was tried. Not a single one of them paid a dime in compensations.

So I'm all for private companies paying what they want. But please, don't come running for the taxpayer's money when things go down the drain. That's yet another example of why the current capitalistic system doesn't work and the market doesn't regulate itself. To add insult to injury, most of these zeros that brought us the debacle of 2008, enjoy the results of the golden handshakes they got after the failed miserably at their jobs. Paid by yours truly among millions of other people.