If people ever get the idea it's best to bye Australian, there will not be any problem. Au built cars were down 30% or so last year. Money for the automakers is for retooling. GMH in America has had its best year ever last year.
Lower wages for unskilled is not on, what do you call unskilled.
Not to many jobs around that don't need training.
Top end wages are the ones that need decreasing.
I doubt if there is anything spectacular at hand.

Yes it has started already.Just what we needed,a CO2 tax and a totally incompetent Labor Govt that spends like a drunken sailor.

More unemployment and more debt to the international banksters.

Pelican,

This is not a bosses vs employees issue. With the dollar as it is Aus employees must be close to the highest paid in the world. With manufacturing in China improving continuously, the choice is either to go bankrupt or reduce staff costs. If productivity cannot be increased due to an inflexible labor system, companies mechanise or downsize.

Holden put of 100 casuals, is that what we are talking about.

Hi All the above is so true and we are selling prime land to multinationals and companies controlled by governments for food production and minerals.
We are selling our souls and oneself

SM
I am not having a go at bosses, and I am not in total disagreement with your comments other than expanding on it ie. all levels of income should reduce. Can you imagine the problems that might arise if only one small section of the economy has to tighten their belts while the rest continue on as usual?

We see it in our political leaders who are only bipartisan when it comes to the head nodding around 30% payrises while asking the lowest paid to tighten their belts or blaming the poor for competitive disadvantages.

As I said it is the whole system including neo-liberal thinking around free markets of which the rot started with Keating who forgot his grass roots and the inherent problems with rampant capitalism. It is impossible to compete in a market where the rules and wage levels are disparate, so don't try and do it. There are many ways to increase competition on prices without bowing to this free trade nonsense. Does anyone ever ask why is it if Australians are paid so well compared to other nations as you argue, why there is an expectation to pay lower prices for the same goods?

While free trade does to some extent help raise the standards of living in some of these nations, it also serves to increase poverty. It is an individual case by case situation dependent on the major players involved especially around agribusiness and manufacturing