Episode 4 Britain's Hardest Workers: Inside the Low Wage Economy


Episode 4

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In Britain, more than five million people are now in a low-paid work.

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I am left with ?12.76 every single week.

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Some weeks, I'm just really struggling.

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I have to borrow, in fact, off people.

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Whether we're unskilled workers, graduates or aged 50 or over,

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many of us could have a future in low pay.

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Everybody is vulnerable. Work is the new poor.

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With zero-hour contracts, automation and global competition,

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employees need to be more adaptable than ever before.

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There's losers in any transition period.

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The question is what do you do to make sure that some of the losers

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don't fall through the cracks.

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So, how tough are these jobs and can anyone do them?

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20 people, all proud of their work ethic...

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I'm a grafter, I've always been a grafter.

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I don't ever believe anything is above me or below me.

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Money doesn't just come to you. You've got to go out and get it.

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..are taking part in a unique experiment.

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I'm your factory manager for the next ten days.

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They're putting themselves to the test,

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trying out a range of low-paid jobs in real British workplaces...

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So, that's what we're trying to achieve.

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Better crack on then, haven't we?

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I thought this was going to be easy.

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..and in a specially constructed factory.

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Whoa! I'll get there.

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I knew it would be a slow start, but I'll get there. Whoa!

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Facing an uncertain future in the job market...

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I want to prove to myself how hard a worker I can be.

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I'm taking part to show that there are hard-working people out there.

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..they'll discover what skills you need to survive

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in today's low-paid jobs.

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I don't understand! No!

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Sorry, it's squirting everywhere.

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And just like in the real jobs market, it's competitive... Jesus!

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..with the least productive worker being laid off after every shift...

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The shift has finished!

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..until we're left with the most adaptable

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and most resilient worker of all.

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THEY CHEER

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Good morning, everybody.

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'Over the course of the experiment...'

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Today's task is behind those doors.

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'..the workers have had a crash course in minimum wage work.'

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This is going to be like robots then, doing all this.

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They've been monitored... Martin, it's all wrong.

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..measured...

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Looking here, it's not really going too well for Stephanie.

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..and motivated...

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I feel absolutely fantastic. Didn't expect to be there.

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..to reveal the reality of life

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at the most disposable end of the labour chain.

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I wouldn't be asking you back here tomorrow if you worked for me,

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based on what you did that side.

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Six days in and it's becoming clear that the younger...

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I work well under pressure. ..fitter... I'm in my element.

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..and more adaptable the worker... You're off to a good start.

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I try the best when I can. ..the more likely they are to cope.

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I need a new bin!

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But there have been exceptions. Now I have to get another one!

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With her speed and focus,

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57 -year-old agency chef Stephanie has excelled,

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as long as the jobs aren't too technical.

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Why don't you like that? Come on!

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But despite having age on her side,

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23-year-old domestic cleaner Sabrina...

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I'm panicking now, so I need to stop panicking.

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..is just scraping by.

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I feel so relieved!

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Today, the workers are turning their hands to manufacturing.

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In the past, working in a factory would have been a job for life,

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the bedrock of the traditional working class. Not any more, though.

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In the 1950s, manufacturing accounted

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for a third of the UK's economic output

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and provided jobs for 40% of the working population.

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Today, just 8% of the workforce is involved in manufacturing,

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but there are still plenty of success stories.

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One area in which we excel is making cars

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and the British automotive industry is at a 10-year high.

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Good morning!

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Just over halfway through the experiment and the seven

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remaining workers are about to clock on for a shift

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at a Japanese-owned car parts manufacturer

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which is run by the manager overseeing the whole experiment,

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Mike Matthews.

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Some people would say my management style is tough and quite demanding.

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I can identify somebody with a good work ethic very, very quickly.

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I get people that talk a good talk about working hard,

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but as soon as you see them on the job,

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you can tell whether they're a good worker or not.

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Mike started out as an apprentice here 30 years ago

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and worked his way up from shop floor to managing director.

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So, are you always on two till ten, then?

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Producing over 1,600 unique car parts for all the major car brands,

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Nifco is a vital link in the supply chain for global car manufacturing

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and Mike employs a team of almost 600 people

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to help him deliver the goods.

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Hi, Liz. All right? How are you?

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I'm always looking for people that shows the right attitude,

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show the right work ethic, got the right level of respect

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for other people and they're good communicators.

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Is pink your favourite colour?

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So, what do you think Mike would be like to work for? Well...

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So far, what I've seen, he wants you to do well,

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so I would expect his staff to actually enjoy working for him.

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We might see another side of Mike we don't know yet!

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See him in a boss mode. Yeah, boss mode.

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It's been very full-on.

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You know, each day has been hard.

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Experiencing first hand what these jobs are like,

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they are minimum wage, but the skill is high.

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Morning. Morning.

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All right, Stephanie? Well, welcome to my factory.

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Let's get you inside.

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Oh, impressive!

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Wow. That is just unbelievable.

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This is what manufacturing is all about in the 21st century.

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There's more buttons on that there is on the computer!

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This is how we can compete with places like

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China, India, Russia, Brazil.

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Despite this level of automation, there are still jobs

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that are too intricate or too costly to be done by machine.

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Cheers, Jim.

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The workers are about to do a five-hour shift

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assembling the car parts that robots can't.

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I'm going to put them on there, like this.

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Lead operator Ann is demonstrating how to assemble a roof clip.

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What you'll do, you'll turn your sheet over.

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It's a small but essential plastic clip

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used to secure the roof trim to a vehicle.

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You'll put it on the end and it's straight.

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And they're perfect! Even though I say so myself.

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The sticky tape must be put on absolutely straight.

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It's not complicated,

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it just needs to be done over and over and over again.

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Would that be our target? Yes, that is the target.

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720 per hour. Yeah.

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Just like on a regular shift,

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the workers' output will be monitored hourly

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to help them hit targets

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and the results are displayed at their work stations.

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If you don't hit targets,

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you would potentially lose your job.

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And that's the reality

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of the automotive industry, to be perfectly honest.

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This particular job, the difficulties for me may be

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pretty big hands, so not so nimble finger and thumb.

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They are pretty small component parts.

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30 seconds. 30 seconds before we go!

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None of the workers have any previous experience

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of car part manufacturing.

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Being a farmer,

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we don't tend to come across jobs that are this small.

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This job will be a test of the workers' patience and perseverance.

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To do a repetitive job like this, you've got to be very, very focused.

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You've not got to allow yourself to become distracted.

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I think it's quite easy. Just sit there putting papers on.

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I've got small fingers,

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so my small hands will come in handy.

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Right, let's go!

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Let's go, yeah?

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This is an entry-level job and section leader Stuart

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normally gives it to the company's new employees.

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So, how hard can it be?

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You can tell quite quickly

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who's going to be good at it and who isn't.

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With the dexterity of the fingers and the concentration levels,

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these jobs are quite mundane and repetitive.

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And if you don't have the correct mind-set,

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nine times out of ten, you'll get found out quite quickly.

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SHE HUMS

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I'm trying to build a rhythm and that's it.

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HE HUMS

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Oh, my God, my hands are so shaking.

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Despite her nimble fingers, Sabrina is already feeling the pressure.

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It's really nerve-racking.

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You're thinking, "Oh, that's a right easy job, this."

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Bit more intense than you actually think.

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My hands keep like...

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Shaking? Yeah! Were you out drinking last night? No.

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Mine usually do when I've had a drink!

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At home, money is tight for 23-year-old domestic cleaner Sabrina

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and her five-year-old son.

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But life hasn't always been that way.

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I came from a background where we had people cleaning for us.

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You know, my bedroom, our house.

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And I've gone from that to actually cleaning people's houses.

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Things changed when Sabrina got divorced and became

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a single mum at just 19 years old.

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I wanted to go to college, I wanted to go to university,

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I wanted to travel.

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And all those plans were actually put into place,

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but they just never went ahead.

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Since starting the experiment,

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Sabrina has approached each job with enthusiasm.

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I'm quite confident with the job today.

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Everyone can clean, but I just think because I've got the experience,

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I know what to do best.

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But the reality of the minimum wage work has been something of a shock.

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You don't realise that these are human beings

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that are doing jobs like this.

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Just to build your pace up a little bit quicker.

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Am I going too slow? Yeah, you are going too slow.

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You can't afford to. Right.

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God's sake.

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How bloody fast do they want me to go?

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Sabrina is not the only one

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struggling to meet the company's targets.

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That wee ball of orange stickies is

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ones that I didn't get on quite straight.

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It's just a wee bit fiddly, this one.

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Stewart is struggling to line up the clip with the tape.

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Unfortunately, if you've got hands like shovels, as he says,

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it is very difficult to do that.

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No, this is rubbish for me.

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My fingers are too big.

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Speed and efficiency are a concern for every company

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as they contribute to overall productivity, which has been

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a problem for the British economy since the last recession.

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We're over 30% less productive than Germany and France

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and 10% less productive than Italy.

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So, what's going on?

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I've come to talk to financial analyst Louise Cooper to find out.

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Are we a lazy nation?

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Ha! I don't think we're a lazy nation, no.

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It's not how hard you work, that's not how it works.

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It's sort of the output created.

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GDP, pounds per hour of worker.

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So, if you're not adding a lot of value to the economy,

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then it doesn't matter how hard you work,

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you're still a low productive worker.

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Why is our productivity is so low?

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OK, so one possible reason could be the impact of migration.

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If you're a business choosing to spend your money -

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do I buy a new piece of kit for the future of my business

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or do I employ a very cheap EU worker

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and instantly create some profit from them? -

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then the latter is happening.

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So, rather than invest in new technology or invest in

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skilling people up, we'll just take low-skilled low-pay workers,

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and that as a whole could dampen UK productivity.

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I mean, we're the fifth wealthiest country on the planet!

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Why is productivity a problem?

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It's a problem long term.

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Because without productivity growth, then standards of living don't rise.

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So, therefore, is it necessary for a government to step in to say,

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actually, the minimum wage needs to increase?

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Yes, I actually think this is a great policy.

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You're increasing the price of a worker.

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That means you have to get more output per worker.

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You have to train that worker,

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you have to invest in better technology,

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a better IT system for them to use and therefore it drags up

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productivity by forcing companies to pay more for their human capital.

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But the price of high productivity can be higher unemployment

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as companies like these that invest in technology

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employ far fewer people.

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Is this bag to me, isn't it? Yep.

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And here, to make sure they protect their investment,

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there's a rigorous regime of performance monitoring.

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You OK, Stephanie?

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You've got to get them orders out the door.

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So, we push the guys because we know we're last port of call.

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You're on the go 24/7, really, from walking in the door to clocking out.

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I'm just putting the...

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Putting your score up for your first hour's production which is 246.

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Well below where I'd expect it to be.

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Compared to others, you're probably at the lower end of the spectrum.

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OK? OK. All right.

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At 427 clips below target, fish and chip shop owner Stewart

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is hitting the limits of his natural ability.

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It's not the same for big hands.

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And graphic designer Leon is also lagging behind.

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Hiya, Leon.

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I'm just going to put your first hour's target down.

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365 for the first hour. 365, OK.

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Continue where you are and then increase your hand speed

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and you'll get the next level up, OK?

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I'm not surprised I'm not at the top for this one

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cos I started off slow, but I'm going forward.

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I was just getting the job done and, yeah, productivity.

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Unlike Leon, painter-decorator Martin is making good headway.

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Hi, I'm just going to fill your target board in

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and you've achieved 491.

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Which is... Which is a very good result. Well done.

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But they're normally 720!

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It's not just speed Nifco needs from its workers.

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Selling over ?20 million parts per month,

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the factory has a tolerance for just one defect per million.

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These are not going to pass.

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Going to reject them because they are not straight at all.

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Oh, I can see that. You see? Yeah.

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Right, I'll go and have a word with her. Thanks, Ellen.

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Sabrina has only been working an hour

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and she's already produced 33 defective clips.

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Sabrina? Yes?

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This is some of your work that's been rejected. Right.

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You can see, no way can they go. They're not even straight.

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Because I'm going quicker, I'm not doing it properly. Then you need...

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If it had been your first bag,

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I could have said because it was a new job to you.

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But your first bag was perfect. OK. Your second bag's crap. Right.

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All right, thank you. Thank you.

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Oh, how can I be one of the lowest and I think I've been quick at it?

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Focus, concentrate. Not rush.

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Warehouse worker Majka has produced 498 perfect clips

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in her first hour, more than any other worker.

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You've picked it up very quick, actually. Yeah, very good.

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Thank you.

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I like this job!

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Well, if you want a job, you know where we are.

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At home in Wales, 38-year-old Majka's day starts at 5am,

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when she sets off to work an eight-hour shift

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as a forklift driver in a warehouse.

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In my opinion, it's plenty work to do here,

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only everything is for the minimum wage.

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Nine years ago, she and her partner moved here from Poland

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to build a better future for their daughter, Yulia.

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Since then, Majka's always been on minimum wage.

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When I ask them about to pay me more, they say,

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"If you don't like it, the pay what we give you,

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"you can find other job."

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So, that's why I stopped asking about paying more.

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Potato pancake? Yes, please.

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After work and at weekends,

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Majka helps out at her partner's Polish restaurant.

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I hardly ever see my mum just chill.

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She has this thing where she hates when something is not in its place,

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like the dishes.

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She can't go to the bed without the dishes being done.

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Even if there's a fork or a knife in the dishes,

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she has to do it, otherwise she cannot sleep.

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Yulia for me is all my life, that is my sunshine,

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that is one thing why I want to live in this world, why I'm fighting.

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Everything is Yulia.

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Splash.

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I want a bakery when I grow up. No, no, no.

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You must be something high. Make a better life for you.

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For me, it's very important to have Yulia financial security.

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I think that all parents want for their child.

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I hope she don't finish like me

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in the same warehouse for the minimum wage.

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How are we doing? Hello, Mike. All right? Yes.

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Managing director Mike started out here 30 years ago

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as an apprentice tool-maker

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but soon worked his way out of minimum wage.

0:17:540:17:58

So, could you see yourself doing this for a living? Yes, I can.

0:17:580:18:01

If you want me, I can join.

0:18:010:18:03

You know, our colleagues start with the jobs like this. Yes.

0:18:030:18:06

Then they move to more difficult jobs, and if they do

0:18:060:18:08

a good job of that, eventually they become team leaders, supervisors.

0:18:080:18:13

I think that is a good idea. Yes.

0:18:130:18:16

Not a lot of factories do it like that style of work.

0:18:160:18:20

Companies like this are the exception,

0:18:220:18:24

as in the UK, over a decade,

0:18:240:18:26

only one in four low-paid workers progressed up the pay scale.

0:18:260:18:29

So, is low pay a trap you can't get out of?

0:18:390:18:43

Mark Beatson of the

0:18:430:18:44

Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development is worried.

0:18:440:18:47

I think the concern in the UK context would simply be that

0:18:480:18:51

we have lots of low-paid jobs, but are we generating the routes,

0:18:510:18:55

the progression routes out of those low-paid jobs into better paid jobs?

0:18:550:18:59

What we have seen is that less and less employers have

0:18:590:19:02

what used to be called internal labour markets.

0:19:020:19:04

I mean, the police force and the fire service

0:19:040:19:07

might be the classic example.

0:19:070:19:08

You start off at the bottom,

0:19:080:19:10

you work your way up to the top and people move up that pyramid.

0:19:100:19:14

More often now, if you're looking to recruit a new manager,

0:19:140:19:17

you don't simply look around at the people already there and think

0:19:170:19:20

which is the best person to appoint, you may well go outside as well.

0:19:200:19:23

What that means, of course, is that you don't need to invest in

0:19:230:19:26

your current workforce to develop your future one,

0:19:260:19:29

you can simply go out and buy it on the external market.

0:19:290:19:31

So, a lot of managers just don't make the best use they've got

0:19:310:19:34

of the workforce available to them. Why is that?

0:19:340:19:37

We have a very flexible labour market.

0:19:370:19:39

It's easy for employers to find people

0:19:390:19:41

to do the types of jobs they want at the sort of pay they want.

0:19:410:19:44

And so, there aren't a lot of incentives often for employers

0:19:440:19:47

to think about how can I create better, more highly-skilled jobs?

0:19:470:19:51

So, if you go into a low-paid job, are you going to be stuck there?

0:19:510:19:55

I think that is the danger.

0:19:550:19:57

Back at the car part factory and the workers are starting

0:19:580:20:00

the second half of their shift.

0:20:000:20:02

You've got ten minutes

0:20:020:20:03

to get a feel of the job that you're going to be doing.

0:20:030:20:06

They're learning how to assemble a bracket

0:20:060:20:08

that guides the opening and closing of car rear windows.

0:20:080:20:12

It's very difficult, you've got to really concentrate.

0:20:120:20:14

It's a 10-step process that involves sticking five foam strips.

0:20:140:20:18

Close to the edge but not over it.

0:20:180:20:20

Connecting two corner sections together...

0:20:200:20:23

Think of it as a jigsaw puzzle. Yeah, so these ones.

0:20:230:20:25

No, other way. If you think...

0:20:250:20:27

Hold on. ..and attaching a metal arm with a screwdriver.

0:20:280:20:31

And just place them there, darl. That's it.

0:20:330:20:35

It's a hard task.

0:20:370:20:38

First one has been easy peasy. Now, quite worried.

0:20:380:20:42

Experienced workers are expected to produce between 38

0:20:440:20:48

and 47 corner covers an hour.

0:20:480:20:51

It's the most complex job done by humans on the assembly line.

0:20:510:20:55

I think everyone's worried about it, yeah.

0:20:550:20:58

Might be going home, might be going home.

0:20:580:21:00

The workers have one hour

0:21:000:21:02

to complete as many corner covers as possible.

0:21:020:21:05

OK, workers, it's production time, let's go.

0:21:050:21:07

At the end of their shift, productivity over both tasks

0:21:120:21:15

will be tallied up and, once again,

0:21:150:21:18

the least productive worker will be laid off.

0:21:180:21:20

I try not to miss anything.

0:21:200:21:22

But I think after the first three or four, I will be OK.

0:21:230:21:26

Ow, I keep slashing myself!

0:21:270:21:30

Bit of a fiddler, this one.

0:21:320:21:33

Very fidgety, once again.

0:21:360:21:38

With the sponges, the seals.

0:21:380:21:40

Got to get it spot on. Can't have any overhangs.

0:21:410:21:44

Yes!

0:21:460:21:47

The reason we use human labour to assemble the process here

0:21:480:21:52

is that we need the human brain and the dexterity of the fingers

0:21:520:21:56

and this is the hardest process.

0:21:560:21:58

But some people can walk off the street and hit target within a day.

0:21:580:22:02

For graphic designer Leon, there's a logic to assembling the covers.

0:22:030:22:07

Each part is very simple.

0:22:070:22:09

It does fit together, you can't put it wrong. Two holes line up.

0:22:090:22:13

Clips into the clip holes. And then clearly...

0:22:150:22:19

..it screws in there.

0:22:190:22:21

I'm not feeling the pressure.

0:22:210:22:22

The fact that I've got the hang of it quite quickly, I feel good.

0:22:220:22:26

But for agency chef Stephanie, it's much more challenging.

0:22:260:22:30

That doesn't look the same at all.

0:22:300:22:32

Don't give up, girl. Don't give up, girl.

0:22:330:22:35

Right, that goes like that, that goes like that.

0:22:350:22:39

You will do this.

0:22:390:22:40

Come on, girl. Come on, you are not, you are not going to cry.

0:22:420:22:46

You are going to do this, you can do this.

0:22:470:22:50

I don't particularly want to let Mike down

0:22:550:22:57

but I'm... Not my task.

0:22:570:23:00

I need to concentrate.

0:23:040:23:06

Stephanie is the last remaining worker in the experiment

0:23:060:23:09

who is over 50.

0:23:090:23:11

They start, come on. Go!

0:23:110:23:13

OK? Can we change this bed? We've got to get on.

0:23:130:23:17

She may have struggled with technical challenges...

0:23:170:23:21

Looking here, it's not really going too well for Stephanie.

0:23:210:23:24

..but Stephanie is fast and focused.

0:23:240:23:26

I've got sweat on my brow and I'm effective.

0:23:280:23:32

I am a happy bunny!

0:23:320:23:34

She's come top of the leaderboard three times.

0:23:350:23:38

I have a gold star again!

0:23:380:23:41

I feel absolutely amazing.

0:23:410:23:44

But this is a complex sequence of assembly and after 20 minutes,

0:23:460:23:51

Stephanie hasn't completed a single cover.

0:23:510:23:53

Stephanie?

0:23:560:23:57

What you're doing's good, the batch building, but once you build,

0:23:570:24:01

I suggest once you build a maximum of five, then assemble five.

0:24:010:24:03

I don't know what to do next. You don't know what to do next? You OK?

0:24:030:24:07

Hey, it's OK. Take some deep breaths. All right, don't worry.

0:24:080:24:12

I can't... Hey, hey! That's all...

0:24:120:24:16

Take time out. Take your time. It's OK.

0:24:160:24:18

Don't worry, all right? Don't worry, OK?

0:24:180:24:21

I got the first half,

0:24:220:24:24

I was completely mind-blown with the rest.

0:24:240:24:27

Have a look at what we've got there. I'll try and work it out.

0:24:270:24:30

And try and remember what we've got there, OK?

0:24:300:24:32

Have a look and see how things have lined up, OK? All right.

0:24:320:24:35

I'm going to try and do this.

0:24:400:24:41

I've never used one of these, we're going.

0:24:410:24:44

While Stephanie faces technical challenges,

0:24:440:24:47

Sabrina has made a mistake.

0:24:470:24:48

Hey, Sabrina. Hey, you all right?

0:24:500:24:51

Yeah, you're missing one of the BRCs off, darling.

0:24:510:24:54

I've missed them all! That one, yes. Are these them? These are the ones.

0:24:540:24:58

Right, OK.

0:24:580:24:59

Sabrina has unfortunately lost control of the process, really.

0:25:010:25:05

She didn't follow the procedure.

0:25:050:25:07

Stephanie was struggling because she forgot how to do the second process.

0:25:070:25:11

In normal production, I would have stopped both of the operators

0:25:110:25:14

from performing and I would have taken them off.

0:25:140:25:17

But let's just see if they can turn it round.

0:25:170:25:19

The workers have just quarter of an hour left to make up for lost time.

0:25:190:25:23

In my 15 minutes,

0:25:230:25:25

I'm going to make the good ones that I can and that's all I can do.

0:25:250:25:28

It's... I'm going to try and master this.

0:25:290:25:33

I've finished this one, I can get at least, minimum two.

0:25:330:25:36

Well done, that's brilliant. Thank you. Perfect.

0:25:370:25:40

OK, workers, that's the job finished!

0:25:470:25:50

Well done. Thank you. All right. Yeah?

0:25:540:25:56

What is it that you're doing that makes you do so well?

0:26:010:26:05

I like this job. I like sorted out things.

0:26:050:26:08

You know, be focused on one thing because I must do it

0:26:080:26:11

and try to do it perfectly.

0:26:110:26:13

Majka was like, da-da-da!

0:26:130:26:16

You were like...

0:26:160:26:17

You were like a robot.

0:26:170:26:19

I'm quite focused. That's the main thing.

0:26:190:26:21

OK, yeah. Where does it come from?

0:26:210:26:23

It's coming from home, from family, yeah.

0:26:230:26:26

I can see the same things for me, because, basically, I grow up to...

0:26:260:26:31

Yeah, with that, as normal. It's what you do normally.

0:26:310:26:34

I would say British people work just as hard as any other nation.

0:26:450:26:49

But the type of work and the type of jobs that we actually go for,

0:26:490:26:53

I think that's a factor.

0:26:530:26:54

'So, have our expectations of the jobs we want to do changed?'

0:26:560:27:00

Are we too comfortable, are we too wealthy?

0:27:000:27:04

Are we too used to just doing jobs

0:27:040:27:06

that involve sitting at an office desk

0:27:060:27:08

and we just don't want to do hard graft?

0:27:080:27:10

I think we've lost an understanding of the importance of manufacturing,

0:27:100:27:15

engineering, making things.

0:27:150:27:17

You know, we've got the celebrity culture,

0:27:170:27:19

we've got people thinking service industries is the only way.

0:27:190:27:23

In my simple analysis, to make money, you got to buy materials,

0:27:230:27:27

make other things and sell those things at a profit.

0:27:270:27:29

And that is, for me, the fundamental wealth creator.

0:27:290:27:32

And we need more wealth creation in this country.

0:27:320:27:35

The workers are heading back to the factory

0:27:360:27:38

where they'll be paid for their shift.

0:27:380:27:40

Another challenging job, you've all worked very hard,

0:27:470:27:50

so I would like to give you your wages. Sabrina.

0:27:500:27:54

The workers have been paid a rate of ?7.35 an hour before tax,

0:27:540:27:59

65p above the pre-April minimum wage.

0:27:590:28:02

Leon? Can I have a job?

0:28:020:28:04

It was to nice get more than the minimum wage.

0:28:050:28:07

I probably didn't deserve it. You know, after the sticker incident.

0:28:070:28:11

But I did make up for it in the second part.

0:28:110:28:13

When I see it today, my payslip, I have been surprised and happy

0:28:130:28:17

because I think that is exactly good money for our work.

0:28:170:28:21

So, who has aptitude for the assembly line?

0:28:280:28:31

Individual productivity data has been collated

0:28:320:28:35

and sent to Mike to analyse.

0:28:350:28:37

A lot of people would think they are very simple tasks,

0:28:370:28:40

but, you know what, there's a lot of skill involved in these jobs.

0:28:400:28:43

This graph shows their productivity

0:28:440:28:46

in terms of reaching expected output.

0:28:460:28:48

The two best workers hit 65% of their targets.

0:28:480:28:52

The people at the top of the leaderboard have showed

0:28:520:28:55

great work attitude, great speed, great dexterity

0:28:550:28:59

and if you bring all that together, it gives you a really great worker.

0:28:590:29:03

The least productive worker really struggled,

0:29:030:29:06

producing only 29% of the target output.

0:29:060:29:10

They just couldn't cope with the consistency and the accuracy

0:29:100:29:14

that was required to do these repetitive tasks.

0:29:140:29:16

HORN BLARES

0:29:270:29:29

Aw! Stephanie.

0:29:340:29:36

'In the low-paid sector, you are a pair of hands.'

0:29:400:29:45

I didn't perform, I wouldn't have expected

0:29:450:29:48

to go back there another day because it wasn't my task.

0:29:480:29:51

When I see the board, I am on first, so I was like, "Wow."

0:29:540:29:58

'I'm happy with that. I think'

0:29:580:30:01

that is the result of my hard work.

0:30:010:30:03

We're now eight days into the experiment

0:30:060:30:08

and the six remaining workers face their next job.

0:30:080:30:11

It's also in manufacturing but this time requires

0:30:110:30:14

a far greater level of skill.

0:30:140:30:16

In this part of our factory,

0:30:160:30:18

the workers will be entering the world of textiles.

0:30:180:30:21

Now, due to global competition from the Far East,

0:30:210:30:24

jobs in this sector have reduced by 80% over the last 30 years.

0:30:240:30:28

At its peak in the 1970s,

0:30:300:30:32

Britain's textile industry employed almost a million people.

0:30:320:30:36

But as international trade barriers came down,

0:30:360:30:39

production moved east to countries where wages are significantly lower.

0:30:390:30:43

Now there are just 100,000 textile jobs left in Britain.

0:30:450:30:49

And with no comparative technological advantage,

0:30:490:30:51

workers compete head-to-head with their foreign counterparts.

0:30:510:30:55

Good morning, everybody.

0:30:550:30:57

You are about to enter the world,

0:30:570:30:59

the globally competitive world, of the rag trade.

0:30:590:31:02

You know how it works.

0:31:040:31:05

The least productive out of you will not be returning to work tomorrow.

0:31:050:31:10

Your next job is through those doors. Good luck to you all.

0:31:100:31:13

Yeah, let's go.

0:31:130:31:14

Oh, no! Oh, my God! No!

0:31:160:31:20

Sewing! It's sewing!

0:31:200:31:22

They'll be making cushion covers from rolls of patterned material...

0:31:320:31:35

Wow! ..and stuffing them with fibre.

0:31:350:31:38

I'm slightly worried about this one. This is a strange one.

0:31:380:31:42

I'll be fine.

0:31:420:31:43

The thing is I just have to have a bit more faith in myself.

0:31:430:31:46

There are three machines to master, an overlocker to hem the fabric...

0:31:460:31:50

That's totally out of my thing.

0:31:500:31:53

..a sewing machine to stitch it together...

0:31:530:31:55

I'm going to be absolutely awful in this.

0:31:550:31:57

..and an industrial filler to stuff the cushions.

0:31:570:32:00

Just slide it into the hole, just go...drrr!

0:32:000:32:02

This is a highly skilled job that can take up to six months to learn.

0:32:020:32:07

I'm a bit nervous. This is probably the most challenging one.

0:32:070:32:10

Each worker has been allocated their own distinct design.

0:32:100:32:14

To be honest, I don't like much cats. I prefer dogs.

0:32:150:32:18

We've got panels. Pull them towards you.

0:32:200:32:23

After cutting out the back and the front of the cushion...

0:32:230:32:26

Follow the lines all the time.

0:32:260:32:27

..they must hem the edges to prevent fraying

0:32:290:32:33

and stitch the two panels together, back to front.

0:32:330:32:36

Going to leave a seven-inch gap in the middle. You guess that yourself.

0:32:370:32:41

Then they must turn the cushion inside out,

0:32:420:32:46

fill with stuffing...

0:32:460:32:47

It's got to be 30 or 31.

0:32:470:32:49

..and last of all, neatly close up the hole.

0:32:500:32:53

Then aside.

0:32:540:32:55

I've never used a sewing machine before. I'm actually a bit nervous.

0:33:020:33:06

They've got just five hours to make as many cushions

0:33:060:33:09

that meet retail standards as they can.

0:33:090:33:12

Picked baking over sewing at school, so...

0:33:120:33:14

I wish I took sewing now.

0:33:140:33:16

And while the workers won't be expected to reach

0:33:170:33:20

industry standards,

0:33:200:33:21

it will be a daunting test of their precision, patience

0:33:210:33:24

and attention to detail.

0:33:240:33:26

Go for it.

0:33:270:33:28

This type of cushion retails in supermarkets for just ?5,

0:33:320:33:36

so profit margins are tight,

0:33:360:33:38

but customers still expect good value for money.

0:33:380:33:41

I do not know how to cut fabric.

0:33:420:33:44

Tony Caldeira runs Britain's biggest cushion producer

0:33:470:33:50

and he and his team of production supervisors are on hand

0:33:500:33:54

to make sure every cushion meets retail standards.

0:33:540:33:57

To be good at this job, you need to be fast and accurate.

0:33:570:34:00

But most of all, you've got to get the quality right,

0:34:000:34:03

so attention to detail

0:34:030:34:04

is really important.

0:34:040:34:05

The only worker who has any previous experience is Majka,

0:34:060:34:09

who trained as a tailor.

0:34:090:34:11

I have experience, only because I finished the school,

0:34:110:34:14

only I don't use a lot.

0:34:140:34:17

But she hasn't worked as a seamstress for over 20 years.

0:34:170:34:20

A little bit stressed now, only I must take deep breath,

0:34:220:34:26

chill out, keep going.

0:34:260:34:27

It's the next bit I'm pretty nervous about.

0:34:300:34:33

26-year-old farm hand Berwyn is first off the cutting table.

0:34:350:34:38

I stitch animals at home, if we've had an accident or anything.

0:34:410:34:45

That seems to be a bit easier than this, to be honest.

0:34:460:34:49

As a child growing up in Wales,

0:34:540:34:56

Berwyn's ambition was to run his own farm.

0:34:560:34:58

I was in an agricultural college, ten miles down the road.

0:34:590:35:03

And I had to leave it and in my second year,

0:35:030:35:06

just to come and work just because my mother passed away.

0:35:060:35:10

We had bills to pay. So, it was really, really hard times.

0:35:100:35:14

One thing we haven't got is a shortage of stone. No, that's good.

0:35:140:35:19

At just 17, Berwyn started working full-time

0:35:200:35:23

as a casual farm labourer for minimum wage.

0:35:230:35:26

Everybody in this area gives him the odd day

0:35:260:35:30

because he's a good lad, because he's an honest lad.

0:35:300:35:34

But Berwyn's future is anything but secure.

0:35:360:35:39

Very uncertain.

0:35:390:35:40

Like tomorrow, I may wake up and there's no work.

0:35:400:35:43

I won't be fussy, I'd go out there and do anything,

0:35:450:35:48

cleaning drains, anything.

0:35:480:35:49

Berwyn grew up in a low-wage household.

0:35:500:35:53

His single mum worked as a seamstress

0:35:530:35:55

in a local clothing factory.

0:35:550:35:57

Every day, the thoughts are in my head, like, you know,

0:35:570:36:00

thinking about my mam.

0:36:000:36:01

'She was a hard, hard working person.'

0:36:010:36:04

She worked all of her life, she had to.

0:36:040:36:07

'I used to see my mum sew stuff, sew our clothes,

0:36:070:36:11

'fill the holes in, put patches on our jeans.'

0:36:110:36:13

But despite having sewing in his blood,

0:36:160:36:19

it appears Berwyn isn't a natural.

0:36:190:36:21

Ah! Look what I've done.

0:36:210:36:24

Look what I've done.

0:36:240:36:25

So, that one's supposed to be...

0:36:280:36:30

For instance, that one's supposed to be like that.

0:36:300:36:32

So, they're inside out, then. Attention to detail.

0:36:350:36:39

And Berwyn's not alone.

0:36:390:36:41

It's like a hanky, isn't it?

0:36:410:36:43

Sabrina is also struggling to make heads or tails of her cushions.

0:36:460:36:50

I've just realised I've done it wrong.

0:36:520:36:54

I've...!

0:36:550:36:57

I've stitched two back to front.

0:36:570:37:00

Wish I'd spent a bit more time with my nannan now.

0:37:000:37:03

I would have benefited!

0:37:030:37:05

Today, more than half the people working in the UK textile industry

0:37:060:37:10

are over 45 years old,

0:37:100:37:12

like machinist Pam, who has decades of experience in the business.

0:37:120:37:17

I've been doing it since I was 15

0:37:170:37:19

and I'm 58 now. Wow.

0:37:190:37:21

So, a very long time.

0:37:210:37:23

So, if someone came to you with no experience and said,

0:37:230:37:26

"I want to learn how to sew," would you guys train them up?

0:37:260:37:28

Thing is these days, there's no training schools.

0:37:280:37:32

Because what happened was they took all the work from here,

0:37:320:37:37

from England, to abroad because it was a lot cheaper.

0:37:370:37:41

So, really, we like to take on experienced people.

0:37:410:37:44

What's your working hours like?

0:37:440:37:46

Monday to Thursday, 8 till 5 and on a Friday, it's 8 to 3:30.

0:37:460:37:52

Minimum wage.

0:37:520:37:53

Do you not get bonus on how many cushions you make?

0:37:530:37:56

Well, if say like you do 90 an hour, it's ?3.30 for 30 cushions,

0:37:560:38:01

and you do 90, you'd be on ?9-odd an hour.

0:38:010:38:04

You have to work very, very hard,

0:38:040:38:06

it's not easy and it is a very skilled job.

0:38:060:38:08

Knowing that they get minimum wage doing this, I don't understand.

0:38:100:38:15

It should be at least above minimum wage.

0:38:150:38:17

The employment trend in the British textile industry

0:38:190:38:22

is slowly reversing,

0:38:220:38:23

with a possible 15,000 new jobs predicted before 2020.

0:38:230:38:28

But although skilled workers are in short supply,

0:38:280:38:31

pay in this sector remains the lowest in British manufacturing.

0:38:310:38:35

Talk to me about the workers.

0:38:350:38:36

Yesterday, they were in a factory doing a very basic job

0:38:360:38:40

and yet they were getting paid more.

0:38:400:38:41

Over ?7 an hour compared to what your workers do,

0:38:410:38:44

which is a skilled job. How is that?

0:38:440:38:47

We are in a globally competitive environment.

0:38:470:38:49

We're competing against countries like China and India

0:38:490:38:52

and Pakistan and Bangladesh, so whereas we want to pay our workers

0:38:520:38:56

as much as we can, our customers want to give their customers

0:38:560:39:00

the best price in the high street.

0:39:000:39:02

That's the reality of manufacturing in this country, isn't it?

0:39:020:39:05

Things are starting to change in the fact that

0:39:050:39:07

a lot of the manufacturing that went abroad is now starting to come back.

0:39:070:39:11

Why is that?

0:39:110:39:12

Chinese prices are now going up much more quickly than prices in the UK.

0:39:120:39:17

So, Britain is getting more competitive

0:39:170:39:19

with every year that goes past.

0:39:190:39:20

Will Britain ever be able to go back to the heyday of manufacturing?

0:39:200:39:24

We're never going to get back to where we had 30% of the UK workforce

0:39:240:39:27

employed in factories and in manufacturing,

0:39:270:39:30

that's never going to happen.

0:39:300:39:31

But I think most consumers out there would rather buy a cushion

0:39:310:39:34

that was made in England than made in India or China.

0:39:340:39:36

Do you think they do? The consumer really cares where it's made?

0:39:360:39:39

Surely what they want

0:39:390:39:40

is the cheapest possible cushion they can get?

0:39:400:39:43

Some people will always want the best price and will want a bargain,

0:39:430:39:45

of course they will, that's human nature.

0:39:450:39:47

But what we need to do is differentiate our product -

0:39:470:39:50

better design, better quality, better service -

0:39:500:39:52

and as a result of that, we can survive

0:39:520:39:54

and not only survive, but we can thrive.

0:39:540:39:56

An hour into their shift.

0:39:580:39:59

32-year-old graphic designer Leon is yet to complete a cushion.

0:40:010:40:06

Another hole. Agh!

0:40:060:40:10

My approach to things, if someone else can do it, I can do it.

0:40:100:40:12

Everybody has the ability to apply themselves well

0:40:120:40:15

and that's what I aim for.

0:40:150:40:17

I'll get there.

0:40:170:40:18

I knew it'd be a slow start, but I'll get there.

0:40:180:40:20

Four years ago, Leon finished a degree in graphic design

0:40:230:40:27

and since graduating, has been working for himself.

0:40:270:40:31

Being a freelance designer, it might sound glamorous.

0:40:310:40:34

But it's not glamorous.

0:40:360:40:38

The hours that I actually put in just to get products finished

0:40:380:40:43

and the pay is not great.

0:40:430:40:45

Last year...

0:40:450:40:47

..it was just over 10,000, ?10,000 last year,

0:40:470:40:50

and that was my first year of freelancing.

0:40:500:40:53

The advantage of being self-employed

0:40:540:40:56

is that it allows Leon to fit work...

0:40:560:40:58

Are you ready?

0:40:580:40:59

..around his parenting responsibilities.

0:40:590:41:02

You know what lessons you got today? Yeah, I've got English.

0:41:030:41:06

And Science, your favourite, isn't it? Yeah, OK.

0:41:060:41:08

When Amani was born, I was 20, or 19, nearly 20.

0:41:100:41:16

As a single father, it was a whole different responsibility.

0:41:160:41:21

You have to change quick.

0:41:210:41:22

It's ready.

0:41:230:41:25

Because I was in work and I would earn money and I could do

0:41:250:41:27

whatever I want with it, I could be out the weekend, do this -

0:41:270:41:30

I didn't want to come home, I don't come home. But that changes.

0:41:300:41:33

What's this?

0:41:330:41:34

What is that? I don't know, can't see it.

0:41:360:41:39

Oh, when I fell over.

0:41:390:41:41

You should have told me. Could have just put it in the wash.

0:41:410:41:44

You know? It's like you actually have a child to look after,

0:41:440:41:47

you have a responsibility.

0:41:470:41:49

I'll make them changes for you...

0:41:490:41:50

Getting his business off the ground has been hard work.

0:41:500:41:53

All right, I'll speak to you later.

0:41:530:41:55

And Leon is all too aware

0:41:550:41:56

of how precarious his financial situation is.

0:41:560:41:59

Things could go wrong tomorrow.

0:41:590:42:01

I might not get a phone call or e-mail saying there's another job.

0:42:010:42:04

And if that happens, then I have to be prepared to go back to work.

0:42:040:42:08

And if it is just a low-paid job, then I'll just have to accept it.

0:42:080:42:12

Whoop!

0:42:140:42:15

But low-paid work comes with its own challenges.

0:42:160:42:19

Each cushion must weigh no more than 31g.

0:42:250:42:28

Which is easier said than done.

0:42:300:42:32

Funny old machine.

0:42:350:42:36

First one done.

0:42:410:42:43

Leon, Stewart, Majka and Berwyn have all finished cushions

0:42:430:42:48

and quality control are checking their work, starting with Berwyn.

0:42:480:42:52

All the seam's showing here.

0:42:520:42:55

There's a hole in it.

0:42:550:42:57

All these first three are all failed.

0:42:570:42:59

Berwyn?

0:43:000:43:01

You need to watch your holes in your cushion. OK.

0:43:030:43:07

If you're on here and you see a hole in it... Go back?

0:43:070:43:10

Go back and do it, don't throw it in your box.

0:43:100:43:13

Just fix it, OK?

0:43:130:43:15

I've always thought that sewing is women's work.

0:43:150:43:18

I'm not being sexist, no,

0:43:180:43:20

but I don't think I have what it takes in this industry.

0:43:200:43:23

Erm, as I say, I'm a farmer.

0:43:240:43:27

As in I don't belong on this machine.

0:43:270:43:30

They've been working for an hour and a half, but Martin and Sabrina

0:43:320:43:35

have yet to finish a cushion.

0:43:350:43:37

I'm struggling. So for example now, I'm not sure how to take it out.

0:43:370:43:41

I think I remember, though, all the instruction, but...

0:43:430:43:47

As you can see, I have been struggling with that.

0:43:480:43:50

I mean, someone has to be on the bottom!

0:43:520:43:54

Oh, Martin.

0:43:560:43:57

No work in the box yet.

0:43:570:43:59

But...

0:43:590:44:01

He's struggling, the poor lad.

0:44:010:44:02

He'll get there.

0:44:020:44:04

Two hours into the shift...

0:44:060:44:08

I don't think anything's coming out of it!

0:44:080:44:11

..and Sabrina is about to finish her first cushion.

0:44:110:44:14

Or maybe not! SHE LAUGHS

0:44:150:44:19

In a bit.

0:44:190:44:20

Press that down with your elbow, when you're holding that.

0:44:210:44:25

How do you get it off?

0:44:270:44:29

I've finished my first one.

0:44:320:44:33

You'd buy that, wouldn't you?

0:44:350:44:37

The first half of their shift is over.

0:44:400:44:42

What matters now is not how many cushions they've made,

0:44:420:44:45

but how many pass quality control.

0:44:450:44:47

HORN BLARES

0:44:510:44:53

The mid-shift results put Sabrina at the bottom of the leaderboard

0:44:580:45:02

and trained tailor Majka at the top.

0:45:020:45:04

I don't have any secret to success.

0:45:050:45:07

Like all my work, I never do the rush.

0:45:070:45:09

I always slow down when I'm nervous, so deep breath and keep going.

0:45:090:45:14

So, I try the best I can.

0:45:140:45:16

She's a professional,

0:45:200:45:21

she can use a sewing machine as well as any of the girls in the factory

0:45:210:45:24

and I'd take her on tomorrow if you give me the chance.

0:45:240:45:27

The way she handles the fabric is just like a professional.

0:45:270:45:30

Hot on Majka's heels in second place is an absolute beginner.

0:45:300:45:35

That's wrong. That's wrong!

0:45:350:45:39

Berwyn made six cushions, two of them passed quality control.

0:45:390:45:43

It really shocks me, that. Absolutely shocks me.

0:45:440:45:46

Obviously, I'm really happy with that, but...

0:45:460:45:49

I know, it's really shocked me.

0:45:520:45:54

As in I thought I'd done very, very poor.

0:45:540:45:57

Over the same time period,

0:45:580:45:59

a professional could produce a 24 perfect cushions.

0:45:590:46:03

Sabrina, Leon and Martin, in joint last place,

0:46:030:46:07

didn't make a single one.

0:46:070:46:08

That doesn't change a thing. The result doesn't change a thing.

0:46:100:46:13

I never give up, I'm Bulgarian.

0:46:140:46:16

Oh, you are kidding me!

0:46:170:46:19

Leon managed to produce five cushions,

0:46:190:46:22

but none passed quality control.

0:46:220:46:26

Well, I have to be more focused.

0:46:260:46:28

We're three people at the bottom.

0:46:280:46:30

With the leaderboard, some people can hack it and some people can't.

0:46:330:46:36

That's just human nature.

0:46:360:46:39

I'm quite a competitive person.

0:46:390:46:41

If you're at the bottom, you need to overcome that somehow.

0:46:410:46:45

Can I do better? All right, let me go and do better, you know.

0:46:450:46:49

Hopefully this one. Hopefully.

0:46:490:46:52

He's got his teeth into it.

0:46:520:46:53

He's picked up the pace, but more importantly,

0:46:530:46:56

he didn't allow himself to be beaten.

0:46:560:46:59

His positive mental attitude carried him through and got him going again.

0:46:590:47:02

While Leon has put his failure behind him,

0:47:040:47:07

coming bottom doesn't sit well with Sabrina.

0:47:070:47:10

I've not made one!

0:47:100:47:12

You're trying your best, you just feel useless, don't you?

0:47:120:47:15

I never want to see a flipping cushion in my life again

0:47:160:47:20

after doing this.

0:47:200:47:22

They've had two hours to get up to speed.

0:47:230:47:25

Now, for the rest of the shift,

0:47:250:47:27

the workers are expected to produce at full capacity.

0:47:270:47:30

Pressure's on!

0:47:310:47:33

To help boost her output of pink cushions,

0:47:330:47:36

Sabrina is getting help from her more experienced co-worker.

0:47:360:47:39

Why the space? Because that's going to be where the thingy is.

0:47:410:47:45

No, you must sew it all together, no left that.

0:47:450:47:49

I've been very upset about Sabrina.

0:47:490:47:51

I kick her, "Sabrina, come on, you can do it, come on."

0:47:510:47:54

Shall I fill this up?

0:47:540:47:56

While Sabrina is happy with the arrangement...

0:47:560:47:59

Keep going, Majka.

0:47:590:48:01

..managing director Tony is not.

0:48:010:48:03

You're not allowed to get anybody else to help you with the cushions.

0:48:050:48:09

I'm not?

0:48:090:48:10

Oh, it's because it's faulty, she's just try to fix it,

0:48:100:48:13

but I've just told her to leave it

0:48:130:48:15

because it's faulty, you can't use it anyway.

0:48:150:48:17

Yeah, it's not going to count. Yeah, don't worry about it.

0:48:170:48:20

You need to be careful.

0:48:200:48:21

I've told her anyway, but she just wants to me carry on

0:48:210:48:24

but I will tell her.

0:48:240:48:25

Majka, he's told me that I'm not allowed to use it,

0:48:300:48:32

you have to put in the bin.

0:48:320:48:34

Never mind. She's just trying to help.

0:48:360:48:38

Final push.

0:48:410:48:43

With just one hour left of the shift,

0:48:450:48:48

Berwyn is displaying all the traits of a model machinist.

0:48:480:48:51

What's good is he's actually thinking about what he's doing.

0:48:530:48:55

He's not just a moving quickly, but he's using his brain.

0:48:550:48:58

I like that, that's good.

0:48:580:49:00

Even though I'm second,

0:49:000:49:02

erm, hopefully, I've got a chance of coming first.

0:49:020:49:07

I'm hoping to beat Majka to the top spot.

0:49:070:49:09

How are you doing?

0:49:130:49:15

See, you had the face on you before and now you're smiling.

0:49:150:49:18

So, have you changed your mind about it?

0:49:180:49:20

Would you do it?

0:49:200:49:21

Yeah, if there was nothing else on the market...

0:49:210:49:24

You'd give it a go? Definitely, definitely.

0:49:240:49:27

Well, that's an improvement.

0:49:270:49:29

While Berwyn is discovering hidden talents...

0:49:290:49:33

I'm not going to stress out over it.

0:49:330:49:35

This is a difficult task for most people to master.

0:49:350:49:37

..fish and chip shop owner Stewart is having no such luck.

0:49:370:49:41

Stewart. Just want to tell you

0:49:410:49:43

both the cushions you've done so far have failed.

0:49:430:49:45

That's sewn the wrong way and that one, you left a hole in it.

0:49:450:49:50

So, just to be careful what you're doing.

0:49:500:49:53

It's better to do them and get some right

0:49:530:49:56

than not have any in your box at the end.

0:49:560:49:58

OK?

0:49:580:49:59

With his restaurant facing an uncertain future,

0:50:010:50:04

Stewart made soon be looking for another job.

0:50:040:50:07

I would never be back on benefits, even if I lost the business.

0:50:070:50:10

I will work and I don't care what it is.

0:50:100:50:14

He's taking part in the experiment to prove

0:50:140:50:16

he has what it takes to get by in low-wage work.

0:50:160:50:19

Today, we work and we work damn hard at any cost.

0:50:190:50:24

Over the past eight days...

0:50:240:50:26

They're too short, some of them!

0:50:260:50:28

..he's shown a steely resolve.

0:50:280:50:30

Walking can get me there before they get there.

0:50:300:50:32

We're particularly impressed with Stewart's work ethic.

0:50:320:50:35

So, we'd also like to keep Stewart.

0:50:350:50:37

I saved Stuart because anybody who is willing to walk through the night

0:50:370:50:41

18 miles, he's such a hard grafter.

0:50:410:50:43

But working in some of the most arduous minimum wage jobs

0:50:430:50:47

is starting to take its toll.

0:50:470:50:49

Shoot me now, Sabrina. Shoot me.

0:50:530:50:55

Go on, Stewart. Keep going.

0:50:570:50:58

I've learned a hell of a lot about how hard all our jobs are.

0:50:590:51:02

And they are extremely difficult.

0:51:020:51:04

The likes of this, to do this for eight hours in a day

0:51:040:51:06

is seriously strenuous work.

0:51:060:51:08

'Manufacturing jobs like these are highly demanding

0:51:110:51:14

'despite their minimum wage pay packet.

0:51:140:51:17

'So, do we want more of these jobs and what are the alternatives?

0:51:170:51:21

'I've come to talk to Ryan Bourne of the Institute of Economic Affairs

0:51:210:51:25

'to see what he thinks.'

0:51:250:51:27

Should we be encouraging manufacturing back to the UK?

0:51:270:51:29

Well, there seems to be this almost fetish for manufacturing -

0:51:290:51:32

you hear it from lots of politicians and individuals

0:51:320:51:35

that we don't make stuff any more,

0:51:350:51:36

and it's just not true.

0:51:360:51:38

We do engage in lots of very high-end manufacturing activities,

0:51:380:51:42

you only have to look at the car sector and the aerospace sector.

0:51:420:51:45

Now, would it be in our interest to try and encourage

0:51:450:51:48

low-level manufacturing to compete with China and countries like that?

0:51:480:51:52

And the answer is unambiguously no.

0:51:520:51:54

These countries can do it in a much more cost-effective way

0:51:540:51:57

and it means that we get much cheaper imports of goods

0:51:570:52:00

from these countries as a result.

0:52:000:52:02

So, what's the alternative?

0:52:020:52:04

Well, many of the things that we're very good at and specialise in

0:52:040:52:07

are going to be in huge demand as China and India develop.

0:52:070:52:10

Financial services is going to be something where there's going to be

0:52:100:52:13

a huge demand for our expertise.

0:52:130:52:15

Things like educational services

0:52:150:52:17

is going to be really important as well.

0:52:170:52:18

So, you think of all of these high-end service sectors

0:52:180:52:21

and these really do seem the areas

0:52:210:52:23

where we have a huge comparative advantage,

0:52:230:52:25

we do this stuff really well and if we stick at it,

0:52:250:52:28

we can really capitalise on that engine of growth

0:52:280:52:31

that's coming from Asia.

0:52:310:52:32

We still have five million people in low-pay jobs, low-skill jobs.

0:52:320:52:38

Are we at risk of having a section of society

0:52:380:52:41

that just are completely losing out and fall through the cracks

0:52:410:52:44

as the rest of us move forward?

0:52:440:52:46

There's losers in any transition period.

0:52:460:52:49

The question from a policy maker's perspective is what do you do

0:52:490:52:53

in order to compensate some of the losers or make sure

0:52:530:52:57

that some of the losers don't fall through the cracks?

0:52:570:52:59

And that requires welfare reform, that requires education reform,

0:52:590:53:03

it means having out-of-work services responsive to people's needs

0:53:030:53:07

and individual community needs and that's all of the stuff

0:53:070:53:10

that politicians are going to need to look at in the next 10-15 years.

0:53:100:53:14

Back at the factory and the workers' experience of the rag trade

0:53:150:53:19

is almost over.

0:53:190:53:20

Bad afternoon at the office.

0:53:230:53:25

That's a fail.

0:53:250:53:26

HORN BLARES

0:53:320:53:33

Oh, Lord!

0:53:330:53:35

Right guys! That's it, job finished.

0:53:350:53:37

Hi, guys.

0:53:490:53:50

You've completed another job, so I'd like to give you your wages.

0:53:500:53:54

Leon? Thanks.

0:53:540:53:56

The workers have been paid the pre-April rate for minimum wage,

0:53:560:54:00

which was ?6.70 before tax.

0:54:000:54:03

'I didn't think there were jobs this complicated paid so low.'

0:54:030:54:07

The effort that goes into it, it's not worth the minimum wage.

0:54:070:54:11

I think it's better to pay minimum wage than not have a job.

0:54:110:54:14

'I would work for minimum wage any day of the week.'

0:54:140:54:17

A job is a job.

0:54:170:54:18

So, which of the workers could cut it in the textile industry

0:54:200:54:23

and who would come apart at the seams?

0:54:230:54:26

Mike is analysing the data from the shop floor to find out.

0:54:260:54:30

The performance of our guys just really demonstrates how tough

0:54:300:54:34

this minimum wage job really is.

0:54:340:54:36

This is a skilled job and, of course,

0:54:360:54:38

it does take time to get up to speed,

0:54:380:54:40

but we didn't expect what we saw today.

0:54:400:54:42

The difference is absolutely shocking.

0:54:420:54:44

In these factory conditions, an experienced worker

0:54:450:54:48

could produce 60 cushions over the five-hour shift.

0:54:480:54:51

Our best worker got a quarter of the way there,

0:54:510:54:55

with 16 cushions passed by quality control.

0:54:550:54:58

The person that surprised me in all of this was Berwyn.

0:54:580:55:00

He finished 12 cushions to the right quality standard.

0:55:000:55:03

That was a real shock.

0:55:030:55:05

Our least productive worker over a five-hour shift

0:55:050:55:08

got just one cushion past quality control.

0:55:080:55:10

HORN BLARES

0:55:120:55:14

Good luck, good luck.

0:55:140:55:15

Oh, never mind.

0:55:270:55:30

I honestly thought you'd caught me.

0:55:300:55:32

'I'm gutted that I'm going, but it's been a brilliant experience.'

0:55:320:55:36

I've learnt that I need to work harder than I actually am

0:55:370:55:41

to make sure that I don't do these sort of jobs

0:55:410:55:43

because I didn't enjoy them, first of all,

0:55:430:55:45

and I don't want to be like those unfortunate people

0:55:450:55:47

on minimum wage and I just want a better future for me

0:55:470:55:50

and my little boy, so I need to work harder at it.

0:55:500:55:53

Oh, I'm going to miss you all.

0:55:550:55:57

We're going to miss you too.

0:55:570:55:58

'I feel really proud for the job what I've done.'

0:56:010:56:04

So, I can't imagine what will be next.

0:56:050:56:08

A little terrified.

0:56:110:56:12

Experienced seamstress Majka may have come top of the leaderboard,

0:56:140:56:17

but novice Berwyn was only four cushions behind her.

0:56:170:56:20

In the beginning of that, I thought I'm going to fail this.

0:56:210:56:25

For some reason, halfway through, I thought, "I'm enjoying this.

0:56:250:56:29

"It's not just a woman's job. I can do this."

0:56:290:56:32

And then knowing that I came second to Majka, what can you say?

0:56:320:56:38

'I'm really, really happy. I think that my mam'

0:56:380:56:41

would be proud seeing what I've done today,

0:56:410:56:44

just because... She'd be laughing.

0:56:440:56:46

Honest to God, she would be laughing.

0:56:460:56:49

Since taking part in the experiment,

0:56:510:56:54

agency chef Stephanie has still not found full-time work.

0:56:540:56:57

But she's hopeful.

0:56:570:56:59

I am so pleased I took part.

0:56:590:57:02

I found I can work on a production line with food,

0:57:020:57:05

I did quite well on that one.

0:57:050:57:07

There must have been a seven or eight tasks

0:57:070:57:09

that I never thought I could do.

0:57:090:57:13

Now I do.

0:57:130:57:15

But her experience of the low-wage sector was not all positive.

0:57:150:57:19

I learned that there were battles that I thought had been fought

0:57:190:57:24

and won back in the '70s

0:57:240:57:27

'about employment rights and protections.

0:57:270:57:31

'They seem to have all just disappeared.

0:57:310:57:35

'It's so sad'

0:57:350:57:36

and I thought it was just in my industry and I see

0:57:360:57:40

that it's everywhere.

0:57:400:57:42

And in Sheffield, Sabrina has found herself an admin job

0:57:430:57:47

at a law firm and at night, she's studying for her law degree.

0:57:470:57:51

It's going to take me about four years,

0:57:510:57:53

four or five years to be fully qualified.

0:57:530:57:57

Because I want Ali to go to university,

0:57:570:57:59

I want him to be the best.

0:57:590:58:01

I don't want him settling for this sort of lifestyle,

0:58:010:58:04

I don't want that for him.

0:58:040:58:05

Next time...

0:58:060:58:08

Now this evening,

0:58:080:58:09

we're going to be working all through the night picking

0:58:090:58:11

and packing some of the world's finest quality fruit and vegetables.

0:58:110:58:15

..stress levels rise.

0:58:150:58:16

Where's my trolley? What have they done with it?

0:58:160:58:18

It's a big mistake.

0:58:180:58:20

As the workers endure the pressure...

0:58:200:58:22

I'm going for a five-minute break, thank you. ..and pain...

0:58:220:58:26

I'm feeling like a BLEEP!

0:58:260:58:27

..of night work...

0:58:270:58:28

A very good cross going on now.

0:58:280:58:30

..in a bid to become the last worker standing.

0:58:300:58:33

HORN BLARES

0:58:330:58:35

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