Average wages have never gone down since WW2 (stats are readily available), although immigration may be a factor in dampening the growth rate. For most people on HN, everything before WW2 is before your lifetime.
"Average real-terms pay in Britain fell at among the fastest rates for more than two decades at the end of 2022, as public sector pay deals continue to fall behind the private sector during the cost of living crisis.
The Office for National Statistics said wages in real terms declined by 2.6% in the three months to November, among the largest falls in growth since comparable records began in 2001."
The Office for National Statistics said wages in real terms declined by 2.6% in the three months to November, among the largest falls in growth since comparable records began in 2001."
https://www.theguardian.com/business/2023/jan/17/real-terms-...