Minimum wage would be $26 an hour if it had grown in line with productivity

[Gonolz]

Oh good grief. EVERY technological advance throughout history has eliminated the need for some workers. Simple machines allow one person to do the work of many. So why didn't the guy who first paid to put pulleys into his production process pocket the money he saved when he was able to eliminate labor? Pay followed productivity for decades and decades...then suddenly it was divorced. There are people who reaped huge rewards from those productivity gains so just stop pretending otherwise. The important fact is that it WASN'T the workers who remained as had been the case in the past.

So why didn't the guy who first paid to put pulleys into his production process pocket the money he saved when he was able to eliminate labor?

Are you saying that "the guy" didn't actually reap the rewards of those productivity gains? This seems inconsistent with your overall argument.

So what you are saying is that the people who came up with the ideas to increase the productivity are those who received the rewards from the increase in productivity? Hmmm.

The people who do well are those who increase productivity, not those who merely blindly work unskilled labor. How much more productive can a fast food burger flipper become through their own effort?

 

[tarheelbybirth]

The workers who are knowledgeable about those things that have greatly increased productivity (think of those with skills to manage technology, information and people) are doing just fine. Those who have no skills and can only offer unskilled labor are obviously falling behind because there are almost an unlimited number of people with no skills and there are many more productive alternatives to unskilled labor.

Since 1990, real wages for production workers (those are the skilled workers who build the crap we buy) have risen by only 0.1 percent annually for the sector as a whole. In some distressed industries, real wages have actually declined. One government report estimates that there are about 1.2 million temporary workers in manufacturing. Half of these temporary workers, and one-third of all manufacturing production workers, rely on food stamps or other federal assistance programs to make ends meet. (Ramaswamy et al. 2017, 5)

Those production workers were the people who were the middle class but somehow we've bought the story that they don't deserve to share in the productivity gains that have made the CEO class filthy rich. Great idea.

 

[tarheelbybirth]

So why didn't the guy who first paid to put pulleys into his production process pocket the money he saved when he was able to eliminate labor?

Are you saying that "the guy" didn't actually reap the rewards of those productivity gains? This seems inconsistent with your overall argument.

So what you are saying is that the people who came up with the ideas to increase the productivity are those who received the rewards from the increase in productivity? Hmmm.

The people who do well are those who increase productivity, not those who merely blindly work unskilled labor. How much more productive can a fast food burger flipper become through their own effort?

It's amazing to watch your minds work...or not work, actually.

 

[Gonolz]

Since 1990, real wages for production workers (those are the skilled workers who build the crap we buy) have risen by only 0.1 percent annually for the sector as a whole. In some distressed industries, real wages have actually declined. One government report estimates that there are about 1.2 million temporary workers in manufacturing. Half of these temporary workers, and one-third of all manufacturing production workers, rely on food stamps or other federal assistance programs to make ends meet. (Ramaswamy et al. 2017, 5)

Those production workers were the people who were the middle class but somehow we've bought the story that they don't deserve to share in the productivity gains that have made the CEO class filthy rich. Great idea.

I really do want for "production workers" to have higher incomes. The issue is that production workers need to adapt to the new world environment. In the modern world, technology is taking over a lot of the traditional production. We need to help train production workers for the new environment. That is the only way it will make economic sense to pay significantly higher wages. I am all for doing everything we can to improve the skills of workers.

 

[Gonolz]

It's amazing to watch your minds work...or not work, actually.

Ditto. It's easier to hurl insults than actually think.

 

[tarheelbybirth]

I really do want for "production workers" to have higher incomes. The issue is that production workers need to adapt to the new world environment. In the modern world, technology is taking over a lot of the traditional production. We need to help train production workers for the new environment. That is the only way it will make economic sense to pay significantly higher wages. I am all for doing everything we can to improve the skills of workers.

They're production workers. They work in production. Today. THEY'RE the ones implementing the technology. They ARE being trained to work in the "new world environment". Who exactly do you think is doing the "new world environment" production work right now?

And they're NOT making "significantly higher wages" because the profit from the increased productivity from their work is being siphoned off to fuel multi-million dollar salaries and bonuses for the few. And you think that's perfectly ok. So that last sentence you typed...that's kinda complete bullshit.

 

[Gimmered]

Huh, I wonder what happened since the seventies that has led to such an in increase in productivity. 🤔 Maybe it’s those things outside of human capital that helped with productivity increases that also cost money.

When I started my job in 1979 it took 8 people to run the same product that 2 people run now. There's a lot of stupid in this comparison.

 

[UNIowaHawk]

When I started my job in 1979 it took 8 people to run the same product that 2 people run now. There's a lot of stupid in this comparison.

You’re agreeing with me, right?

 

[Gimmered]

You’re agreeing with me, right?

Yes, we use technology now that wouldn't be thought of 42 years ago.

 

[Gonolz]

THEY'RE the ones implementing the technology. Who exactly do you think is doing the "new world environment" production work right now?

The people implementing the technology are those with technology skills. Those are the people doing the new world environment production work right now. People with technology skills are certainly getting good wages now.

I am all for doing everything we can to improve the skills of workers.

So that last sentence you typed...that's kinda complete bullshit.

Your response is complete bullshit. Are you against improving skills of workers to better use technology? You are stuck in the old world. People who have "new world" skills are making good money.

 

[UNIowaHawk]

Yes, we use technology now that wouldn't be thought of 42 years ago.

Ok, thanks. After reading comments by a few others I wasn’t sure.

 

[NewVicHawkeye]

Companies have considered workers replaceable for decades and now the tables are turned. Need workers? Pay more than other employers.