this post was submitted on 31 May 2026
1831 points (99.2% liked)

Work Reform

16458 readers
219 users here now

A place to discuss positive changes that can make work more equitable, and to vent about current practices. We are NOT against work; we just want the fruits of our labor to be recognized better.

Our Philosophies:

Our Goals

founded 3 years ago
MODERATORS
 
you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments
[–] Bamboodpanda@lemmy.world 24 points 2 days ago (1 children)

If fast-food workers began earning wages comparable to electricians, I wouldn't necessarily expect electricians to become poorer. I'd expect employers who depend on skilled labor to increase compensation to remain competitive. The question then becomes whether those higher labor costs come from reduced profits, increased prices, greater productivity, or some combination of all three.

Anyway, it is better for all workers.

[–] lime@feddit.nu -3 points 2 days ago (1 children)

what you'd actually see is increased unemployment, because that's the most effective regulator of salaries. the system requires a mass of people without jobs in order to balance itself.

[–] Amir@lemmy.ml 2 points 1 day ago (1 children)

the system requires a mass of people without jobs in order to balance itself.

I don't know where you got this idea, it seems more like the system requires desperate people and lack of jobs does help in causing that. However, fuck the system

[–] lime@feddit.nu 2 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago)

it's pretty simple; given offers of two identical jobs with different benefits, you'd pick the better one. if there isn't enough people to fill all open positions, employers need to compete by raising benefits. in short, price follows demand. the more people that are looking for jobs, the lower employers can push salaries and still hire someone.

when neolibs campaign on how "everyone should have a job" and use that as an excuse to cut unemployment benefits, that's them trying to distract from the fact that unemployment is necessary for the system they built to function. as unemployment approaches zero, salaries approach infinity.

so yeah, fuck that system.