this post was submitted on 02 Nov 2023
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Work Reform
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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:
- All workers must be paid a living wage for their labor.
- Income inequality is the main cause of lower living standards.
- Workers must join together and fight back for what is rightfully theirs.
- We must not be divided and conquered. Workers gain the most when they focus on unifying issues.
Our Goals
- Higher wages for underpaid workers.
- Better worker representation, including but not limited to unions.
- Better and fewer working hours.
- Stimulating a massive wave of worker organizing in the United States and beyond.
- Organizing and supporting political causes and campaigns that put workers first.
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No, I don't want to work longer hours. I can literally accomplish the same amount in 4 days as I do in a 5 day work week. What is this obsession with always being more productive anyway? We have improved efficiency and production like 300% (probably more) since the early 1900s, and we are still expected to be wage slaves. That's dog shit corporate bullshit propaganda.
Tbf the working conditions and life conditions have improved enormously since the tge early 1900s. Just remember that the early 1900s was still a Victorian era hellscape in regards to working conditions, with child labor, no rights whatsoever, no protections, 18 hours work days until you dropped dead at 40 if you were lucky.
That being said, the issue is that in many cases production has gone up by 300% since the 90s, with no meaningful change in working conditions, just a reduction in personnel. A change is needed and this 4 day work week movement is a good thing.
Not even a commensurate increase in average remuneration since the 90s
Line go up
The extra productivity just increased profits for the company and raise the stock price for investors. The ability to use less manpower increased profits and stock shares. Slowing pay and benefits advancements for the workers increased profits for the company and shareholders.
Companies don't take the view of all we need to do is break even every year it's about making more and more money every year. The actual people who put the work in to make those profits mean nothing to upper management and the shareholders they are all replaceable.
If the stock market and mega corporations were gone and there were only small regional privately owned companies you would see a huge difference in workers lives.
Probably yes
Right. It's about incentives. I'm not going to work harder for more hours, but offer me more money or less hours and let's talk.
I used to think the same thing. But it turns out, we've all been convinced into being wage slaves our entire lives for jobs that don't really matter.
Funny enough, the least skilled jobs that we found out are the most important during the pandemic are the ones nobody wants to pay well for.
What's even more ironic is that we've been convinced to do all of this while destroying the planet and every ecosystem on it.
One day we'll wake up and be old, and realize we spent our entire life working instead of doing the things that are actually important in life.
You know, that, or the climate will break down, not sure which one will happen first since climate breakdown is happening faster every year.
Speak for yourself. I work as an electrician at a hydropower plant. I suppose you could debate whether my job role matters or not, but if you like that your kettle, TV, phone and everything else that requires electricity works, then I think you'd be hard pushed.
I do agree strongly that some of the worst paid jobs are the most valuable. One of the best things to come out of the pandemic was a big push for unionism and I hope it stays that way.
Unfortunately in our current society, we need to work. I quite like the idea of not being destitute when I reach retirement age. I'd love to spend all my time following my passions but I need to be realistic.
The climate problem is interesting. Some countries are moving towards being CO2 neutral. I hope that others will follow them and it won't be too late.
I'm an aerospace engineer, and my role is critical to the success of our project. Actually, I haven't worked a professional job where that wasn't the case. You're not going to change my mind about how our society is structured. We've all been duped into participating in a system that is pushing us to extinction, and it's insane
I could argue that we'd get by without planes. There are many much more environmentally friendly modes of travel.
Now you tell me how we get by without electricity, especially from sources that are environmentally friendly.
We got by without electricity for thousands of years.
Your being facetious and not arguing in good faith.
We could get by in our modern lives with very little impact to the average persons life with no planes.
I'm not being facetious. And I don't work on planes. We lived without electricity until the early 20th century.
This argument is quite pointless and not really going anywhere