Are we in trouble because we don't have IT Unions?

Hav3n

Hav3n

New member
Mar 19, 2010
1,849
37
0
GA
Hav3n's Random ass thoughts for today.......

So basically look at this graph.

04reich-graphic-popup.jpg


First off i don't know how accurate this graph is but it is though provoking so...

Couple things strike me.

Seems like today's workers are getting fucked over because they aren't unionized.

White collar workers (aka workers for the service economy which we've become) feel they are 'above' unionization.

Because of this they are getting fucked.


or..............


Was the 70s with rampant government interference in industry, mandated benefits, mandated diversity, and unionization the cause of this split?

I do know that my grandfather's industrial company was put out of business because of the changes above putting a lot of people out of work.

But i really think that IT workers should unionize because they are all working more and more for less and less.

Which is why now days both parents work rather than the single income that used to buy you a house a car and a decent standard of living. Or did we just over leverage ourselves on shit we don't need and so now we need both parents to work so that we have cable and internet and that 10,000 sqft house?

Yes? No?
 


That graph is WAY OFF.

The top 1% in America earned over $340,000... Not +700.
 
I don't know if the graph is off or not but think about this.

In the 60-70s my parents could go to college and pay for it by working part time.

Right now that is impossible to do.


In the 60-70s most adults could buy their own house. Right now most cannot.

Yes I have no actual data to support my argument but look around you.

Also on the productivity thing...people say they worked hard...yeah with letter and calling people on the phone.

Try working now, I get calls on my cell phone 24/7, last week I got a call at 6:00am another day at 7:00am and on Saturday I got called 7 times.

Not to mention that I have to continuously monitor my email no matter what time it is.

So yeah, we work more and make less. Its just how it is.

This is why I am trying to work on my AM stuff. :)
 
wiredniko said:
I don't know if the graph is off or not but think about this.

In the 60-70s my parents could go to college and pay for it by working part time.

Right now that is impossible to do.


In the 60-70s most adults could buy their own house. Right now most cannot.

Yes I have no actual data to support my argument but look around you.

Also on the productivity thing...people say they worked hard...yeah with letter and calling people on the phone.

Try working now, I get calls on my cell phone 24/7, last week I got a call at 6:00am another day at 7:00am and on Saturday I got called 7 times.

Not to mention that I have to continuously monitor my email no matter what time it is.

So yeah, we work more and make less. Its just how it is.

This is why I am trying to work on my AM stuff. :)
Click to expand...


In most of our lifetimes, 95% of what we call work will be replaced by machines.

Essentially, there is going to be a worldwide holocaust in an effort to get the means of production out of the hands of a few people.

So, in a weird way, the unabomber was right. Go figure.
 
Don't forget, about 4 billion people got added to the West's work force in the past few decades. Or at least made readily accessible.

Which brings about the obvious question -- how can you unionize a global work force? One country unionizes, the company just hires from country B instead. No problem.
 
So i think we can agree that automation (10 people painting cars vs 1 person watching 10 machines paint cars) is largely responsible for the increase in productivity per worker?

Does that mean that we deserve less money as the automation is creating capitol in excess of the worth of a worker?

Yet we'll still need to purchase a car with our reduced earnings. So it is easy to see how we got where we are....

So are Unions a solution?
 
Kiopa_Matt said:
Which brings about the obvious question -- how can you unionize a global work force? One country unionizes, the company just hires from country B instead. No problem.
Click to expand...

DanWesson said:
That's what I was going to say. US unions in the IT industry would likely lead to higher unemployment in the US IT sector.

I'm not certain the solution, but I'm pretty confident it's not unions.
Click to expand...

Only buy 'Made in the USA' software? lol.

Needless to say the solution isn't your local Corporate HR office either.

I guess that is why so many people here are self-employed entrepreneurs.
 
144270.strip.gif



For anyone interested in the NYT piece based on the graphic in the OP:

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/04/o...ening-of-the-middle-class.html?pagewanted=all

It is written by Robert Reich. He misconstrues data points to arrive at his conclusions (ala Krugman). Here is an example, followed by a response from Robert Murphy.


[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JTzMqm2TwgE"]The Truth About the Economy - YouTube[/ame]


Murphy's response:

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mXm4j2ORYcg"]The Truth About Robert Reich - YouTube[/ame]


At Hav3n: you're asking a lot of important questions. I haven't the time to address them properly, but will say that unionization is not the solution.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top Bottom