At 09:36 PM 1/25/01 +1100, Autarch wrote:
>This is not the situation. I don't know what the situation is in the USA -
>but given comparison to Australia, a laid off manual labourer can't count
>on immediate reemployment. Usually the worker involved is living from
>paycheck to paycheck - and the interval between jobs (given that he can
>find another with a limited skillset) will be a severe difficulty.
The US is currently experiencing record low unemployment - so there are
plenty of jobs to be had. I'll admit to not be up on the state of the
Australian economy, so I can't comment.
> You assume good will on the part of the CEOs - when they have
>no incentive to do such. Operations are moved to lower wage conditions but
>rarely do prices come down.
The Nike example is anecdotal. The prices for a great many manufactured
good produced in developing countries have come much further down.
Besides, you are improperly valuing the Nike sneaker as the sum of its
manufactured parts, without considering the value of Michael Jordan's
endorsement - which accounts for almost all of the value of the sneaker to
the consumer.
> Jobs are not moved to lower wage conditions out
>of any sort of altruism - greed is the common reason.
Who said anything about altruism? I was talking about the invisible hand.
Let me but it a different way - I am not saying that the way the company
arrived at its decision was altruistic. I am saying that the altruistic
decision and the company's decisions are identical.
>So, unless you have a college education you don't deserve a living wage?
>This is a rather extreme position to take.
What's a living wage? There are a great many people in this world
*living* on just dollars a day. The minium wages of the developed world
are almost exorbitant by comparison.
My position is that your wage should be determined in part by your
contribution to society. The value you bring to the market should be the
value you bring home from your market. If you are unskilled, then you are
likely not producing much value, and should expect your work to be valued
as such - minimum wage.
JDG
__________________________________________________________
John D. Giorgis - [EMAIL PROTECTED] - ICQ
#3527685
"Never tiring, never yielding, never finishing, we renew that purpose today:
to make our country more just and generous; to affirm the dignity of
our lives and every life." - George W. Bush Inaugural Address 1/20/01
