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Quote: stinkingliberal

No, not a direct correlation. Increased company profits are NOT always demonstrably accompanied by an increase in employee wages. If a direct correlation existed, wages would change every time profits changed (up or down).

There is a very weak positive correlation between profits and wages in that a profitable firm will survive longer than an unprofitable firm and thus, be more likely to increase its employees' wages. But that's all.

For all the things the rightwing complains about, the idea of people getting paid more when their company does better is hardly charity.

But I bet 2 cents someone will call it theft if you told them it was mandatory to do so.

Quote: buzzardknot

I had a friend who said if he had a business he would only hired women. Especially over 40. Married or single, they marry the job.\First grievance I had was from IOC International Operator Center in Lakewood, CO. Women 1st line supervisors had suspended a girl for being chronically almost tardy.

That's right. She would sit out in hallway, reading a book. at 20 second to 8, she would close the book and then walk to her position in time to plug in at 1 or 2 seconds till 8 am.

That is a tough one. On one hand, she starts at 8 she starts at 8. OTOH, I have lived in call center hell and it is both formally and informally understood that you have to be 100% ready to go at your start time. This in effect meant you had to be there 5-10 minutes before to be sure your computer was fired up and everything logged in, which took a few minutes.

In a union situation you would have to look at the contract. In a union-free situation you would have to look at the policy. Though the supervisor should have discussed it with the woman. Sounds like there was a touch of queen bee syndrome going on.

Quote: rxwine

For all the things the rightwing complains about, the idea of people getting paid more when their company does better is hardly charity.

But I bet 2 cents someone will call it theft if you told them it was mandatory to do so.

Not theft but socialism.

UAW workers get a nice bonus when profits are good. Of course if workers want this then they need to accept a lower base wage. Most will not want to make the trade. The average person prefers security and low variance to reward for risk.

Quote: AZDuffman

. OTOH, I have lived in call center hell and it is both formally and informally understood that you have to be 100% ready to go at your start time. This in effect meant you had to be there 5-10 minutes before to be sure your computer was fired up and everything logged in, which took a few minutes.

I work a call center related job but from my home office
I get 5 min to log into the system and get the software set up.
Its fair, takes 5 min, company gives you 5 min

I can actually be fired for working on personal time.
Its a huge no no in a company where everybody works from home
I actually had to sign something stating that I understand that if I work on personal time, I can lose my job
If I work late due to a call, have to log it in and then I get to come in the next day late so it equals out

Quote: rxwine

You think the kids at your local McDonalds' all get a bonus when their local store has a good month?

Does the franchise owner pay extra for hamburger or give the local utility more for their electricity also? Its the exact same thing.

Quote: stinkingliberal

Wrong. Don't confuse cost and worth. And don't misspell "its."

The worth of a good with no intrinsic value is indeed its market price/cost. However, a worker's production, or a cheeseburger, or a pencil, or a 2017 Lexus all have some intrinsic value, so their price/cost is not solely a function of the market.

Your statement makes no sense. What is "a good with no intrinsic value"? No one is confusing cost and worth.

Quote: pew

Quote: stinkingliberal

Wrong. Don't confuse cost and worth. And don't misspell "its."

The worth of a good with no intrinsic value is indeed its market price/cost. However, a worker's production, or a cheeseburger, or a pencil, or a 2017 Lexus all have some intrinsic value, so their price/cost is not solely a function of the market.

Your statement makes no sense. What is "a good with no intrinsic value"? No one is confusing cost and worth.

A commodity or generic product could have little to no intrinsic value. But intrinsic value differes by the consumer. A pair of tennis shoes is fairly generic to me. As long as they fit well I have very little if any brand loyalty. But to some people Air Jordan shoes have high enough intrinsic value to pay over market price; sleep out; or riot over.

Quote: rxwine

I'm not much interested in communism, or socialism (except for socialism on a somewhat limited basis) but I'd opt for a Constitution that wrote in profit sharing in some form as everyone's constitutional right.

The thing there is companies would find ways around it.

The main problem seems to be that in business there's a very strong drive to reduce costs or to keep them low. This makes the low-hanging, obvious, fruit like wages the preferred target.

A few privately held companies might pay above market wages, but publicly held companies answer to share holders who will insist otherwise.

Yet, at some point you figure the owners, share holders included, are making enough and could spread the profits around more. As Steve Jobs once said, his aim in life wasn't to be the richest guy in the cemetery.

This happens indirectly, sort of, when high profits make for a surplus of capital and credit costs come down, making people on the lower rungs of the earnings ladder more able to borrow money. But that has its own set of problems (all solutions come with their sets of problems, BTW).

Quote: pew

Does the franchise owner pay extra for hamburger or give the local utility more for their electricity also? Its the exact same thing.

Just glad I don't associate with anyone who compares employees to hamburger.

Quote: rxwine

Just glad I don't associate with anyone who compares employees to hamburger.

Why? Both are an input and a cost.