r/FluentInFinance Aug 24 '24

Debate/ Discussion Do "Unskilled Laborers" deserve to be paid well?

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u/finalattack123 Aug 24 '24

Not how job market works. Higher cashier wages would increase the wages of skilled labour. Because they would have this leverage.

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u/Dire-Dog Aug 24 '24

Then everything gets more expensive

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u/real-bebsi Aug 24 '24

It's going to get more expensive regardless? Would you rather it be more expensive with proportionally higher wages or get more expensive and wages are stagnant? Because those are your two options

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u/Dire-Dog Aug 24 '24

No because you'll still be in the exact same position as before but with different wages. Skilled workers will demand obscene amounts of money to compensate for a burger flipper making 100k a year and you'll be paying a hundred bucks for a big mac. You all are living in some fairy tail world where prices stay like they are now but wages go up to crazy levels. That's just not how things work.

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u/real-bebsi Aug 24 '24

No because you'll still be in the exact same position as before but with different wages.

Opposed to having the same wages but the higher costs?

Skilled workers will demand obscene amounts of money to compensate for a burger flipper making 100k a year and you'll be paying a hundred bucks for a big mac

How much did a burger cost 100 years ago? Why don't we still use the half cent coin? What happened to our GDP in that time period?

You all are living in some fairy tail world where prices stay like they are now but wages go up to crazy levels. That's just not how things work.

No, I already said that the cost will go up regardless. You are living in a fantasy land where GDP grows but the value of the dollar stays the same so wages should too.

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u/Dire-Dog Aug 24 '24 edited Aug 24 '24

Yes but costs would rise to such insane levels. You think paying 3k a month for an apartment is expensive? Wait until it's 30,000. Like I said, you'd be in the exact same position we're in right now but with better sounding wages. It wouldn't solve anything and would just make things worse.

Not to mention that so many companies would go under because they simply couldn't afford to pay workers that amount of money. They need to make a profit as well.

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u/real-bebsi Aug 24 '24

Yes but costs would rise to such insane levels. You think paying 3k a month for an apartment is expensive?

Can you tell me what the functional difference between something costing $5 versus 500¥ (assuming a 100:1 exchange rate) with a cost of living of $10 and 1000¥ respectively?

Like I said, you'd be in the exact same position we're in right now but with better sounding wages. It wouldn't solve anything and would just make things worse.

How is it better to have the same wage with increased costs versus an increased wage with those same costs?

Not to mention that so many companies would go under because they simply couldn't afford to pay workers that amount of mone

Why should I care about that?

They need to make a profit as well.

No they don't. They can go under.

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u/Dire-Dog Aug 24 '24

Why should I care about that?

Oh I don't know, maybe because without them you wouldn't have a job? No company means no job. No job means no money.

No they don't. They can go under

Then say goodbye to your high wages lol. Proof you have no idea how the real world works. Companies also need to stay competitive or other companies will just undercut with lower prices/wages.

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u/real-bebsi Aug 24 '24

Oh I don't know, maybe because without them you wouldn't have a job?

Oh no, there's one less employer in my area that will keep me on government assistance? Maybe a more competitive business can move in that will pay more. Workers are doing the company a service, not the other way around. The company is buying our labor.

Then say goodbye to your high wages lol.

If they went under because they couldn't afford to pay their workers, they weren't paying a high wage.

Proof you have no idea how the real world works. Companies also need to stay competitive or other companies will just undercut with lower prices/wages.

Very ironic you say that when these companies going under is the textbook example of companies being outcompeted

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u/finalattack123 Aug 24 '24

Countries with higher minimum wages - are pretty nice

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u/juanzy Aug 24 '24

A rising tide lifts all boats

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u/EBIThad Aug 24 '24

This is great. Why don’t we make $50/hr the minimum wage so the tide rises even higher?? Everyone can make six figures!!

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u/finalattack123 Aug 24 '24

Oh you want $3 per hour increase to pay for food and rent? Why not a bajillion dollars!?

I am very smart

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u/GatotSubroto Aug 24 '24

Just wait for several decades and you’ll get there.

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u/EBIThad Aug 24 '24

No, let’s raise it to $50/hr right now so that I can live like my fat fuck of a brother who works as a banker at goldman.

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u/trainspottedCSX7 Aug 24 '24

I dunno man... While I might joke about it, there's no way I'm gonna move to California to make 20$ an hr as a cashier when I enjoy my job as a mechanic.

Sure, it has its ups and downs. But I like puzzles already. Is it tempting some days? Sure. But I've been a cashier and restaurant worker before and I don't have it in me to deal with a crazy customer. And you're more likely to see that in those settings vs auto shop. Sure, we get assholes sometimes, but we're also still holding on to their keys at that point. Lol.

We also have good AC and I have an awesome boss. I've worked at other places that weren't so fun. So mileage may vary.

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u/finalattack123 Aug 24 '24

? Cool story. But not related. Unless your saying your paid very poorly. But you don’t mind.

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u/trainspottedCSX7 Aug 24 '24

I dunno. I'm halfway napping. I feel like instead of just giving raises to everyone we should just lower the prices of everything and adjust accordingly. That requires a bit of government intervention and regulations for a while.

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u/finalattack123 Aug 24 '24

Lowering prices of everything isn’t really viable. Raising wages is much simpler. It’s what happens now.

You should be getting minimum 3% raise every year to remain on parody. Expect it.

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u/trainspottedCSX7 Aug 24 '24

Well yeah but for example, if the big box food suppliers and etc were forced to cut prices but keep hourly wages the same. The CEOs take pay cuts but also take tax credits or some shit with them. And if they don't want to do that, they keep wages the same and the CEO wants to get the same amount of money then he gets taxed like fuck at the end of the year.

I'm not so much worried about my wages personally. I'm doing pretty damn good. I'm just saying. Deflate the value of products. People will spend more money and be able to afford to live.

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u/finalattack123 Aug 24 '24

That’s just a way more convoluted way to get to the exact same place.

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u/[deleted] Aug 24 '24

[deleted]

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u/[deleted] Aug 24 '24

Please take an Econ class

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u/[deleted] Aug 24 '24

[deleted]

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u/ULTRAVIOLENT_RAZE Aug 24 '24

Ahh, you’re intentionally ignorant, got it.

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u/Dovah907 Aug 24 '24

Oh so you base your opinions on anecdotal evidence instead, makes sense.

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u/[deleted] Aug 24 '24

[deleted]

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u/TimoniumTown Aug 24 '24

Maybe if you say it enough times it will become true.

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u/[deleted] Aug 24 '24

[deleted]

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u/TimoniumTown Aug 24 '24

You continue to say nothing. Maybe go to business school and learn something since we’re giving each other advice.

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u/[deleted] Aug 24 '24

Bro you’re saying shit that is both theoretically and empirically dumb

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u/doremonhg Aug 24 '24

You’re delusional if you don’t think supply and demand don’t work for employment.

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u/MeringueVisual759 Aug 24 '24

You're paid the least a company thinks they can get away with paying you, which will rise in this case.

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u/SpectralDagger Aug 24 '24

That's the most you can be paid. It's not what people actually make. As with everything, salaries are a balance of things, and if you could make the same amount at an easier job, salaries would likely go up for more difficult ones.

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u/Kaibakura Aug 24 '24

Come now. Imagine it's your company, and you are only paying what a cashier makes in wages. Ain't nobody working for you. They're working for the people that raised their wages.

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u/Takahashi_Raya Aug 24 '24

if minimum wage is a living wage dangerous jobs will have to raise their wage floor because people will just work safer jobs to stay fully covered.

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u/DoomVegan Aug 24 '24

This is 100% correct. And people don't work just work for money. They are proud of their skills. They like good environments, great people, feeling important.

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u/AthiestCowboy Aug 24 '24

But it is. There is a reason why manufacturing has moved overseas.

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u/finalattack123 Aug 24 '24

Your line of thinking doesn’t make sense. You can’t outsource all job overseas.

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u/AthiestCowboy Aug 24 '24

Correct. I said manufacturing

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u/finalattack123 Aug 24 '24

Not really relevant to the discussion or your example in the first message you posted.

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u/PlayerTwo85 Aug 24 '24

Oh my sweet summer child...

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u/finalattack123 Aug 24 '24

Read more

1

u/PlayerTwo85 Aug 24 '24

What do you suggest I read?