4 ms·
In Silicon Valley it seems popular to just start your own company and capture the value that way, but other fields have solved this issue by unionizing.
by jonknee 10y ago
In Silicon Valley it seems popular to just start your own company and capture the value that way, but other fields have solved this issue by unionizing.
- hnal943 10y agoUnions do not have a good history of preserving value, at least not in the USA.
- hiou 10y agoThen why are developers outside of the higher pay tiers paid about the same as a unionized UPS driver?
- jonknee 10y agoThere are certainly problems with unions, but they have definitely succeeded in raising pay for their members.
- hnal943 10y agoThose that still have jobs. Employers commonly reduce the number of jobs available when those jobs become more expensive.
- deleted 10y ago[deleted]
- hx87 10y agoHigh level executives at large corporations are a small enough group with enough common interests that they might as well constitute a union, and they have an exemplary record of preserving value for themselves.
- jonknee 10y agoSame for athletes, the MLB Players Union has been extraordinary in preserving value for its members (guaranteed contracts!).
- hnal943 10y agoHow's the UAW doing? Is it possible that there are factors outside of unionization that affect how these workers are paid?
- jonknee 10y agoYou'd have to poll their members, but I would suspect they are pretty happy. They are well paid, are not allowed to be worked around the clock like Silicon Valley programmers and have a known career path. For blue collar work it's about as good as it gets. > Is it possible that there are factors outside of unionization that affect how these workers are paid? Of course, there are tons of variables. But it's a fact that unionized workers make more than non-unionized workers in the same jobs, that unionized workers are much more likely to have health insurance, that unionized workers are much more likely to have paid vacation and sick time, etc etc.
- hnal943 10y agoIt's silly to point to a cohort of high-skilled non-union workers that are highly paid and claim that is an argument for the unionization of high-skilled workers.
- hx87 10y agoI'm not arguing for unionization here, although it does have its advantages; I'm arguing that: 1) Unionization is easier and more effective when defection is difficult (or impossible, as in some German unions) and heavily punished. As soon as defection pays off, it loses its value. 2) The set of high level executives at large corporations is small and cliquish enough that it is a de facto union, since they can convince boards to bid up each other's prices and punish/shun those who offer their services at lower prices.
- bcheung 10y agoUnions typically only exist when there is a huge supply chasing fewer jobs. With tech it's the other way around.
- walshemj 10y agoThe AMA and the BMA in the UK would beg to differ
- serge2k 10y ago> other fields have solved this issue by unionizing careful with the "U word" around here. We don't need no stinkin unions, or any sort of professional association. I mean sure we don't get OT and too frequently get asked to be in a hellish oncall rotation or some 80 hour a week death march. We like it that way and we don't want to do anything to change it!
- jonknee 10y ago... Because those stock options are going to make me rich!
- eru 10y agoJust say No. If they fire you, just change companies. No need to accept these conditions. Eg Google and Facebook are always hiring and treat their employees better than that. (And I don't really see why I would want to join an organization and throw in my lot with people who are not smart enough to take above remedy.)