4 ms·

a shortage that's not reflected in the wages for skilled jobs (outside of powerful unions)

by endzone 10y ago

petra 10y ago
I know that in Israel there's shortage in those professions, but the pay isn't good. So maybe it's more complex that simple supply vs demand ?
- endzone 10y ago
  i can't think of any reason why basic economic principles wouldn't apply.
  - petra 10y ago
    Say you have a small factory ,employing 50 older welders doing a risky job at relatively little pay. Say you need 10 more welders - but those guys really don't like risk so they would need a big increase in the salary, maybe 50%-100%. But you know that than the word will get out and the older workers will demand similar salaries. So it's a big jump in total labor-costs per work-unit. And let's not forget - revenue per employee can be quite limited in many places. So maybe paying low is the better state for the business.
    - cortesoft 10y ago
      But demand doesn't come from a single factory... Why isn't another factory poaching those older workers for more pay?
eitland 10y ago
In some places it has been. Man I sometimes wished I had a valid mechanicans or electricians certification during the oil boom here ;-)
- endzone 10y ago
  and now you wouldn't have a job. in the uk, the plumbers/electricians are lucky to make £20/hr.
  - TheOtherHobbes 10y ago
    In the UK, plumbers and electricians can make more than developers do. It depends where they work - London and the SE pay a lot better than the run down cities in the North - and how good their network is. I used to know someone with a well-paid City job who retrained as a plumber. He earns almost as much as he did and is considerably less stressed. The only downside is occasional snobbery.
dozzie 10y ago
Quite the contrary. Welders, carpenters, or heavy equipment operators in my country enjoy a decent pay, yet there is a shortage. For some weird reasons those who studied so sought-after political studies or literature can't be bothered with a job that consists of physical work and doesn't require a degree.

a shortage that's not reflected in the wages for skilled jobs (outside of powerful unions)

by endzone 10y ago

a shortage that's not reflected in the wages for skilled jobs (outside of powerful unions)

petra 10y ago

I know that in Israel there's shortage in those professions, but the pay isn't good. So maybe it's more complex that simple supply vs demand ?

endzone 10y ago
i can't think of any reason why basic economic principles wouldn't apply.
- petra 10y ago
  Say you have a small factory ,employing 50 older welders doing a risky job at relatively little pay. Say you need 10 more welders - but those guys really don't like risk so they would need a big increase in the salary, maybe 50%-100%. But you know that than the word will get out and the older workers will demand similar salaries. So it's a big jump in total labor-costs per work-unit. And let's not forget - revenue per employee can be quite limited in many places. So maybe paying low is the better state for the business.
  - cortesoft 10y ago
    But demand doesn't come from a single factory... Why isn't another factory poaching those older workers for more pay?

eitland 10y ago

In some places it has been. Man I sometimes wished I had a valid mechanicans or electricians certification during the oil boom here ;-)

endzone 10y ago
and now you wouldn't have a job. in the uk, the plumbers/electricians are lucky to make £20/hr.
- TheOtherHobbes 10y ago
  In the UK, plumbers and electricians can make more than developers do. It depends where they work - London and the SE pay a lot better than the run down cities in the North - and how good their network is. I used to know someone with a well-paid City job who retrained as a plumber. He earns almost as much as he did and is considerably less stressed. The only downside is occasional snobbery.

dozzie 10y ago

Quite the contrary. Welders, carpenters, or heavy equipment operators in my country enjoy a decent pay, yet there is a shortage. For some weird reasons those who studied so sought-after political studies or literature can't be bothered with a job that consists of physical work and doesn't require a degree.