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On the other hand, paying living wages to thousands of unnecessary workers is quite expensive, regardless if they are employees or contractors. Unions work on
by yholio 8y ago
On the other hand, paying living wages to thousands of unnecessary workers is quite expensive, regardless if they are employees or contractors.
Unions work on both goals simultaneously, increasing wages but also providing job security to their base, inserting strong restrictions on who can perform certain labors etc. The more employees, the higher the power of the union, it's not like a competitor could spring up and kill their host.
It's not a white/black issue, laborers need protection but should not use a privileged position in the economy to seek a rent at the expense of everybody else.
- chadlavi 8y agoThis is an agency that still uses fabric-wrapped wire and vacuum tubes. Those people are far from unnecessary. Though I'm sure the MTA will pay billions more in contracts over the next few years to halfway automate a few small parts of their jobs.
- sonar_un 8y agoThe MTA's union has kept unneeded workers employed. One of the main issues is having two people per train employed when almost every other transit system in the world uses only one person per train. On top of this, but actively lobbying against having driverless trains and other cost-saving technologies leaves NYC with the most expensive and antiquated system in the world
- MatekCopatek 8y agoBut isn't this exactly what you're supposed to do in capitalism? Use your privileged position in economy to earn money (by definition at the expense of other people)? Now, I agree that it's not a very moral position, but we don't expect property owners in SF to keep rents reasonable. They should charge as much as they can, that's the only thing that makes sense from a business perspective!
- nine_k 8y ago"Use your privilege to earn money" is feudalism. Capitalism (idealized) is when you use get an advantage by selling superior goods or services, while competing with others, without leveraging any state-given privilege. We need (even) more capitalism in the US, if anything.
- Endy 8y agoThe thing about this is that the MTA and NYC Subway are NOT for-profit businesses. They're part of the public sector and shouldn't be held to a profit motive. Similarly, the Unions connected to City transportation should recognize that the system they're vampirically draining isn't about profit, and working for it should be in the mindset of a public service, not a 'get rich quick' scheme.
- ahje 8y agoThe workers might be working in order to make money though. Making a profit isn't just for businesses.