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I'm in favor of treating workers better as much as anyone, but I'm dubious about claims that European-style pro-worker policies are actually better for the bott

by CamTin 8y ago

I'm in favor of treating workers better as much as anyone, but I'm dubious about claims that European-style pro-worker policies are actually better for the bottom line. The US has higher productivity than most EU states. Given broadly similar capital and infrastructure, it would seem at least some of this gap is due to people being more afraid to lose their jobs in the US than in the EU. Not only that, but couching pro-worker policies in terms of benefits for ownership obscures the issue, and implicitly makes the argument that we should only have pro-worker policies when they are also pro-ownership. That's nonsense, since there are millions and millions of workers and we ostensibly have a democracy.

mnm1 8y ago
Most but not all EU states. And many other EU states are very close to US productivity while they're working less http://time.com/4621185/worker-productivity-countries/ http://time.com/4621185/worker-productivity-countries/ So threatening worker's lives and not having a single day of vacation or sick time are clearly not the reason for higher productivity. They're just there to make people's lives more miserable and continue a culture obsessed with control and enslavement. Anyway, productivity only matters to business owners. Workers couldn't give a shit. They just can't get their concerns addressed because we live in a plutocratic oligarchy which hardly qualifies as a democracy.
- CamTin 8y ago
  Yes, this was exactly my point. We shouldn't care about productivity: we want affordable childcare, as much sick time as a doctor tells us to take, and guaranteed vacations. Making the argument that ownership should give us these things because it will make them richer is a losing game. They should be forced to give us these things because we want them, and we're the ones in charge.
  - mnm1 8y ago
    I totally agree with everything except the part where "we're the ones in charge." Popular support for things like national healthcare and time off hasn't yet made those things happen. As long as representatives take money from the rich, it's dishonest to say that regular people have a say in a republic like ours. By the rich, for the rich is more like it. Even the Supreme Court agrees. What chance does popular support have against billions of dollars spent on corruption... Oops I meant lobbying. Like there's a difference.

by CamTin 8y ago

mnm1 8y ago

Most but not all EU states. And many other EU states are very close to US productivity while they're working less http://time.com/4621185/worker-productivity-countries/ http://time.com/4621185/worker-productivity-countries/ So threatening worker's lives and not having a single day of vacation or sick time are clearly not the reason for higher productivity. They're just there to make people's lives more miserable and continue a culture obsessed with control and enslavement. Anyway, productivity only matters to business owners. Workers couldn't give a shit. They just can't get their concerns addressed because we live in a plutocratic oligarchy which hardly qualifies as a democracy.

CamTin 8y ago
Yes, this was exactly my point. We shouldn't care about productivity: we want affordable childcare, as much sick time as a doctor tells us to take, and guaranteed vacations. Making the argument that ownership should give us these things because it will make them richer is a losing game. They should be forced to give us these things because we want them, and we're the ones in charge.
- mnm1 8y ago
  I totally agree with everything except the part where "we're the ones in charge." Popular support for things like national healthcare and time off hasn't yet made those things happen. As long as representatives take money from the rich, it's dishonest to say that regular people have a say in a republic like ours. By the rich, for the rich is more like it. Even the Supreme Court agrees. What chance does popular support have against billions of dollars spent on corruption... Oops I meant lobbying. Like there's a difference.