4 ms·
> Free-market fanatics see this all as a good thing but I'm really not happy with this rapid return to piece-work, which was outlawed in favor of hourly rates a
by patrickaljord 7y ago
> Free-market fanatics see this all as a good thing but I'm really not happy with this rapid return to piece-work, which was outlawed in favor of hourly rates and minimum wages.
Piece work is making a comeback because of the failure of the alternatives. Insisting that we should keep on with the same rigide system despite its obvious failing is the real fanaticism here. Doesn't mean piece work should be the norm, it just means both have their place and completely outlawing one or the other seem like a big mistake. None of these two are going away as they are both needed.
- rhizome 7y agoThe fanaticism is in employers hunting for ways not to pay for any time not directly coupled to revenue. With gig work, this is tracked down to the millisecond.
- patrickaljord 7y agoOnly employers who have very low skilled workers do so, for two reasons, one is that skilled workers have more power to negotiate better deals, the other reason is that these gig companies operate on thin margins, in fact most of them operate on loss so every dime that can be saved is worth it. They only survive because they are subsidized by billionaires investors. Eventually most of them will either go bankrupt or find a way out of their loss at which point they will be able to increase their workers salaries (as it is a good thing for productivity and attract more talents). There's a lot of animosity against "evil employers" or "lazy workers" but it usually is a bit more complex than these simple dichotomies.
- rhizome 7y agomost of them operate on loss so every dime that can be saved is worth it This is the oddest definition of viability I've ever seen.
- thatoneuser 7y agoPiece work is clearly a failing system. At least as far as wanting our citizens to be able to do honest work for honest money.