5 ms·

>No other labour law required. Simple competition sorts it out. We have seen how no labor laws combined with competition works, we get: 80 hour work weeks with

>No other labour law required. Simple competition sorts it out. We have seen how no labor laws combined with competition works, we get: 80 hour work weeks with no over time, no benefits, dangerous work conditions, and even exploitative child labor. There is legitimate use of contractors in lieu of employees, but UBER and gig economy as a whole are very hiring what are clearly employees, under the law, as contractors in order to skirt regulations.

neilwilson 7y ago
Ok. Explain how you can have 80 hour weeks with no overtime when the statutory alternative job in the local area is 35 hours a week, $25 per hour, 9-5 steady work about half a mile away from their house with full health care, pension and sickness cover. How does the 80 hour week person get any labour?
- mises 7y ago
  Potential for growth, probably. I may have more ambition than to make more than $45,500 per year for most of my career. I'd rather make six figures, save, and retire to a comfortable lifestyle. I've worked plenty of 80-hour weeks towards that goal, and I will doubtless work plenty more.
ericmcer 7y ago
I think free market forces would work better if we had a culture that was less work centric. We have created a culture that places high value on work ethic, income, and personal achievement. Those are great things, but they are also great qualities for employers to exploit. If we viewed overworking, putting in 60 hour weeks or doing risky work for more money as something unhealthy and greedy, rather than as commendable, free market forces might work better.
- smallgovt 7y ago
  The class of people who have bandwidth to worry about values like work ethic and personal achievement aren't the ones who are being exploited by employee vs IC misclassification.
  - ericmcer 7y ago
    You obviously have not listened to the numerous songs/tweets/instagram posts about “grinding” if you think valuing work ethic is exclusive to certain classes.

neilwilson 7y ago

Ok. Explain how you can have 80 hour weeks with no overtime when the statutory alternative job in the local area is 35 hours a week, $25 per hour, 9-5 steady work about half a mile away from their house with full health care, pension and sickness cover. How does the 80 hour week person get any labour?

mises 7y ago
Potential for growth, probably. I may have more ambition than to make more than $45,500 per year for most of my career. I'd rather make six figures, save, and retire to a comfortable lifestyle. I've worked plenty of 80-hour weeks towards that goal, and I will doubtless work plenty more.

ericmcer 7y ago

I think free market forces would work better if we had a culture that was less work centric. We have created a culture that places high value on work ethic, income, and personal achievement. Those are great things, but they are also great qualities for employers to exploit. If we viewed overworking, putting in 60 hour weeks or doing risky work for more money as something unhealthy and greedy, rather than as commendable, free market forces might work better.

smallgovt 7y ago
The class of people who have bandwidth to worry about values like work ethic and personal achievement aren't the ones who are being exploited by employee vs IC misclassification.
- ericmcer 7y ago
  You obviously have not listened to the numerous songs/tweets/instagram posts about “grinding” if you think valuing work ethic is exclusive to certain classes.