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>The majority of their employees are unskilled labour. I've never really liked "skilled" and "unskilled" label classifiers because it implies a relationship be

>The majority of their employees are unskilled labour. I've never really liked "skilled" and "unskilled" label classifiers because it implies a relationship between compensation and skill. I'm aware you didn't say this but I see it far too often. I've seen a lot of fairly low compensated work that I know for a fact I can't do. We need to stop dehumanizing people with 'skilled' and 'unskilled' labor. A lot of it just depends on what people choose to do and what demands happen to arise.

ngngngng 7y ago
It's useful. My first few jobs were unskilled labor. Janitorial, food service, department stores. Just getting the job done requires next to no training and certainly no prior experience. It's difficult to push for higher wages or better working conditions when your productivity after 5 years is only 5% more than someone that started a month ago, but that's reality for unskilled work.
kbenson 7y ago
I think that may be a fair critique, as long as there's a better alternative to use. If the distinction is between someone that has done extensive training or preparation for a job, to the point that it requires months or years of experience doing that job or being trained specifically for it, and to a job that essentially anyone can do and they just need a day or so of on-the-job training (if that), what's the better terminology to use? I acknowledge there's a full spectrum between they points (e.g. painting, where anyone can do it, but professional painters have many skills developed over years to make them both more efficient and with a better outcome). Perhaps the problem with the label is that it's being attributed incorrectly? I don't think it's saying the person is unskilled in general, just that the person is unskilled in this job. There are plenty of instances where people that are skilled in one area but unable to find work in that area get a job in another area they are unskilled in to make ends meet, and I think those jobs are generally for unskilled labor. In those cases, they likely are unskilled in the job being done.
FireBeyond 7y ago
Amazon also encourages some of this. Recent radio ads in this region include, as close to word for word as possible. "We are now hiring for X. [Insert some pay, benefit information here]. Apply online. No interview required. Start tomorrow/this week." At that point, you really are looking at 'unskilled' or at least 'not specifically skilled'.
tinus_hn 7y ago
If there is no difference in compensation for skilled and unskilled work, why would people invest in becoming skilled?
- ric2b 7y ago
  There are other factors such as confort, safety, schedule flexibility, interesting work, etc.

ngngngng 7y ago

It's useful. My first few jobs were unskilled labor. Janitorial, food service, department stores. Just getting the job done requires next to no training and certainly no prior experience. It's difficult to push for higher wages or better working conditions when your productivity after 5 years is only 5% more than someone that started a month ago, but that's reality for unskilled work.

kbenson 7y ago

I think that may be a fair critique, as long as there's a better alternative to use. If the distinction is between someone that has done extensive training or preparation for a job, to the point that it requires months or years of experience doing that job or being trained specifically for it, and to a job that essentially anyone can do and they just need a day or so of on-the-job training (if that), what's the better terminology to use? I acknowledge there's a full spectrum between they points (e.g. painting, where anyone can do it, but professional painters have many skills developed over years to make them both more efficient and with a better outcome). Perhaps the problem with the label is that it's being attributed incorrectly? I don't think it's saying the person is unskilled in general, just that the person is unskilled in this job. There are plenty of instances where people that are skilled in one area but unable to find work in that area get a job in another area they are unskilled in to make ends meet, and I think those jobs are generally for unskilled labor. In those cases, they likely are unskilled in the job being done.

FireBeyond 7y ago

Amazon also encourages some of this. Recent radio ads in this region include, as close to word for word as possible. "We are now hiring for X. [Insert some pay, benefit information here]. Apply online. No interview required. Start tomorrow/this week." At that point, you really are looking at 'unskilled' or at least 'not specifically skilled'.

tinus_hn 7y ago

If there is no difference in compensation for skilled and unskilled work, why would people invest in becoming skilled?

ric2b 7y ago
There are other factors such as confort, safety, schedule flexibility, interesting work, etc.