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Sure, just like how coal miners used to spend their paychecks at the company store, and came home to pay rent at the company town. In society, we recognize tha
by wing-_-nuts 4y ago
Sure, just like how coal miners used to spend their paychecks at the company store, and came home to pay rent at the company town.
In society, we recognize that one cannot always have a fully 'consensual' agreement between parties of wildly different levels of power. The only reason this hasn't been extended to corporations is because our political system serves them, not the common man.
- aetherson 4y agoSoftware engineers in historically well-comped roles in the 21st Century: "My commute is exactly like being a 19th Century coal miner in a company town."
- wing-_-nuts 4y agoNo of course not. I just took issue with the idea presented that an agreement between a corporation and worker is always 'consensual and voluntary'. It's not. It never has been. If I disagree with the terms of my employment, me being unemployed is a far higher burden than the company not having one extra worker. To act like the employee and employer are equals in negotiation is laughable.
- wwweston 4y agoIt's good to appreciate the privileges that come with being a well-paid 21st Century knowledge worker. It's also good to appreciate what even a well-paid 21st C knowledge worker has in common with other labor, including coal miners. Solidarity helps achieve goals.
- zx8080 4y agoPretty much the same power balance and probably even worse wealth gap exists in such a socialistic european country like Sweden. Unions do exist there, however they probably do more harm than good for software engineers because they effectively do not allow raising salaries if needed (any rise in every employment contract needs approval by the union).