4 ms·

This is selling the narrative that enables the continued wealth disparity of EU and UK tech workers. This narrative was bought into (by workers imagine that). F

This is selling the narrative that enables the continued wealth disparity of EU and UK tech workers. This narrative was bought into (by workers imagine that). For all our collective bargaining we've bought into our Stockholm Syndrome enough not to bargain for wage equality. With the salaries US tech workers are earning, healthcare, welfare and childcare benefits don't substantively impact their take-home for it to matter.

itiro 3y ago
Not as true with inflation here though. Anyone tech worker buying a home now needs a bigger down payment or will face a massive mortgage. Add in the inflation of food and hygiene products, a $100-$150k year salary has the buying power of $50k a couple decades ago. The politicians know exactly which screws to turn to prevent the proles from getting too much leverage. It’s been part of the playbook for decades, we were just not honest decades ago: https://www.nytimes.com/1997/02/27/business/job-insecurity-of-workers-is-a-big-factor-in-fed-policy.html https://www.nytimes.com/1997/02/27/business/job-insecurity-o... It’s all sleight of hand. Buying power is being nerfed to spank the kids into compliance.
- emptysongglass 3y ago
  Inflation is much worse in the Eurozone https://www.nasdaq.com/articles/eurozone-inflation-rate:-is-inflation-worse-in-europe-or-the-us#:~:text=Overall%2C%20inflation%20is%20worse%20in,%25%20year-over-year https://www.nasdaq.com/articles/eurozone-inflation-rate:-is-....
benhurmarcel 3y ago
You seem to assume that workers could get higher salaries if only they were angry enough and believed they should get more. It's not the case, you're not going to get offers way above the current local market rate just because you believe that rate is too low.
- emptysongglass 3y ago
  Correct, collective bargaining is "collective" after all and should be the job of our unions who are failing to negotiate on our behalf.
ZeroGravitas 3y ago
Do software developers in the EU do collective bargaining? The UK (possibly influenced heavily by US culture) seems to reject it as something that doesn't apply to them.
- Ekaros 3y ago
  Depends on countries, but Finland certainly either national or local level. Not that the end results are great. But it only sets the bottom and usually people negotiate up from there.

itiro 3y ago

Not as true with inflation here though. Anyone tech worker buying a home now needs a bigger down payment or will face a massive mortgage. Add in the inflation of food and hygiene products, a $100-$150k year salary has the buying power of $50k a couple decades ago. The politicians know exactly which screws to turn to prevent the proles from getting too much leverage. It’s been part of the playbook for decades, we were just not honest decades ago: https://www.nytimes.com/1997/02/27/business/job-insecurity-of-workers-is-a-big-factor-in-fed-policy.html https://www.nytimes.com/1997/02/27/business/job-insecurity-o... It’s all sleight of hand. Buying power is being nerfed to spank the kids into compliance.

emptysongglass 3y ago
Inflation is much worse in the Eurozone https://www.nasdaq.com/articles/eurozone-inflation-rate:-is-inflation-worse-in-europe-or-the-us#:~:text=Overall%2C%20inflation%20is%20worse%20in,%25%20year-over-year https://www.nasdaq.com/articles/eurozone-inflation-rate:-is-....

benhurmarcel 3y ago

You seem to assume that workers could get higher salaries if only they were angry enough and believed they should get more. It's not the case, you're not going to get offers way above the current local market rate just because you believe that rate is too low.

emptysongglass 3y ago
Correct, collective bargaining is "collective" after all and should be the job of our unions who are failing to negotiate on our behalf.

ZeroGravitas 3y ago

Do software developers in the EU do collective bargaining? The UK (possibly influenced heavily by US culture) seems to reject it as something that doesn't apply to them.

Ekaros 3y ago
Depends on countries, but Finland certainly either national or local level. Not that the end results are great. But it only sets the bottom and usually people negotiate up from there.