4 ms·

There is nothing wrong with minimum wage regulations, but they aren't enough on their own. What is also needed are strong unions that fight on behalf of the wo

There is nothing wrong with minimum wage regulations, but they aren't enough on their own. What is also needed are strong unions that fight on behalf of the workers to make sure wages are higher than the minimum (plus everything else that unions do for workers).

graemep 3y ago
That only helps those with strong unions. Those with strong unions are often hugely overpaid (train drivers in the UK for example - one reason are trains are expensive). THose in a weaker position with regard to striking (easily replaced, no short term loss or employers who are better off absorbing it, large numbers of small employers rather than one or two big ones...) cannot benefit as much. Laws that treat everyone equally are far better. The best solution would be UBI.
- youngtaff 3y ago
  Who says train drivers are overpaid? Their median salary is £59,000 and considering their responsibilities that seems fine to me Anyone who complains train drivers are overpaid is always free to retrain as one
  - graemep 3y ago
    That is comparable to the lower range of aircraft pilots salaries, which require far more skill and training and far greater responsibility: https://www.prospects.ac.uk/job-profiles/airline-pilot https://www.prospects.ac.uk/job-profiles/airline-pilot it is higher than train drivers are paid in other European countries: https://www.dw.com/en/german-train-drivers-earn-less-than-youd-think/a-18467783 https://www.dw.com/en/german-train-drivers-earn-less-than-yo... It is far more than than a nurse earns. > Anyone who complains train drivers are overpaid is always free to retrain as one And anyone who complains CEOs are over paid is free to become one too, in theory. I do not want to retrain as a train driver, but many people in occupations that are more skilled (such as nursing) would make more money if they did so.
    - MrDresden 3y ago
      It sounds to me that the issue isn't that train drivers are being compensated too much, but rather that nurses and pilots (among many others) are not being compensated enough. They should take a page out of the playbook that the train drivers have been using.
    - youngtaff 3y ago
      > And anyone who complains CEOs are over paid is free to become one too, in theory I think you know that’s a specious argument because in reality it’s far easier to become a train driver than a CEO Yes, UK train drivers might be better paid than most of their European counterparts but we still don’t have enough of them and their representatives have negotiated well Nurses being underpaid doesn’t make train drivers overpaid that’s just Tory politicians talking points

graemep 3y ago

That only helps those with strong unions. Those with strong unions are often hugely overpaid (train drivers in the UK for example - one reason are trains are expensive). THose in a weaker position with regard to striking (easily replaced, no short term loss or employers who are better off absorbing it, large numbers of small employers rather than one or two big ones...) cannot benefit as much. Laws that treat everyone equally are far better. The best solution would be UBI.

youngtaff 3y ago
Who says train drivers are overpaid? Their median salary is £59,000 and considering their responsibilities that seems fine to me Anyone who complains train drivers are overpaid is always free to retrain as one
- graemep 3y ago
  That is comparable to the lower range of aircraft pilots salaries, which require far more skill and training and far greater responsibility: https://www.prospects.ac.uk/job-profiles/airline-pilot https://www.prospects.ac.uk/job-profiles/airline-pilot it is higher than train drivers are paid in other European countries: https://www.dw.com/en/german-train-drivers-earn-less-than-youd-think/a-18467783 https://www.dw.com/en/german-train-drivers-earn-less-than-yo... It is far more than than a nurse earns. > Anyone who complains train drivers are overpaid is always free to retrain as one And anyone who complains CEOs are over paid is free to become one too, in theory. I do not want to retrain as a train driver, but many people in occupations that are more skilled (such as nursing) would make more money if they did so.
  - MrDresden 3y ago
    It sounds to me that the issue isn't that train drivers are being compensated too much, but rather that nurses and pilots (among many others) are not being compensated enough. They should take a page out of the playbook that the train drivers have been using.
  - youngtaff 3y ago
    > And anyone who complains CEOs are over paid is free to become one too, in theory I think you know that’s a specious argument because in reality it’s far easier to become a train driver than a CEO Yes, UK train drivers might be better paid than most of their European counterparts but we still don’t have enough of them and their representatives have negotiated well Nurses being underpaid doesn’t make train drivers overpaid that’s just Tory politicians talking points