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Supply and demand. Wages are not proportional to skills or output. Wages are only proportional to power. So a low agency explanation is that supply exceeds de
by hayst4ck 2y ago
Supply and demand.
Wages are not proportional to skills or output. Wages are only proportional to power.
So a low agency explanation is that supply exceeds demand and companies are either tacitly colluding (by flooding the workforce with layoffs to increase negotiating position) or actively colluding (like google and apple did).
A high agency explanation is that collective bargaining via unionization is in decline and people either need to unionize or guild to improve their power, but aren't because that involves putting oneself at risk for the benefit of others.
- runjake 2y agoI figured a high agency explanation would be "what do I need to do in order to stand out above the rest?" I am generally pro-union, but I figure a high agency individual would not want to be lumped into a group whose mean agency is below theirs. In my personal experience, early in my career, I struggled to have my position un-unionized so I could receive fair compensation. Ironically, the union I was trying to leave helped me, because my market rates would have disrupted their pay scales and they figured it was best to negotiate my exit. I would appreciate sensible counterpoints to this.