4 ms·

Inequality in the United States doesn't have to do with capital accumulation and wealth, at least not yet. It has more to do with income inequality and a large

Inequality in the United States doesn't have to do with capital accumulation and wealth, at least not yet. It has more to do with income inequality and a larger share of total income going to the very highest earners. The key driver of this upward distribution of income has been the steep rise in executive compensation. The United States also redistributes far less through taxes than Europe. This leads to a wide gap between the very highest earners—those in the top 1.0% or even top 0.1%—and everyone else, including other high-wage earners.

walshemj 13y ago
But they are not going after the executives are they FWIW a bart train driver makes as much as a googler and after overtime probaly more.
- deleted 13y ago
  [deleted]
- smutticus 13y ago
  I've seen the salaries of BART train drivers and I'm pretty sure you're wrong. That or Googlers don't make as much as I thought. Either way I'm not buying this statement until I see some actual numbers.
  - fennecfoxen 13y ago
    I don't have your numbers, but when you get them, remember that with government workers like BART employees, there's categorically more non-salary compensation - things like defined-benefit pension plans instead of 401(k) contributions getting deducted from your paycheck. Likewise the health-care plans. This is all on top of some of the best job security in the world, too.
    - spikels 13y ago
      As of last strike (mid-2013) the average BART worker make around $130,000 including benefits but not including overtime. Including overtime one train operator made $175,000. And both these number are likely to underestimate future pension and medical costs. http://www.bizjournals.com/sanfrancisco/blog/2013/07/are-bart-workers-taking-us-for-a-ride.html?page=all http://www.bizjournals.com/sanfrancisco/blog/2013/07/are-bar...
    - kyllo 13y ago
      Considering that, my guess is that the drivers are unionized and that it is really, really hard job to get, possibly harder than getting a job as a Google engineer (although for completely different reasons).
  - lotsofmangos 13y ago
    Many Bart drivers appear to be making around $110k http://www.mercurynews.com/salaries/bay-area?Entity=Bay%20Area%20Rapid%20Transit&appSession=92354358778874&RecordID=&PageID=2&PrevPageID=2&CPIpage=50&cbJumpTo=75 http://www.mercurynews.com/salaries/bay-area?Entity=Bay%20Ar... and Google apparently pays an average base salary of ~$125k, and Microsoft at an average of ~$100k. http://www.businessinsider.com/the-worlds-highest-paid-software-engineers-work-for-these-25-companies-2013-4#2-google-pays-its-software-engineers-an-average-base-salary-of-124520-24 http://www.businessinsider.com/the-worlds-highest-paid-softw... http://www.businessinsider.com/the-worlds-highest-paid-software-engineers-work-for-these-25-companies-2013-4#15-microsoft-pays-its-software-engineers-an-average-base-salary-of-103563-11 http://www.businessinsider.com/the-worlds-highest-paid-softw...
  - walshemj 13y ago
    As lotsofmangos has found average is 110k plus OT and a much better FS pension. And in the UK Tube Drivers basic is £60k (plus OT Plus FS pension ) average dev salary in london is £50k (and that includes a lot of high paid city it types)

walshemj 13y ago

But they are not going after the executives are they FWIW a bart train driver makes as much as a googler and after overtime probaly more.

deleted 13y ago
[deleted]
smutticus 13y ago
I've seen the salaries of BART train drivers and I'm pretty sure you're wrong. That or Googlers don't make as much as I thought. Either way I'm not buying this statement until I see some actual numbers.
- fennecfoxen 13y ago
  I don't have your numbers, but when you get them, remember that with government workers like BART employees, there's categorically more non-salary compensation - things like defined-benefit pension plans instead of 401(k) contributions getting deducted from your paycheck. Likewise the health-care plans. This is all on top of some of the best job security in the world, too.
  - spikels 13y ago
    As of last strike (mid-2013) the average BART worker make around $130,000 including benefits but not including overtime. Including overtime one train operator made $175,000. And both these number are likely to underestimate future pension and medical costs. http://www.bizjournals.com/sanfrancisco/blog/2013/07/are-bart-workers-taking-us-for-a-ride.html?page=all http://www.bizjournals.com/sanfrancisco/blog/2013/07/are-bar...
  - kyllo 13y ago
    Considering that, my guess is that the drivers are unionized and that it is really, really hard job to get, possibly harder than getting a job as a Google engineer (although for completely different reasons).
- lotsofmangos 13y ago
  Many Bart drivers appear to be making around $110k http://www.mercurynews.com/salaries/bay-area?Entity=Bay%20Area%20Rapid%20Transit&appSession=92354358778874&RecordID=&PageID=2&PrevPageID=2&CPIpage=50&cbJumpTo=75 http://www.mercurynews.com/salaries/bay-area?Entity=Bay%20Ar... and Google apparently pays an average base salary of ~$125k, and Microsoft at an average of ~$100k. http://www.businessinsider.com/the-worlds-highest-paid-software-engineers-work-for-these-25-companies-2013-4#2-google-pays-its-software-engineers-an-average-base-salary-of-124520-24 http://www.businessinsider.com/the-worlds-highest-paid-softw... http://www.businessinsider.com/the-worlds-highest-paid-software-engineers-work-for-these-25-companies-2013-4#15-microsoft-pays-its-software-engineers-an-average-base-salary-of-103563-11 http://www.businessinsider.com/the-worlds-highest-paid-softw...
- walshemj 13y ago
  As lotsofmangos has found average is 110k plus OT and a much better FS pension. And in the UK Tube Drivers basic is £60k (plus OT Plus FS pension ) average dev salary in london is £50k (and that includes a lot of high paid city it types)