this post was submitted on 04 Nov 2023
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Work Reform
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A place to discuss positive changes that can make work more equitable, and to vent about current practices. We are NOT against work; we just want the fruits of our labor to be recognized better.
Our Philosophies:
- All workers must be paid a living wage for their labor.
- Income inequality is the main cause of lower living standards.
- Workers must join together and fight back for what is rightfully theirs.
- We must not be divided and conquered. Workers gain the most when they focus on unifying issues.
Our Goals
- Higher wages for underpaid workers.
- Better worker representation, including but not limited to unions.
- Better and fewer working hours.
- Stimulating a massive wave of worker organizing in the United States and beyond.
- Organizing and supporting political causes and campaigns that put workers first.
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As someone that takes advantage of flextime, this was confusing.
Enthusiastically providing your own labor increases the total supply of labor, leading to wage depression for you and every other worker.
Make business owners pay more for your labor, by making your time valuable to you, for your own life and for improving the lives of others, in family and community, about whom you genuinely care.
That only works once everyone is on board. Until then, you're just refusing extra pay out of principle. Which, I mean, don't let me stop you. I have respect for people who stick to their convictions. But in my current situation, I can't afford not to take extra hours. A labor deficit would be nice, but I don't think we can achieve the results we want by artificially reducing labor supply.
I'm not being pessimistic either, I'm proud of the work laborers around the world have been doing to unionize more industries. If we keep going, we'll all have livable wages with reasonable work schedules.
Yeah, that's the point of it. Since I have nothing better to do on every weekday, I just work more. Then I can fuck off camping for four days while everyone else keeps working all week.
I'm sure there's people out there that enjoy the routine of 5/7 days of the week going to work, but I try to avoid as many days not doing what I want as possible, so I will work excessive hours where possible so they get out of the way and free up my week.
The post is not intending to criticize an irregular work schedule on its merits. Indeed, some occupations require an irregular schedule.
The criticism directs at platforms manipulating workers by obfuscating the structure of exploitation through participation in the gig economy.
Note the text, "Working excessive hours isn't... [just] flex..."
Yeah, I realised that.
My brain was like,
"Working excessive hours isn't the flex(time) you think it is you exploited." And then randomly the word "bastard".
But re-read with my brain set to bad grammar meme setting, I realised it's like,
"Working excessive hours isn't the brag you think it is, you exploited idiot "