this post was submitted on 19 Sep 2024
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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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There should be no profits, no bonuses, and no dividends until every worker (not employee, it doesn't matter what your relationship with the company is if they benefit from your labour) is making at least a living wage with full benefits. Executive pay should be capped at a multiple of the pay of the lowest paid worker or of the average pay paid to all workers. whichever is lower.
To get anywhere, you must define "living wage" concretely. You can use variables of course, but without at least a 'formula', "living wage" is just a meaningless, unachievable talking point. You at least have to know what you're aiming at, to have any hope of achieving it--you'll never get anywhere just saying "living wage", because 'enough to live on' does not nearly have the same definition for everyone. So, what's the baseline, in your view?
Example: 'the living wage should be enough money to afford [list of things] with $X leftover for discretionary spending/saving.'
The classic definition is the wage needed to cover the basic needs of the family including things like rent, childcare, transportation, etc. I would go one further and say that the family needs to not be living paycheque to paycheque. They should be able to save for the future, go out once in a while, educate their children, save and pay for university, and advance themselves. They should be able to live.