[LINK] I'm going to throw something out there...

[Craig Sanders]

On Tue, Feb 17, 2004 at 06:27:20PM +1100, Deus Ex Machina wrote:
> Craig Sanders [cas at taz.net.au] wrote:
> > On Tue, Feb 17, 2004 at 10:50:57AM +1100, Deus Ex Machina wrote:
> > 
> > > salaries are returns to employees for the value they generate a business. 
> > 
> > this may be true for CEOs, commission salespeople, stock brokers, and the
> > like but it is NOT true for the vast majority of workers.
> > 
> > salaries (and wages) are compensation for hours of work performed.  simple
> > as that.  $X per hour for Y hours.
> 
> so you get paid to warm seats? not all employes work for a business,
> nevertheless employees need to be producing some value for their employer to
> maintain the relationship. your "hours of work performed" have to create
> value for the employer to an acceptable standard/level to justify the
> compensation paid.  perhaps you are confusing "value" with "cash". not all
> employees as you point out generate cash directly but they are supposed to
> create value in the process flow for the customer. 
> 
> are you creating no value for your employer?

i didn't say that.

my point was that it's not the employee's problem.

it is the employee's valuable time (as well as the skill and actual work they
do) which is being used up, regardless of whether the employer makes a profit
or not - or is the employee supposed to place no value on their time?

the employee doesn't get anything extra if the employer makes a larger profit,
so why (aside from selfish concern over whether the job is going to be there
tomorrow or next week) should the employee give a damn about the employer's
profit.


the employer/employee relationship is not a friendship.  it is inherently
antagonistic because one party (the employer) is attempting to exploit (make a
profit from) the time and labour of another (the employee).



you need to understand that there are two sides to the problem, instead of
just focussing on the employer's side.

in the long run, what it boils down to is this: when employers are
mean-spirited and ungenerous, they can't expect anything better in return from
their employees.  if they started showing some loyalty towards the workers,
they'd get it in return (as those few that do have found out).

craig