Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
The Chinese recently complete a trans-African country railroad system connecting multiple African nations by rail in just 10 years. American union workers couldn't get a few subway stations fixed in that time frame.
Chinese Slave Labor. Isn't that nice?
I travel the world for my job and a few years ago was in Antigua doing work in their new airport being built by the Chinese gov't. They shipped in dozens of chinese workers from China and had them living on the land in camps with little food and water. I saw these guys working inside the airport all day with ZERO protection equipment (PPE). They would scale 20-30ft up with no ladders or ropes or anything, they had home made bamboo type ladders made onsite.
Pay? They got a small flat fee for living there for 6 months, outside in tents, in the elements then shipped home and a new group brought in.
Yes they do things fast, but just like in Dubai it was built by slave/cheap labor
I travel the world for my job and a few years ago was in Antigua doing work in their new airport being built by the Chinese gov't. They shipped in dozens of chinese workers from China and had them living on the land in camps with little food and water. I saw these guys working inside the airport all day with ZERO protection equipment (PPE). They would scale 20-30ft up with no ladders or ropes or anything, they had home made bamboo type ladders made onsite.
Pay? They got a small flat fee for living there for 6 months, outside in tents, in the elements then shipped home and a new group brought in.
Yes they do things fast, but just like in Dubai it was built by slave/cheap labor
That's purely appalling. Who can compete with that?
I travel the world for my job and a few years ago was in Antigua doing work in their new airport being built by the Chinese gov't. They shipped in dozens of chinese workers from China and had them living on the land in camps with little food and water. I saw these guys working inside the airport all day with ZERO protection equipment (PPE). They would scale 20-30ft up with no ladders or ropes or anything, they had home made bamboo type ladders made onsite.
Pay? They got a small flat fee for living there for 6 months, outside in tents, in the elements then shipped home and a new group brought in.
Yes they do things fast, but just like in Dubai it was built by slave/cheap labor
Not surprised. Typical and disturbing.
Quote:
Originally Posted by NyWriterdude
Chinese contractors are playing an increasing role in US infrastructure. Perhaps Chinese contractors should be used for phases 2-4 of the Second Avenue Subway, as well as other MTA expansion projects. We know for a fact they are serious contenders for the r211.
The only reason the Second Avenue Subway didn't drag on even further is because Cuomo order them to be done by the end of 2016, even if they had to work nights and weekends. So when Albany puts down it's foot and orders the MTA contractors to be done at a certain time, they can do it.
I would say the MTA should go for the best contractor, and not bring nationality in it. If an American contractor wants the job, they need to submit a competitive bid and be able to get the work done in a reasonable time frame and at a reasonable cost. I have no problem going with Chinese contractors if they are able to bring the costs down.
So in essence you support slave labor? I mean really it's next to impossible to compete with the Chinese because the lack of regulations and dirt cheap labor. You like the idea of "reasonable costs" whatever that means but you wouldn't be singing that tune if your job was up against cheap Chinese labor. The Chinese are one of the main reasons that wages have declined in this country. Everyone wants everything CHEAP and no one wants to pay anything, but they all want GREAT salaries. You can't have it both ways. Now I do support lower costs because I think the MTA's costs are bloated, but using cheap labor to do so is a no-no in my book.
So in essence you support slave labor? I mean really it's next to impossible to compete with the Chinese because the lack of regulations and dirt cheap labor. You like the idea of "reasonable costs" whatever that means but you wouldn't be singing that tune if your job was up against cheap Chinese labor. The Chinese are one of the main reasons that wages have declined in this country. Everyone wants everything CHEAP and no one wants to pay anything, but they all want GREAT salaries. You can't have it both ways. Now I do support lower costs because I think the MTA's costs are bloated, but using cheap labor to do so is a no-no in my book.
Oh please you rant and rave about the minimum wage going up to $15 an hour. You should be the last person to complain about cheap labor, given your attitude about the poor and unskilled people. With that said, given that the US has labor laws there's no way Chinese contractors or companies who operate in the US would be allowed to employ people under those conditions. So if they can get good work done at a reasonable price, I have no reason to complain.
So in essence you support slave labor? I mean really it's next to impossible to compete with the Chinese because the lack of regulations and dirt cheap labor. You like the idea of "reasonable costs" whatever that means but you wouldn't be singing that tune if your job was up against cheap Chinese labor. The Chinese are one of the main reasons that wages have declined in this country. Everyone wants everything CHEAP and no one wants to pay anything, but they all want GREAT salaries. You can't have it both ways. Now I do support lower costs because I think the MTA's costs are bloated, but using cheap labor to do so is a no-no in my book.
I support lower costs through market priced labor in this country too. There's no way in hell anyone would earn near six figure wages to do physical labor that 99% of the healthy population can do. Until we have a real market driven labor market we will never ever come close to competing with nations that have. This is what happens when govt rules/regulations distort free markets. In China real skilled labor actually isn't cheap, the engineers that build smart phones etc. can make about 150k USD while unskilled labor earns less than a tenth or that. The US would actually be pretty competitive if we have free markets.
Oh please you rant and rave about the minimum wage going up to $15 an hour. You should be the last person to complain about cheap labor, given your attitude about the poor and unskilled people. With that said, given that the US has labor laws there's no way Chinese contractors or companies who operate in the US would be allowed to employ people under those conditions. So if they can get good work done at a reasonable price, I have no reason to complain.
There's a difference between OVERPAYING people and UNDERPAYING them. Why should unskilled people be overpaid for fast food jobs? $15 to flip a burger is absurd. I've said it before... We have tons of unfilled SKILLED jobs that these people should be working that would pay a good wage. On the other hand, using slave labor is just as egregious. It's preposterous how you try to justify it too.
You're incredibly naïve to think that the Chinese wouldn't try to use slave labor here despite our labor laws.
There's a difference between OVERPAYING people and UNDERPAYING them. Why should unskilled people be overpaid for fast food jobs? $15 to flip a burger is absurd. I've said it before... We have tons of unfilled SKILLED jobs that these people should be working that would pay a good wage. On the other hand, using slave labor is just as egregious. It's preposterous how you try to justify it too.
It's not slave labor when people are willing to do it. The labor market in China and most other countries are market driven. Any poor country with enough brain power can out compete countries with a distorted labor market period.
It's not slave labor when people are willing to do it. The labor market in China and most other countries are market driven. Any poor country with enough brain power can out compete countries with a distorted labor market period.
If these workers are working HERE and not being paid the minimum wage, then it is slave labor. It's that simple.
Quote:
Originally Posted by bumblebyz
I support lower costs through market priced labor in this country too. There's no way in hell anyone would earn near six figure wages to do physical labor that 99% of the healthy population can do. Until we have a real market driven labor market we will never ever come close to competing with nations that have. This is what happens when govt rules/regulations distort free markets. In China real skilled labor actually isn't cheap, the engineers that build smart phones etc. can make about 150k USD while unskilled labor earns less than a tenth or that. The US would actually be pretty competitive if we have free markets.
I support free markets to a degree, but we also have to protect American jobs and interests, just like the Chinese protect Chinese jobs and interests. As Trump said, the Chinese are stealing everything from us and if we don't act they're going to take everything. They've been robbing us blind for years... Currency manipulation, dumping their goods here creating a huge imbalanced trade set up and on and on.
There's a difference between OVERPAYING people and UNDERPAYING them. Why should unskilled people be overpaid for fast food jobs? $15 to flip a burger is absurd. I've said it before... We have tons of unfilled SKILLED jobs that these people should be working that would pay a good wage. On the other hand, using slave labor is just as egregious. It's preposterous how you try to justify it too.
If $15 to "flip" a burger is absurd, then it's equally absurd for you to complain about Chinese labor practices. For the record I eat in ethnic good restaurants all the time because it's cheap.
Given our labor laws and unions, Chinese contractors cannot pay people $15 a day here or something ridiculously low. So it doesn't even fit into the equation here.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
You can't have it both ways. Now I do support lower costs because I think the MTA's costs are bloated, but using cheap labor to do so is a no-no in my book.
