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It goes both ways too, you can have corrupt/incompetent CEOs and corrupt/incompetent middle managers and line workers. The occasional rotten eggs shouldn't be what is used as a barometer to set wages.
There are certainly some bad CEOs--- just like there are bad worker bee workers. There are also CEOs you will never hear a word about because they are invested in their jobs and doing the right thing by the company. It is a blanket statement-- not everyone in senior leadership is some pirate looking to take over every bit of money that comes.
For those that are just trying to do a good job, keep the company going, keep employees content, keep customers content, keep shareholders content, etc-- those guys do deserve their compensation and golden parachute. At your level-- you have a reasonable expectation to find a job post terminating from a company-- the higher you are in a company-- the more difficult it is to just find a new job.
Personally, I have never aspired to be at that level-- I can't fathom the endless stress, the endless being on the job. It is NOT for the faint of heart. Not to mention the sheer amount of responsibility.
What strikes me is how much more the average CEO makes here vs. in other countries. Something like 400+ times their average worker salary here in the US. I know in Japan, one major airline CEO (I believe it was for ANA) makes less in total compensation than their pilots and even takes public transit to work.
I have some hope that as oil prices go up (and stay up, that's just a fact) that the cost of manufacturing stuff halfway around the world will go up to an unacceptable level, and it will make more sense to manufacture it closer to U.S. home.
I do think the oil thing is coming, and it won't be temporary.
I have some hope that as oil prices go up (and stay up, that's just a fact) that the cost of manufacturing stuff halfway around the world will go up to an unacceptable level, and it will make more sense to manufacture it closer to U.S. home.
I do think the oil thing is coming, and it won't be temporary.
Very logical and I agree with you. It's something that I'm expecting to be struggling with in my department's travel budget by the end of the year. In the business I'm in, regular face-to-face meetings with customers are crucial, and with a customer base scattered throughout the country, the cost of getting business development/sales people to those meetings is going to skyrocket. There's just so much you can do to keep travel costs down.
Some of our sales staff probably isn't going to be happy about it, but for those who work in regions where they need to fly and rent a car, I'll probably have to start requiring them to lengthen their sales trips to see more customers on the same plane ticket. It's going to get more and more difficult to justify a weekly two or three day trip on a single ticket when they can go every other week and spend five days on one ticket.
Very logical and I agree with you. It's something that I'm expecting to be struggling with in my department's travel budget by the end of the year. In the business I'm in, regular face-to-face meetings with customers are crucial, and with a customer base scattered throughout the country, the cost of getting business development/sales people to those meetings is going to skyrocket. There's just so much you can do to keep travel costs down.
Some of our sales staff probably isn't going to be happy about it, but for those who work in regions where they need to fly and rent a car, I'll probably have to start requiring them to lengthen their sales trips to see more customers on the same plane ticket. It's going to get more and more difficult to justify a weekly two or three day trip on a single ticket when they can go every other week and spend five days on one ticket.
Ironically-- in my line of work-- our business is spread across Europe, North Africa, US, and east asia.
We have leveraged many cost savings to prevent travel such as video conferencing, smart white boards, etc-- however-- at the end of the day it sometimes pays to get people all in a room together to work it out. They look at the relevant parties and see where the biggest impact to spending is-- in a few weeks, I will be going over to europe-- since there are far less Americans who are on this portion of the project than folks from Europe and North Africa.
To Ms. "VP" and the rest of you that don't understand the big picture of a living wage
$10 per hour is not a living wage anywhere anymore. That can barely put a roof over someone's head.
Autoworkers make too much? Tell that to Toyota then. That's a non-union, foreign, auto manufacturer that has a plant in Georgetown, KY and another plant 45 mins north of my small hometown here in KY in Princeton, IN that employs many people from my hometown as well as people in about an hour in all directions. The people there earn between $20 and $40 per hour to work on the line and there is no Union enforcing that. Why on earth would Toyota do such a thing? Probably the same reason the Nissan plant in Smyrna, TN does it. THEY UNDERSTAND THE NEED FOR THEIR EMPLOYEES TO BE ABLE TO NOT ONLY PAY THEIR BASIC LIVING EXPENSES BUT ALSO BE ABLE TO BUY THE VERY PRODUCTS THEY PRODUCE.
Imagine if nobody in the US could afford to buy the products that were produced for them to consume. Eventually, it might take a while, but there would be no need for executives because there would be no organization left for them to lead, well "lead" (I come from the military so I snicker when civilians use the word leadership).
$10 per hour is not a living wage anywhere anymore. That can barely put a roof over someone's head.
Wrong answer. It's very much a living wage to those who live a modest life. Around here you can rent a 3BR house for $1000 a month. With two housemates it works to about $500 a month including utilities. How can someone making $20K a year not be able to afford $500 a month rent? They would still be able to afford a modest pre-owned late model car and have beer money for Friday night.
Quote:
Autoworkers make too much? Tell that to Toyota then. That's a non-union, foreign, auto manufacturer that has a plant in Georgetown, KY and another plant 45 mins north of my small hometown here in KY in Princeton, IN that employs many people from my hometown as well as people in about an hour in all directions. The people there earn between $20 and $40 per hour to work on the line and there is no Union enforcing that. Why on earth would Toyota do such a thing? Probably the same reason the Nissan plant in Smyrna, TN does it. THEY UNDERSTAND THE NEED FOR THEIR EMPLOYEES TO BE ABLE TO NOT ONLY PAY THEIR BASIC LIVING EXPENSES BUT ALSO BE ABLE TO BUY THE VERY PRODUCTS THEY PRODUCE.
Imagine if nobody in the US could afford to buy the products that were produced for them to consume. Eventually, it might take a while, but there would be no need for executives because there would be no organization left for them to lead, well "lead" (I come from the military so I snicker when civilians use the word leadership).
Your logic is flawed. There are plenty of people making enough to afford products. They are SKILLED workers with experience and/or education to back up their wages. They do more then push a button or pack cartons. Are you trying to tell me that unskilled workers should make $40 an hour? be prepared to pay $16 for that Big Mac. Look at what happened to teh USSR when they tried a pure socialist economy where doctors made the same as toilet cleaners. It led to a catastrophic failure.
$10 per hour is not a living wage anywhere anymore. That can barely put a roof over someone's head.
Don't be silly, you're equating "living" with having your own place and that shouldn't be a guaranteed right. Rent a room, get a couple roommates, drive a beater car, cook your own meals etc. one can certainly live on that wage there are probably hundreds of thousands of college students doing it right now.
Here in Phoenix you can rent a room in a suburban house for about $500/month including utilities. You can split an $800/month 2BR apartment with someone. Hell get four people renting a 4BR house you can come in between $300-$400 month each.
Would the two high and mighty posters accept $10/hr today?
That's $1600 per month before taxes.
$19,200 per year before taxes.
Not a modest, a garbage, in the wrong part of town one bedroom apartment for $500 equates to $6000 per year in rent.
That leaves you with $13,200 disposable income.
Car to get to work (can't get a job if you ride the bus) $250 per month. $3,000 per year.
Balance of $10,200 disposable income, all before taxes of course.
Insurance for said car, since you owe money you have to have full coverage. Lets assume here you served your country or maybe your parents did so you have USAA, have had no accidents, no tickets, and are over 25. Insurance is $80 per month. That comes to $960 for the year.
Balance is $9240.
Utilities for said apartment are $100 per month average. $1200 per year.
Balance is now $8040.
Lets say you have no cable or internet but at least some sort of phone at $100 per month. $1200 per year.
$6840 disposable income so far now.
$200 per month for groceries so you don't have to eat out. $2400 per year.
$4440 is the ending balance so far.
$100 per month in gas so you can get to and from work. $1200 per year.
$3240 disposable income.
$200 maintenance per year on that vehicle you own at a minimum, assuming nothing bad happens.
$3040 disposable income.
$20 per month clothing allowance so you can appear professional at work $240 per year.
$2800 disposable income before taxes.
Now lets assume 30% for taxes
Disposable income balance of $1960. That's what you have left over now to invest in your future, put back into the economy, or cover any incidentals.
I could do this, but I'm also single. What if you are married and have one child. Assume your spouse works for the same wage and all of their wages goes to daycare expenses. It's kind of scary now for me to think about it.
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To Ms. "VP" and the rest of you that don't understand the big picture of a living wage
