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Automation and the minimum wage rate:
The wage rates of the poorest national economies have the least purchasing powers. Automation is not justified when human labor is available, can accomplish the tasks just as well, and at costs that do not exceed automation’s costs. Unsurprisingly, the poorest nations are the slowest to adopt advances in automation.
Automation is justified when it can produce consistently better products and/or products at lesser costs. Automation has always been to our nation’s net benefit.
To argue against higher wages because they encourage automation, is to argue in favor of poverty.
Presenter: Good evening. Tonight is indeed a unique occasion in the history of television. We are very privileged, and deeply honoured to have with us in the studio, Karl Marx, founder of modern socialism, and author of the 'Communist Manifesto'. (Karl Marx is sitting at a desk; he nods) Vladimir Ilich Ulyanov, better known to the world as Lenin, leader of the Russian Revolution, writer, statesman, and father of modern communism. (shot of Lenin also at desk; he nods) Che Guevara, the Cuban guerrilla leader. (shot of Guevara) And Mao Tse-tung, leader of the Chinese Communist Party since 1949. (shot of Mao; the presenter picks up a card) And the first question is for you, Karl Marx. The Hammers - The Hammers is the nickname of what English football team? 'The Hammers? (shot of Karl Marx furrowing his brow- obviously he hasn't a clue) No? Well bad luck there, Karl. So we'll go onto you Che. Che Guevara - Coventry City last won the FA Cup in what year? (cut to Che looking equally dumbfounded) No? I'll throw it open. Coventry City last won the FA Cup in what year? (they all look blank) No? Well, I'm not surprised you didn't get that. It was in fact a trick question. Coventry City have never won the FA Cup. So with the scores all equal now we go onto our second round, and Lenin it's your starter for ten. Teddy Johnson and Pearl Carr won the Eurovision Song Contest in 1959. What was the name of the song? ... Teddy Johnson and Pearl Carr's song in the 1959 Eurovision Song Contest? Anybody? (buzzer goes as in 'University Challenge'.' zoom in on Mao Tse-tung) Yes, Mao Tse-tung?
Mao Tse-tung: 'Sing Little Birdie'?
Presenter: Yes it was indeed. Well challenged. (applause) Well now we come on to our special gift section. The contestant is Karl Marx and the prize this week is a beautiful lounge suite. (curtains behind the presenter sweep open to reveal a beautiful lounge suite; terrific audience applause; Karl comes out and stands in front of this display) Now Karl has elected to answer questions on the workers control of factories so here we go with question number one. Are you nervous? (Karl nods his head; the presenter reads from a card) The development of the industrial proletariat is conditioned by what other development?
Karl: The development of the industrial bourgeoisie.
(applause)
Presenter: Yes, yes, it is indeed. You're on your way to the lounge suite, Karl. Question number two. The struggle of class against class is a what struggle? A what struggle?
Karl: A political struggle.
(Tumultuous applause.)
Presenter: Yes, yes! One final question Karl and the beautiful lounge suite will be yours... Are you going to have a go? (Karl nods) You're a brave man. Karl Marx, your final question, who won the Cup Final in 1949?
Karl: The workers' control of the means of production? The struggle of the urban proletariat?
Presenter: No. It was in fact, Wolverhampton Wanderers who beat Leicester 3-1.
(Cut to stock film of goal bring scored in a big football match. Roar from crowd. Stock footage of football crowds cheering.)
Voice Over: and CAPTION: 'IN WORLD FORUM TODAY: KARL MARX, CHE GUEVARA, LENIN AND MAO TSE-TUNG. NEXT WEEK, FOUR LEADING HEADS OF STATE OF THE AFRO-ASIAN NATIONS AGAINST BRISTOL ROVERS AT MOLINEUX'
Automation and the minimum wage rate:
The wage rates of the poorest national economies have the least purchasing powers. Automation is not justified when human labor is available, can accomplish the tasks just as well, and at costs that do not exceed automation’s costs. Unsurprisingly, the poorest nations are the slowest to adopt advances in automation.
Automation is justified when it can produce consistently better products and/or products at lesser costs. Automation has always been to our nation’s net benefit.
To argue against higher wages because they encourage automation, is to argue in favor of poverty.
Respectfully, Supposn
Automation is cheaper in the long run than even keeping employees at minimum wages. Because minimum wage goes up. Once automation is in place....it’s simply upgrading as needed. But you’ll need fewer employees. Human employees are the most expensive thing a company has. They are also the most unreliable and the costliest in terms of money and management. They need safety gear, safety classes, training, days of, pregnancy, can get hurt on the job, higher insurance costs,
You don’t need to manage a store full of items all with a RFID chip, automated machines and a check out that picks up or gives you every one of those items and charges your account automatically.
Imo a lot of these minimum wage jobs are going to eventually be gone. Simply because they will put themselves out of work as they eventually will want more money as time goes on. $15 a hour won’t be enough in three or four years. It’s not enough now in the present. There are jobs today that simply will cease to exist 5-10 years.
It’s already happening. Self check in at places, RFID chips, delivery service for food groceries......self order kiosks at fast food places, more automation for food preparation. Self driving cars,
Location: East of Seattle since 1992, 615' Elevation, Zone 8b - originally from SF Bay Area
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Even if automation costs the same or more than human workers at that point in time, as wages go up (federal, state or city) there is also the high cost of benefits, going up all the time, plus the cost of HR people to do the hiring. Robots and machines do not sue the employer, or quit/be fired and try to get unemployment. They don't call in sick, take long breaks, play on their phones, or get into fights with each other. For any unskilled jobs I would expect that automation is going to eliminate or at least greatly reduce replace people more and more.
Automation is justified when it can produce consistently better products and/or products at lesser costs. Automation has always been to our nation’s net benefit.
To argue against higher wages because they encourage automation, is to argue in favor of poverty.
Can you read again your second paragraph and comprehend how the first and second paragraph clearly conflict with each other and your final comment?
I will give you a hint - higher wages= higher cost.
I simply do not understand the OP's obsession with minimum wage that, at the federal level, affects about 2% of workers.
Maybe only 2% of workers are making minimum wage, but almost 43% of working Americans are making under $15/hr. with 23 million American jobs paying less than $11/hr.
And many, if not most, of those jobs are at employers who refuse to grant their employees more than 20-30 hours a week much less health insurance.
If you think there is no income crisis in this country because only 2% of Americans are making minimum wage, you are uninformed.
Location: East of Seattle since 1992, 615' Elevation, Zone 8b - originally from SF Bay Area
44,550 posts, read 81,103,317 times
Reputation: 57750
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dd714
Can you read again your second paragraph and comprehend how the first and second paragraph clearly conflict with each other and your final comment?
I will give you a hint - higher wages= higher cost.
That's right. You will not get employers to reduce their revenue. How much happier will the worker be when they get a little more per hour, but then their rent goes up, along with the food they buy, clothes, gas, movies and other entertainment to cover the cost of their minimum wage increase.
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