Is income inequality unjust, and if so, where is the injustice?
- Thread starter strawman
- Start date
Game engine maker Unity lays off 600 employees and plans to close half its offices worldwide
www.pcgamer.com
*looks up Unity CEO John Riccitiello's salary* Oh look, he makes $11.8 MILLION dollars annually. Unity could have taken a small chunk of that from him and afford to keep all 600 employees.
Game engine maker Unity lays off 600 employees and plans to close half its offices worldwide
Unity is looking to boost growth and profitability in the usual way.
www.pcgamer.com
*looks up Unity CEO John Riccitiello's salary* Oh look, he makes $11.8 MILLION dollars annually. Unity could have taken a small chunk of that from him and afford to keep all 600 employees.
Okay, I’m on board with the idea that CEOs get paid too much overall. But what you’re saying is just false.Game engine maker Unity lays off 600 employees and plans to close half its offices worldwide
Game engine maker Unity lays off 600 employees and plans to close half its offices worldwide
Unity is looking to boost growth and profitability in the usual way.
*looks up Unity CEO John Riccitiello's salary* Oh look, he makes $11.8 MILLION dollars annually. Unity could have taken a small chunk of that from him and afford to keep all 600 employees.
Let’s say that he takes a massive pay cut, shedding 10 million of his 11.8 million salary. Taking that money and dividing it by 600 gets you… less than $17,000 per person. And that’s not including the money saved by closing 28 offices. They would shed a huge amount of bills by not having to pay rent or operating costs. So it’s not accurate to say he could just share “a small chunk” of his salary to keep all those jobs.
Sometimes companies have to restructure and sometimes that means people get laid off. They’ve been posting losses steadily for the last year at least, so something has to change or the whole company will eventually go under. This is hardly the egregious case of capitalistic greed you make it out to be.
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It's honestly more the principle of the matter than exact figures. We constantly hear about a company's record profits, CEO bonuses, and stock buybacks. This is at the same time a company announces layoffs to save money.
Also, office costs isn't as relevant now as the lockdowns proved many workers can just as easily work from home.
My point is this is still about corporate greed in the bigger picture of things.
Not defending McDs, but it sounds like in this case, a night manager was using her kids as free labor / child care. Not a corporate decision. However, I worked from when I was 16-19 at McDonalds. I worked from ~5 to close (~1:30 am). Almost all of my coworkers were also h.s. kids. Not great. I certainly won't let me kids do that.
Where do you think the new profits are coming from...
I'm sure that wouldn't be life changing for min wage employees...
GasBandit
Staff member
Price increases, mostly. Labor costs are already ridiculously low in comparison.
I don't know that Unity employs anybody at minimum wage, and certainly not the software engineers they're laying off.
But then, if the implied solution here is to lower the employee compensation to 17k/yr instead of firing them, with the money taken from the CEO's pay cut, that would actually put them at barely above federal minimum wage, yes. I don't know that that would fly.
I think probably the better solution here would have been a $17k severance package for those being let go, and consider the 10 million docking of the CEO's pay a punitive measure for being shitty.
figmentPez
Staff member
figmentPez
Staff member
figmentPez
Staff member
I thought this was well spoken commentary on how joking about the billionares' submersible relates to this thread.
Cartier's $7.5bn owner says fear of poor rising up 'keeps him awake at night'
Says he is concerned about robots creating 'structural unemployment'
www.independent.co.uk
--Patrick
MSCHF microscopic bag 'smaller than grain of salt' sells for $63,750
A microscope - sold alongside the handbag - is needed to view its intricate design.
www.bbc.com
--Patrick
The price of gas went up in Nova Scotia this past weekend. People are screaming and blaming Trudeau, but the real answer points back at premier Tim Houston and the provincial government.
They're also spending tax payer money to spread an anti-Ottawa "awareness campaign." (Aka: propaganda)
They're also spending tax payer money to spread an anti-Ottawa "awareness campaign." (Aka: propaganda)
Can’t read the source tiktok on my mobile screen, but putting this here anyway. Trigger warning: real estate prices.
www.reddit.com
—Patrick
Reddit - Dive into anything
www.reddit.com
—Patrick
Nevermind the trigger warning for the price (that doesn't shock me anymore), the trigger warning should be for the fugly as shit "renovation". What they did to that house should be a crime. They took a charming starter home and turned it into a grotesque, overpriced HGTV nightmare.Can’t read the source tiktok on my mobile screen, but putting this here anyway. Trigger warning: real estate prices.
Reddit - Dive into anything
—Patrick
This was essentially my wife's reaction, as well. "You don't put that much glass on a house when your neighbors are only 20feet away!" was I believe her biggest critique.
--Patrick
IRS ramping up crackdown on wealthy taxpayers, targeting 1,600 millionaires
The tax agency vowed not to increase audit rates for people earning less than $400,000 annually.
www.cbsnews.com
Billionaire close to tears amid fears of "lefties" like AOC, Bernie Sanders
Billionaire Leon Cooperman choked up several times while discussing capitalism and expressing his concern that progressives "don't get it."
www.newsweek.com
*crickets*
...and before anyone complains about how the -aires are being "stripped of their lifelong, hard-won property and/or gains," I will counter that I have no problem with people being fairly rewarded for their contributions to society, and merely ask for an accounting of how they are contributing to society as contrasted to what they are taking from society.
--Patrick
IRS ramping up crackdown on wealthy taxpayers, targeting 1,600 millionaires
The tax agency vowed not to increase audit rates for people earning less than $400,000 annually.Sympathy? Anyone?Billionaire close to tears amid fears of "lefties" like AOC, Bernie Sanders
Billionaire Leon Cooperman choked up several times while discussing capitalism and expressing his concern that progressives "don't get it."
*crickets*
...and before anyone complains about how the -aires are being "stripped of their lifelong, hard-won property and/or gains," I will counter that I have no problem with people being fairly rewarded for their contributions to society, and merely ask for an accounting of how they are contributing to society as contrasted to what they are taking from society.
--Patrick
Hey, people worked hard for that money! Just not the billion/millionairesIRS ramping up crackdown on wealthy taxpayers, targeting 1,600 millionaires
The tax agency vowed not to increase audit rates for people earning less than $400,000 annually.Sympathy? Anyone?Billionaire close to tears amid fears of "lefties" like AOC, Bernie Sanders
Billionaire Leon Cooperman choked up several times while discussing capitalism and expressing his concern that progressives "don't get it."
*crickets*
...and before anyone complains about how the -aires are being "stripped of their lifelong, hard-won property and/or gains," I will counter that I have no problem with people being fairly rewarded for their contributions to society, and merely ask for an accounting of how they are contributing to society as contrasted to what they are taking from society.
--Patrick
By the way, this is still true 4 years later. It will still be true until March 3, 2040.
I teach at high school in a well-to-do district filled with the children of tech workers, executives, and entrepreneurs. Most of these kids brag about getting BMWs for their birthday. They're wealthy, though not mega wealthy (think parents with high six figure yearly incomes, but not billionaires).
Today my class opened with a simple question related to a book we are reading:
"Would you rather be working class (have enough money to survive but not a lot of luxury) but make the world a better place?
or
Would you rather get incredibly rich by making the world a MUCH worse place?"
I estimate it was an 75-25 split towards getting rich at the expense of everyone else. When asked why, answers were different versions of "Why should *I* have to do work to make this world better?" or "If the world isn't going to be perfect anyway, I might as well get my own comforts."
THIS is why wealth inequality exists. Because wealth decreases empathy.
Today my class opened with a simple question related to a book we are reading:
"Would you rather be working class (have enough money to survive but not a lot of luxury) but make the world a better place?
or
Would you rather get incredibly rich by making the world a MUCH worse place?"
I estimate it was an 75-25 split towards getting rich at the expense of everyone else. When asked why, answers were different versions of "Why should *I* have to do work to make this world better?" or "If the world isn't going to be perfect anyway, I might as well get my own comforts."
THIS is why wealth inequality exists. Because wealth decreases empathy.
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I presume that the mechanism by which this happens is that people who don't have to rely on outside help/support when they are young grow up to become people who believe they shouldn't have to "waste" their own time/resources to help other people. Which does make sense, but ... ehhchh.
--Patrick
ABC7 is quoting a survey from a gambling magazine and tiktok accounts? I think this might just be outrage journalism
Hello. Grocery guy here. I can actually explain this, but it will ruin it for anyone that prefers to just be mad about self checkout, and I respect people's angry passtimes. So I guess click the spoiler if you dare.
Each lane in a grocery store does not equate to one cashier. In most grocery stores with typical expected business you will have double the amount of checkout lanes to the number of cashiers you expect to run at most times. This allows space for new cashiers to come on during shift change or lunch breaks without interfering with one lane already running, allows managers and other register trained staff that work elsewhere in the store to come jump on a free register if there's a rush. Everyone likes to complain oh, they have all these registers but only two cashiers, or whatever, but that's because of the nature of grocery stores. Checkouts tend to come in waves, and in a well run store if a bunch of people all come to checkout at once, they'll really only wait like a minute as more staff come up to accommodate them. It would be terribly inefficient to have them all staffed with cashiers standing there twiddling their thumbs for the 90% of the time there is no rush demand.
To extend that basic checkout math, two lanes are generally equal to one cashier, and four self checkout stations are also usually considered to be able to be manned by one cashier. SCO helps immensely in smoothing out that irregular rush of customers, and contrary to what every Boomer likes to complain about, they usually aren't taking anyone's job. They still have to be manned, and again, in a well run store, the person running self checkout isn't going to be standing there idle. They are going to be moving from customer to customer, making sure everything is working ok, helping ring up items they struggle with, or often times just ringing up their order entirely for them. If people are just standing around watching you and doing nothing else, that's not because of self checkout, that's just because it's a shitty store (see: Walmart)
Having self checkout installed at my store was not only a huge boon to the entire front end, that increased traffic allowed us to hire more people and provide more labor hours to the front end. But still every day I get to hear old people walk by them and loudly proclaim "I don't do self checkout, I don't believe in it" as if any of us give a shit.
To extend that basic checkout math, two lanes are generally equal to one cashier, and four self checkout stations are also usually considered to be able to be manned by one cashier. SCO helps immensely in smoothing out that irregular rush of customers, and contrary to what every Boomer likes to complain about, they usually aren't taking anyone's job. They still have to be manned, and again, in a well run store, the person running self checkout isn't going to be standing there idle. They are going to be moving from customer to customer, making sure everything is working ok, helping ring up items they struggle with, or often times just ringing up their order entirely for them. If people are just standing around watching you and doing nothing else, that's not because of self checkout, that's just because it's a shitty store (see: Walmart)
Having self checkout installed at my store was not only a huge boon to the entire front end, that increased traffic allowed us to hire more people and provide more labor hours to the front end. But still every day I get to hear old people walk by them and loudly proclaim "I don't do self checkout, I don't believe in it" as if any of us give a shit.
GasBandit
Staff member
Frankly, I think Sam's Club has got it figured out. I don't use a checkout lane at all. I just scan each item as I put it in my shopping cart using the phone app, check out on the phone, then show the QR code that pops up on my phone to the exit guard as I leave. It's really a lot closer to the way things should be.
I’m not mad about SCO, I’m just surprised that a store so famous for being tight-fisted is spending all the time, effort, and money to do this.
—Patrick
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figmentPez
Staff member
I like self-checkout lanes, if I'm buying only a few bags of groceries. What I don't like is businesses asking for me to tip when they aren't making it clear who is getting the money. I don't trust businesses to actually give it to an employee. When I found this story I saw many comments from workers who said they worked as checkers and weren't allowed to take tips because of company policy, and were very confused about who this money might be going to.
So I can't speak for every place, obviously, but the one time something similar happened here it was a software error. A tip screen appeared when it shouldn't have (a crash had caused the software to reset in the wrong mode) and we had to actually put up signs asking customers not to select to tip because even we didn't know where that money would go.
Now, does that mean there aren't other stores being scummy and asking for tips? Of course not, scummy stores going to scum.
I had a similar experience recently at a sandwich shop that opened up near me. Fairly small place, but after paying for my sandwich I of course got the iPad tip screen with the person asking if I would like to tip the staff.
Me: Aren't you the owner?
Her: Yes
Me: do you have any other staff?
Her: no
Me: ...
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Dave
Staff member
Self checkout lanes should be used in place of express lanes. You have more than 25 items? Go to a fucking checker.
What hate are things that are not really clearly marked and scanning them yourself is like learning a new mathematical equation. Oh that jug of water is this code. It's a refill? This code. Oh that's 5 gallon instead of 2? THIS code.
What hate are things that are not really clearly marked and scanning them yourself is like learning a new mathematical equation. Oh that jug of water is this code. It's a refill? This code. Oh that's 5 gallon instead of 2? THIS code.