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Economic Slavery

Stonetree

Model Member
Premium Member
As it happened, when one employer offered me a job there was actually bargaining power as to wages. However when you approach the employer looking for work, generally the employer has some starting wage and the employee is expected to accept that wage at least until the employer is satisfied you are not some jerk. Then you might ask for an increase in wages but it is the employer who has all the leverage and that is understandable to me. Why should the employer have to negotiate with every single employee endlessly. Many employers give group raises periodically to avoid having to deal with each employee as an individual. (Or maybe I just lived in a different world).
 
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Shadow Wolf

Certified People sTabber
What is "convenient".
I would say "any reason" is pretty convenient.
I've canned people for a variety of "convenient"
reasons.
Did they get unemployment from you?
I've drawn it before, and a fat one from a company who fired me because they didn't get my medical leave papers (they got lost apparently among the hospital, company that processed leaves, and the company I worked for). I don't remember the reasons, but their challenge was denied. And then I lost my insurance, and couldn't afford COBRA.
 

Shadow Wolf

Certified People sTabber
You don't get $85.
You have costs that reduce it to net income....
- $25 in wages.
- Typically another $25 in employee overhead (eg, insurances, taxes, supervision).
- Customer non-payment
- Facility, tool, advertising, & vehicle overhead.
I've talked to a surprising many rideshare drivers who don't get that concept. And lots of passengers don't either.
I'm not sure if Lyft and Uber do either, because they only ever offer discounts to have mechanics work on our cars, but never manuals like Chiltons, parts and tools. I'm not sure if you can make money doing rideshare if you don't do your own maintenance and repairs because the cost of labor at a mechanic will devour gross earnings.
 

Subduction Zone

Veteran Member
I've talked to a surprising many rideshare drivers who don't get that concept. And lots of passengers don't either.
I'm not sure if Lyft and Uber do either, because they only ever offer discounts to have mechanics work on our cars, but never manuals like Chiltons, parts and tools. I'm not sure if you can make money doing rideshare if you don't do your own maintenance and repairs because the cost of labor at a mechanic will devour gross earnings.
It sounds like there may be some similarities between Amway and those two companies. Very few Amway dealers make any money at all. When they can beat the taxi companies in fares it should raise warning flags. Someone is getting the short end of the stick.
 

Shadow Wolf

Certified People sTabber
It sounds like there may be some similarities between Amway and those two companies. Very few Amway dealers make any money at all. When they can beat the taxi companies in fares it should raise warning flags. Someone is getting the short end of the stick.
I wouldn't be surprised if most rideshare drivers don't make money. If you can't stay busy (as in very little to no time waiting inbetween a drop off and going to pick up the next passenger), if can't pull in tips, if you can't work on cars I just don't see this paying off in the long run.
 

Shadow Wolf

Certified People sTabber
You can always tell when someone has never owned a business. Conflating markup with profit is the most common error that I see.
I've done "business light" (didn't make enough to have to file it as a business in Indiana), but even without I don't understand how people can make this mistake. Even if people don't own a business they generally have work-related expenses like gas and car insurance and meals.
 

Heyo

Veteran Member
You don't get $85.
You have costs that reduce it to net income....
- $25 in wages.
- Typically another $25 in employee overhead (eg, insurances, taxes, supervision).
- Customer non-payment
- Facility, tool, advertising, & vehicle overhead.
And these overhead costs is why Bezos is only a multi billionaire and not a trillionair.
 

Kooky

Freedom from Sanity
It sounds like there may be some similarities between Amway and those two companies. Very few Amway dealers make any money at all. When they can beat the taxi companies in fares it should raise warning flags. Someone is getting the short end of the stick.
It's almost as if it pays to push costs onto other people while retaining income.

But what does a lowly peon as I know about business, eh.
 

Revoltingest

Pragmatic Libertarian
Premium Member
I would say "any reason" is pretty convenient.

Did they get unemployment from you?
Very seldom.
I once hired a guy for a one day job.
We both knew it was for that job, & was for only a day.
I paid him for that day....& about double that amount in
unemployment benefits.....& many times that amount
in increased unemployment insurance payments.
That was the last time I hired any employees directly.
Thereafter, everyone went thru an agency like
Manpower or Kelly Services.
They were cheaper even for permanent employees.
Now I hire only contractors. Government makes
employees too messy (for me) to deal with.
I've drawn it before, and a fat one from a company who fired me because they didn't get my medical leave papers (they got lost apparently among the hospital, company that processed leaves, and the company I worked for). I don't remember the reasons, but their challenge was denied. And then I lost my insurance, and couldn't afford COBRA.
A friend owned a series of tailor shops. He had one
permanent employee whom he never laid off, but he
paid her unemployment benefits while she worked for
him because she was laid off from a part time job
she had during her eligibility period with him.
Yes....he didn't lay her off....she still worked for him...
...& he was paying her unemployment.
He offered her more hours, but she declined. The
state ruled that she was still entitled to unemployment.
 

Revoltingest

Pragmatic Libertarian
Premium Member
I don't call exploitation working smarter.
Reminds me of the apocryphal story of a former Soviet
satellite immigrant to Ameristan.
Interviewer: "What does it feel like to be exploited by capitalism?"
Immigrant: "Better than being exploited by socialism."

If you don't like your job, find a better one.
But if the job you have is the best you can get,
don't expect government to become a parent.
If you want more...then do more, rather than
demanding more.
 

Revoltingest

Pragmatic Libertarian
Premium Member
I've talked to a surprising many rideshare drivers who don't get that concept. And lots of passengers don't either.
I'm not sure if Lyft and Uber do either, because they only ever offer discounts to have mechanics work on our cars, but never manuals like Chiltons, parts and tools. I'm not sure if you can make money doing rideshare if you don't do your own maintenance and repairs because the cost of labor at a mechanic will devour gross earnings.
You mean that the money you collect isn't all profit?
You have costs?
That might could possibly be hard to explain to
young whippersnappers fresh from the nest with
no business experience.
 
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