Quote from Tsing Tao:
I understand what you are arguing. Let's review what we've said thus far. Correct me if I misquote you.
You said that workers had been screwed over the past several decades. I asked how, you said that - essentially - corporate CEOs and business owners (and their like) had seen big pay raises coming from big efficiencies that have driven profits over the years. Workers had not seen that in what you said were predominantly stagnant wages.
I then asked you why these workers did not quit if the salary they were being paid did not compensate them appropriately, and you responded that they had no where to go - and there wasn't much to choose from.
If that is indeed the case (and I think some of that is bang on) then wouldn't you say that the equilibrium between what a corporation can pay for a job to be performed is essentially reached? Ie, if labor is a service provided (and it is) then the cost of that service in the market is already where it needs to be in order to get the job done at the quality needed?
When markets improve, and companies find their workers leaving for greener pastures, what must they do? They have to increase salaries and benefits to attract talent. This eventually drives people to those companies when the salaries and benefits are "competitive".
How is a business owner obligated to share efficiencies of the business - which someone appropriately pointed out could come from business investment, equipment, smarter purchasing, etc - not through employee work - with the employees who did not contribute their salaries to the purchasing of said equipment, items, investment, etc?
It sounds to me like you're talking about socialism here. Privatize the losses and investments, but socialize the profits.