So you thought your job was bad.

[StylinRed]

Originally Posted by BNR32_Coupe

what does the fail button mean nowadays? failure to understand?

look, my point is

again back to my point, which i think many of you missed. these people who do this job do it with the full understanding that they're offing themselves in the process. there's no these guys are working without the thought of death in their mind. they're gamblers, all of them, their life for that bit extra

you're assuming there's an unending amount of jobs available
you're also assuming these people are able to make it on less money than they're getting
just because there's an example in one area (Philippines slum) doesn't mean if everyone adopted that route that it would still be viable
you're also assuming that these people are educated enough to see any route 'out'
you're also asking that they take an insanely huge risk. to give up the job that they have now and gamble it on something that makes Less and may or may not work out

you're taking a very far away, birds eye view, look at the situation but not realizing why those in the thick of it can't do the same (you're not considering everything; id say Sauder failed you)

[bing]

Originally Posted by Energy

^^^^Those people don't have any other choice but to work those kinds of jobs. If there was another, better job they'd take it. The other option is not to work at all and then you just die from being in poverty.

If you don't work then no one will invest in the country. No investments or no "exploitation" can be worse for them. This exploitation can only happen at the start of their growth. As time goes on more and more companies will want the cheap labour and then that will drive wages up. As wages rise, people can start affording better stuff and even demand better conditions. We can see this happening in China as it grows really fast.

Also, if they work and you give them some money and control over their finances, those smart enough will make something out of that. Enough money for school for their kids so that they might get skills needed for a job that isn't hard labour. Maybe some money for use as collateral when they apply for credit and then do something with that credit? I think a lot of our parents or their parents or their parent's parent's did something like that awhile back and look at us now. I think majority of people just assume that stuff like that is bad but is it really?

I agree with your first point, but using your example of China, there are too many people to choose from, that it can depress wages as it is easy to hire/fire workers. In countries where workers fight for higher wages/benefits, once they get to the point where they are deemed "too high", companies can pick up and LEAVE, and move to other countries (the book world is flat has a interesting section on this, or watch a video on how Maquiladoras in Mexico operate). This phenomenon is coined a "race to the bottom".

[Vansterdam]

tharts fucked up

[belka]

Originally Posted by achiam

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=npa_RiHaCdo

Dutch movie about the same thing, titled "ironeaters"

Where can I get the english verison? Or at least with english subtitles.

[MoBettah]

Originally Posted by Mr.HappySilp

Is sad but at the same time we ingore it. Look at Apple, their Ipad is produce in china where this factory way way under paid their workers, many workers commit sucide (it was even on the news) yet we chose to ingore it.

What do we do? Nothing we hear the news gets mad and contiune to use/by these produces.

Not even remotely the same as shipbreaking. Look up many of the exposés on Foxconn. Pretty decent conditions if you ask me. Also Foxconn has almost a million employees, people leave that convenient fact out when describing the 14 suicides that happened in 2010.

[Energy]

Originally Posted by bing

I agree with your first point, but using your example of China, there are too many people to choose from, that it can depress wages as it is easy to hire/fire workers. In countries where workers fight for higher wages/benefits, once they get to the point where they are deemed "too high", companies can pick up and LEAVE, and move to other countries (the book world is flat has a interesting section on this, or watch a video on how Maquiladoras in Mexico operate). This phenomenon is coined a "race to the bottom".

You're right, their huge population can be a disadvantage for workers there. I actually looked up the race to the bottom theory and it makes sense.

That's probably what happened to countries that are developed already and people demanded better conditions and pay and then ultimately companies outsourced the jobs to countries like China. By the time China reaches a point where the race to the bottom is happening maybe they'll have a sufficiently high standard of living already? They are growing by leaps and bounds but like you said, their population is huge so there are still a lot of people who don't experience the benefit of it.

[TRDood]

Reading this thread makes my head hurt.

Think about it - without some people taking these shitty jobs, how can it sustain our (or the wealthy group) economic environment?

There are always some losers and some winners. We can't be ALL winners.

[LiquidTurbo]

Originally Posted by TRDood

Reading this thread makes my head hurt.

Think about it - without some people taking these shitty jobs, how can it sustain our (or the wealthy group) economic environment?

There are always some losers and some winners. We can't be ALL winners.

Right, but theres no reason that the companies that do this can't invest 350$ for them to have the proper PPE. The problem comes down to someone elses greed.
Posted via RS Mobile

[RFlush]

Originally Posted by LiquidTurbo

Right, but theres no reason that the companies that do this can't invest 350$ for them to have the proper PPE. The problem comes down to someone elses greed.
Posted via RS Mobile

Ya, the problem is the consumer who wants the cheapest price for their products. Look at the inflation thread, the gas thread, and all the other complainers who cry about price increases. Would you pay $700 for your pair of Nike shoes so you know the kid in Vietnam (who is not FORCED to work but do so on his own free will) can make more money?

[b0unce. [?]]

This is disgusting to see. Fuck.

[Prolowtone]

Its a sad reality. But to those who think that the best way to end the low wage pay is to stop buying products, Think of the repercussions. If there is nothing being sold the companies will just fire people left and right to make up lost income. If the workers are not getting paid they are going to have an even harder life . Its the government that needs to stand up and enforce some laws against it. The price we pay will also inflate to cover said pay. This is why everything is done by the cheapest bidder

[Glove]

Originally Posted by RFlush

Ya, the problem is the consumer who wants the cheapest price for their products. Look at the inflation thread, the gas thread, and all the other complainers who cry about price increases. Would you pay $700 for your pair of Nike shoes so you know the kid in Vietnam (who is not FORCED to work but do so on his own free will) can make more money?

ya this is true,

I want my shit to be as cheap as possible, to a point,

if paying an extra 20 bucks means they get safety equipment, then I would do it,

but paying an extra 100?

probably not.

although its sad to realise what they make in a month i make in 2 hours

[TRDood]

Originally Posted by LiquidTurbo

Right, but theres no reason that the companies that do this can't invest 350$ for them to have the proper PPE. The problem comes down to someone elses greed.
Posted via RS Mobile

Profits are the incentives to stay in business and drive innovation. It's sad to say, without greed we won't be living the way we are.

Companies can do two things 1. Increase revenue - by charging consumers more and/or 2. cut costs - possibly exploit labour.
Posted via RS Mobile

[TRDood]

I (economics background) once had a very interesting argument with a public policy girl I met at work.

Her dad bought a mansion in Mexico for dirt cheap, pays $30 a month for some house maintanence cleaner. She got pissed at her dad because her good heart (like many others) feels that her dad should pay them more, like $200. Why? 1. He can afford it no problem, 2. It's more reasonable wage such that the cleaner can feed his/her family.

I say: hell no. The going competitive environment is $30. Pay $30 or less! Do not distort the market because prices are determined by supply/demand. They are willing to take the low wage, let them because their other option is probably <$30.

I'd like to expand on this, but I am on my damn phone and lining up at the borders... Almost my turn!
Posted via RS Mobile

[Glove]

well its the same problem everywhere right?

even in the job market here locally,

if you dont wanna do it for 10 bucks an hour,

someone else will.

thus the hourly wage for a lot of jobs decrease because there is so much unemployment

[twitchyzero]

so, what do they do with the recycled hunks of metal?
i'm honestly so ignorant i didn't know these jobs existed...i thought they would just blow a hole in the ship and sink it to the bottom of the ocean.

[StylinRed]

^^^ the metals are worth $$$

[nickmak]

i saw this on bc4x4. crazy stuff.

[E-40six]

Originally Posted by twitchyzero

so, what do they do with the recycled hunks of metal?
i'm honestly so ignorant i didn't know these jobs existed...i thought they would just blow a hole in the ship and sink it to the bottom of the ocean.

With scrap metal at $180-200/Tonne, whoever they are cutting it for is making a killing

[Gumby]

Originally Posted by E-40six

With scrap metal at $180-200/Tonne, whoever they are cutting it for is making a killing

No pun intended?

[dark0821]

so by reading up some wiki... a DWT of a crude oil tanker is like 550,000 tonnes

so.. $180 X 550,000 = $99,000,000

holy shit =.=

[mikemhg]

That's the thing though. Some posters will sit here and say, if that worker in Vietnam was paid more, than your Nike shoes would cost a whole lot more.

Yes that may be the case, but keep in mind our wages are also being left behind by the top earners. Realisticly with inflation attached, and the cost of living increasing at such a rapid rate, wages logically should be following that trend. That's not the case though.

Financially I am quite comfortable, I have a good job, but I will never understand how there cannot be an alternate more fair system where we all in this world can make a decent living. We are ignorant of this because we have had this ideal of Captialist society shoved down our throats by Government, and the Institutions that push this ideal for their own gain.

I feel bad for these folks, this lifestyle is so far away from us. But the way you see some parts of the United States going, you have to wonder how far off we are in our own society.