undefined | Better HN

0 pointstriceratops3y ago0 comments

High-paid/low-paid labor?

0 comments

Skill is a proxy for supply whereas pay is a proxy of supply-demand. It might actually be a better term, since even if you do very skilled labor, you would prefer an union if there was no demand.

bpodgursky3y ago

This is a terrible substitute, since there are a lot of low-paid high-skill jobs (ex, graduate students, TAs).

There's a meaningful labor liquidity difference between a job that takes 2 years of training and 2 days of training, and it's important for policy decisions. Sorry?

totony3y ago

But aren't those low-paid, high skill jobs likely to be unionized? Only issue I see with that term is that union affects pay.

bpodgursky3y ago

I am not trying to argue about the merits of unionization. I am saying that "low-skill" is a meaningful term we should not drop.

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse

0 comments

totony3y ago

Skill is a proxy for supply whereas pay is a proxy of supply-demand. It might actually be a better term, since even if you do very skilled labor, you would prefer an union if there was no demand.

bpodgursky3y ago

This is a terrible substitute, since there are a lot of low-paid high-skill jobs (ex, graduate students, TAs).

There's a meaningful labor liquidity difference between a job that takes 2 years of training and 2 days of training, and it's important for policy decisions. Sorry?

totony3y ago

But aren't those low-paid, high skill jobs likely to be unionized? Only issue I see with that term is that union affects pay.

bpodgursky3y ago

I am not trying to argue about the merits of unionization. I am saying that "low-skill" is a meaningful term we should not drop.

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse