tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8964719845369935777.post6457126165470466663..comments2024-03-29T09:05:29.819-04:00Comments on Chemjobber: Raise wages? Are you nuts?!?!Chemjobberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15932113680515602275noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8964719845369935777.post-67077265628728591752016-02-06T23:08:13.986-05:002016-02-06T23:08:13.986-05:00correction in line 1, but=backcorrection in line 1, but=backAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8964719845369935777.post-9841316941912821252016-02-06T23:07:09.521-05:002016-02-06T23:07:09.521-05:00I am from Iowa and actually wouldn't mind movi...I am from Iowa and actually wouldn't mind moving back to Iowa, but every time I apply for a job I really want I never hear anything but or get the typical rejection. I am not sure how much I believe the statement that people do not want to live in Iowa. I have applied to Kemen (Kemin is in Des Moines with some good bbq around there), but maybe I have too much education since I have a PhD, and Kemin is trying to train up low wage workers into PhD scientist positions.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8964719845369935777.post-57634272533969686502016-02-05T15:52:06.184-05:002016-02-05T15:52:06.184-05:00Presumably living in Iowa is one of those things t...Presumably living in Iowa is one of those things that people really like (it always looks like a nice state from 40,000'....) and are willing to accept a low wage to stay in. This gives employers just enough pricing power that they're indifferent if they get employee X or employee Y (i'd think costs associated with employee transition would be bad, but WTFDIK: apparently not bad enough to prompt higher wages). One of the things that struck me from the NPR piece was it implied many people in IA have multiple jobs. Perhaps some sort of economic Brownian motion where recycling workers is efficient? I assume purchasing power parity comes into play also: unsure where IA ranks compared to the la-dee-da states (like Arkansas and Idaho....).biotechtoreadornoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8964719845369935777.post-16377869251969685102016-02-05T11:53:11.428-05:002016-02-05T11:53:11.428-05:00Duh, everyone knows this is how things work:
1) D...Duh, everyone knows this is how things work:<br /><br />1) During good times, you need to raise hiring wages to attract people. Tell those people to not discuss their salary with colleagues.<br /><br />2) Eventually (through talking or through other routes) other employees will learn about how poorly their salary compares to current market rates.<br /><br />3) The other employees will ask for equivalent salaries, not get them, and then threaten to jump ship to another company to find a better salary. Sometimes they will get the raise, and sometimes they will go to the new job, so that all their institutional knowledge is lost.<br /><br />4) The moral everyone learns is that you are rewarded for disloyalty.<br /><br />http://dilbert.com/strip/1997-06-29<br /><br /><br /><br />I guess in the end it's still the most economical choice for the employer, because a good chunk of employees won't know how or care to bring their salaries up to par using the above method.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8964719845369935777.post-90156722637850592392016-02-05T11:15:58.573-05:002016-02-05T11:15:58.573-05:00There's a good deal of disparity between the s...There's a good deal of disparity between the salaries of those who were hired during good and bad economic times - starting salaries are responsive to market conditions, and a person usually gets small annual percentage raises from that starting point.<br /><br />I'm surprised that companies aren't willing to pay a premium to recruit candidates to places like Iowa. It isn't just the lack of Starbucks, Target, etc - you'll almost certainly have to move again if things go sour at work, and your spouse could be waiting tables with a PhD.KTnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8964719845369935777.post-55641903892072089762016-02-05T10:17:18.765-05:002016-02-05T10:17:18.765-05:00There won't be. Who are you going to complain ...There won't be. Who are you going to complain to? At the very least complaints will fall on death ears, but it could be if you complain to the wrong person you will be fired and replaced.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8964719845369935777.post-14214385680342429512016-02-05T09:40:46.921-05:002016-02-05T09:40:46.921-05:00Heh, that's true, but once the word gets out, ...Heh, that's true, but once the word gets out, there will be a minor rebellion, no? Chemjobberhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15932113680515602275noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8964719845369935777.post-64886614469436279972016-02-05T08:41:51.119-05:002016-02-05T08:41:51.119-05:00“If I start raising rates to attract new employees...“If I start raising rates to attract new employees, I have to raise wages for everyone in my organization”<br /><br />Not true. There's a reason why discussing your salary with your co-workers is taboo.KTnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8964719845369935777.post-16815052045784935552016-02-05T07:17:43.349-05:002016-02-05T07:17:43.349-05:00This country really rolls on cheap labor. And the ...This country really rolls on cheap labor. And the attitude is: its up to you to make sure you are not exploited, and the government's job is not to protect you from this.NMHnoreply@blogger.com