Why are many people opposed to comparable worth pay systems? How do you stand?
469011
People are opposed because the government is in no position to determine what is "comparable".  When you give power to a government to dictate what is comparable, you open the door to thousands of harmful lawsuits (regardless of whether there's really a violation), and increase the costs of all businesses, even those who have always been paying comparably.  The market is the best measure of what is really comparable, because anyone is free to quit and take a job with a competitor if they're truly underpaid.  But two people doing the "same" job are still different people, and one is usually better at it than the other, so there's really no such thing as perfectly comparable value.
766267
I hear ya. It gets annoying to me too. Sadly, I think people have forgotten this basic rule of life in a lot of cases. I always lived by the rule that I cannot change others, only hope they see my actions and respond accordingly. Getting harder these days though. Seems it's all about the size of your bank account and makes no difference how it got that way. People put more emphasis on the price of the home rather than the decency of the people who live in it.\n\nFor your sanity, just try to remember that doing a good thing is it's own reward and at the end of your day, you have only your actions to answer for.
350379
its important to remember that part of it is perspective. People dont tend to think too much about the working poor, the people who work full time jobs but get paid so poorly they cant get far above the poverty line. Though there is a free rider problem, there are probably just as many people (if not a whole lot more) who do what they can and the extra kick from welfare helps get them by. My best guess as to why the freerider phenomon exists, people at some point down the line become disenchanted with the way the system is. They either feel like the "man is sticking it to them" or that there isnt a way out of where they are at. When one feels like they cant succeed in a certain lifestyle, they look for another avenue to be successful. For some that might mean spending their money on name brand clothes and nicer things, even if they cant afford them an are force to have bad credit, because nice objects bring status in our society. Still i dont believe the freerider issue is as drastic as we are lead to believe, as one "bad experience" with someone who is under Gov aid tends to influence our thinking about the program as a whole.
1064745
Well, the majority of your answers will probably have something to do with people being greedy or the rich having all the power or something like that.  While part of that is true, the other part of it is that no other system works.\n\nCommunism: the idea is great.  Everybody is equal, everybody has a job, everybody has the same income, etc.  Great idea, bad policy.  It doesn't work.  It's worked in a few countries, but over long periods of time, it always fails. Why?  Because there's no incentive to do well.  There's no incentive to get a better education, or to try to move up.  While the rich may seem to control a lot, and there may seem to be so much poverty, that's the best way for the world to run.  Seriously.  The poor have to work harder to move up.  The harder they work, the more they get paid, the more they can afford, etc.\n\nThat's the idea, anyway.  It doesn't always work, but it's a good start.  And where do the poor get their money from?  The rich.  And where do the rich get their products form?  The poor.  And where do we get hard workers who are dedicated?  From the incentive to advance through the ranks so that the poor can become the rich.\n\nPersonally, I tend to blame the poor more than anything for their situation.  See, I come from a low-income family.  I'm 20, and have found a way to get into college.  I've got  a 4.0 gpa, I hold a job, I spend time in the summer volunteering with children, and I coach baseball.  I do all of that while writing bad checks to pay the electric and phone bill.  So, what do I do to get by?  I work harder, I treat others right, and I've gained respect in the community.  What has that done for my family?  Well, you'd be surprised.  Now, I get treated well by people in the community, nobody looks down on me, and people offer to help me out.  Why?  Because I've spent my time helping others.  \n\nBasically, if the poor spent more time helping others, doing good deeds, working hard, helping the community, instead of committing crimes (the highest crime rate is among poor people), the community would have a better view of them, and might offer more help to them.  I'm not saying they would always, but in general, I think the situation for the poor would be better.\n\nThere's one other explanation that I'd like to share on why the poor seem to get poorer and the rich get richer.  The reason is minimum wage.  Let me expand a bit, so you can understand:\n\n\n\n1.When you raise minimum wage, there are two things that can happen.  When the minimum wage is raised, businesses are not going to profit as much, and smaller businesses especially will have to compensate.  To compensate, they either have to raise their prices or eliminate some employees.\n\nA.If you raise your prices, then the minimum wage increase is wiped out for those that got a pay raise.  Since only those making less than the new minimum wage would get an increase in pay, anyone making more than that would have to pay more for the same amount.  This means that the cost of living goes up, along with inflation.  This means that there will be more people living in poverty, the rich won’t be affected, and the middle-class will be even more strapped for cash.  Also note that the price increase will be felt throughout the factories making the product, the shipping companies, the storage companies, and the marketplace. The old adage “the rich get richer...” comes true again.\n\nB.If you eliminate employees, there are fewer jobs, which means that fewer people will have an income.  This will be felt in all areas of the workforce, as previously described, again meaning that the rich get richer. . . .  Inflation is still abound and the cost of living increases.  Now, since companies have a smaller workforce that is making more money, companies can do several things.\n\ni.Companies can now increase the costs of products since those at the bottom end are making more mo
385065
Interesting you say that.  I am a conservative and often find myself asking the same question concerning liberals.\n\nI don't think you really can find an answer to that particular question because it is merely an attack of something you do not understand.  If you would like to know why conservatives see things in a different way try understanding where they come from.  Listen to what they say not to what others say about what they say.  \n\nI try to do that with liberals.  Instead of saying that they are just raising taxes to give to the poor I try to understand why it is not OK for me to keep the money I work for and earn.  I am not rich by any means but I do believe that if someone has earned or even inherited money from someone that earned it, they should be able to keep it and spend as they see fit.  \n\nIt is not mean spiritedness and nastiness.  It is a difference in the basic way we see things.  Name calling does not lead to anything but anger.  For proof that people can actually see things differently while looking at the same thing ... see the website listed below.
239552
I agree on some things, and disagree on a lot more. My life priority is not to make a lot of money. That is not my idea of success. And societies are strongly influenced by religious standards which I don't agree with. Also, I don't think a person is worth what he or she looks like. And I don't think it is funny to laugh at another person's misfortune.\n\nBut then again, living in Occident, I agree that human life is a value. In Argentina, where I live, friendship is a very important value, too, and I agree about that. And I share some Occidental moral values, if you compare them to those in Arabic countries. In that respect, I'm glad I was born here.
304345
You have to show your employer why you are worth more to him or her.\n\nDo not compare your salary to anyone else at your company or to anyone at another company doing the same job.  And don't say you need more money because of your own expenses...that's not your boss' concern.\n\n"I saved you this much money when I..."\n\n"I made this system more efficient by..."\n\n"I brought in this many clients..."
784652
our society values money too much.\nwe care more about $20 then an hour of good care for our children.\nperson A is a better person, but he needs to care about himself as well as others.
1135286
Yes it is perfectly ok.  People who don't ask and people who don't demand to be paid what they are worth are always the ones at the bottom of the pay scale.  You know the people, they are the ones that are shocked when they found out what everyone else is making.
1073049
The problem with communism is that it removes most of the incentives for a person to excell. If there is no reward for above average or better performance, why should you push yourself? What would be the point of trying to innovate in that kind of system?
889832
I dont. I think when women make that statement, they need to really think about it first.\nWhen I think about equality, its more about fairness. If Im doing a mans job, which I am, I should be paid equally. I work my as* off picking up 60-80 lb cases and I certainly dont wait for my male coworkers to come and help. If I took the job, I should be able to do it. \n I also believe that if I ask a man out for a drink then I should be the one paying and not get pissed off when he doesnt automatically open his wallet.
1110738
Absolutely NOT!  An employer should decide pay raises and benefits based on merit, job performance or evaluation of that individual.\n\nUnions do more harm than good for the company.  And most companies all the way from retail to big business offers very competitive salaries and benefit packages anyway. \n\nYou are talking about an organization form years ago when employees, both adult and children were over worked and paid very little.  It's no longer like that.  \n\nMajor transportation can come to a stand still due to "unions" wanting more benefits for the employees as a whole?  Thus putting the operation of a public utility or service in  the hands of the Unions instead of the Company.  It harms us all as a society that requires the use of public transit systems and airplanes.\n\nEven truck drivers will stop the flow of retail and food delivery.  Which can stop thousands of company's across the US and the world from providing us as the consumer with our daily needs.\n\nNext time you go to catch a plane to visit a family member and see that big "ON STRIKE" sign?  Or you live in New York and wake up one morning for your commute? \n\nAsk yourself THIS question, why does such an antiquated organization as a "Union" still exist?
556165
I remember talking about this in business class. A higher motivator would be better working conditions. If you give them higher pay they still won't want to be there if the working conditions are bad. If the working conditions are good they are more likely to stay there and still have a small salary. With better working conditions the people are more willing to work overtime to get the extra money they need.
687603
Status is very important.  It is given at birth, and then a person can maintain, fall short, or rise above.  unfortunately, many people do think of a persons financial status as their worth.  \n\nA doctor, for instance, can earn a lot of money, being valued by other people for that reason.\nA doctor working for free, giving help to the people who need it most may have to stand in a welfare line, is he/she not as valuable as the doctor charging too much for his or her services?  NO!\nA preacher in a small town may stand in a welfare line, teaching what he believes to a small and poor group of people.\nA man becomes a preacher, drives a Jaguar, Escelade, and Caddy, is he a better person?  NO, he's a theif from charity!
1118380
That's capitalism for you. The same capitalism that everyone defends. The same capitalism that says that raising the minimum wage above $5.15 would bring the economy to its knees. The same capitalism that says that if someone is poor then they deserve it and they shouldn't be helped to get out of their poverty. The same capitalism that says that the rich should get all the privileges because that is the incentive for poor people to work and get rich. The same capitalism that supports "survival of the fittest". The same capitalism that says that if you can't afford healthcare then you die.\n\nIts a package deal. You can't pick and choose. You can't have it both ways to suit you as you need. Take it or leave it.
1007470
My raises are automatic, either annually or with a promotion, and they are based on a standard forumula with levels and market based standards for the job.  I like it that way!  I HATE to ask for money.\n\nI had a really bad experience in my last job, which was 10 years ago.  I felt that I was doing double what my manager, basically doing his management job for him, and was getting paid very little.  I went and asked for a raise, and was YELLED AT and belittled by the owner of the company.  He said "HC, I can tell what kind of person you are.  Always looking over your shoulder for another dollar and you'll never be satisfied that you're being paid what you're worth."  I found another job ASAP after that, where I'm happy to report that I make three and a half times what I was making when I left there.  They were taking advantage of me, and trying to make me believe they weren't.  That's abusive behavior.  \n\nIf you're in the market for a raise, good luck!!  If you think you're worth more, you're probably right.  Go for it, and if somebody tries to make you feel guilty about it -- don't wear it!!!
821723
This is just another mind fart by a suit looking to justify his/her salary by implementing reforms and pressuring people to come up with ideas in part because they can't come up with their own, and they always feel they have to fix something even if it's not broken, again, to justify their salary and look busy, and very likely take credit for any good answers they do get. Maybe moral's bad because they got some idiot pressuring them for something. Just tell them what they want to hear, it's hard to say specifically from the general description you gave.