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Business, Economics & Tax Policy 7: Workers of the world unite!

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Re: Business, Economics & Tax Policy 7: Workers of the world unite!

I work in automation.

The question I'm getting is Sawyer/Baxter, UR, or YuMi? I tell them they're forgetting Fanuc and a handful of other good ones.

The dawn of the "collaborative robot" (meaning no need for caging around it, either by low torque or redundant safety systems) means they won't need a lot of manual, low-skill positions filled by "hoomins*" in the future.


*stolen from Nature is Amazing on Twitter
 
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Re: Business, Economics & Tax Policy 7: Workers of the world unite!

I work in automation.

The question I'm getting is Sawyer/Baxter, UR, or YuMi? I tell them they're forgetting Fanuc and a handful of other good ones.
My brother installs the automated services at places like McDonald's (most drink dispensers and fry baskets for the past 10 years). It's coming to a point where kids are really going to have to compete for a McJob even when there's a growing economy and the McMaster's program college grads aren't taking them.
 
Re: Business, Economics & Tax Policy 7: Workers of the world unite!


DJ Tice, who is a very conservative columnist for the Minneapolis paper, and someone who has been a pretty vocal opponent of things like the $15/hr minimum, mandatory paid time off, etc..., wrote an interesting column a short time ago, in which he all but says he may have been too hasty and that there is always an opportunity to learn. He references a recent study that shows some meaningful benefits to these policies.

http://www.startribune.com/duly-noted-supportive-research-on-higher-minimum-wage/480424363/
 
Re: Business, Economics & Tax Policy 7: Workers of the world unite!

Or, you know, they could hold firm and enforce that it's Made in the USA.

Private work doesn't need to be USA products only. And public works projects only need it when required.
 
Re: Business, Economics & Tax Policy 7: Workers of the world unite!

I would applaud a straight up tax ear marked for homeless relief, but given the source I assume it's a lie or an intentional distortion to provoke knuck poutrage.

That was the discussion from yesterday, the NYT article I linked. My bet is that Bezos starts occupying space in empty warehouses just outside of Seattle's city limits. It keeps him in the area, and most of his staff intact, but avoids paying an extra $275/employee on the 40,000 working for him in that city today.
 
Re: Business, Economics & Tax Policy 7: Workers of the world unite!

DJ Tice, who is a very conservative columnist for the Minneapolis paper, and someone who has been a pretty vocal opponent of things like the $15/hr minimum, mandatory paid time off, etc..., wrote an interesting column a short time ago, in which he all but says he may have been too hasty and that there is always an opportunity to learn. He references a recent study that shows some meaningful benefits to these policies.

http://www.startribune.com/duly-noted-supportive-research-on-higher-minimum-wage/480424363/

I see the article doesn't address the true elephant in the room, which is how the added cost of labor is being handled by the employers who likely already have razor thin margins as it is, whether it's cutting back hours, raising prices, etc. Sure, it might make the employees happier in the short term, but all we're really doing is increasing the capital necessary to startup, while pushing out those who aren't able to keep up. Artificial creation of a monopoly for the sharks.
 
Re: Business, Economics & Tax Policy 7: Workers of the world unite!

That was the discussion from yesterday, the NYT article I linked. My bet is that Bezos starts occupying space in empty warehouses just outside of Seattle's city limits. It keeps him in the area, and most of his staff intact, but avoids paying an extra $275/employee on the 40,000 working for him in that city today.

Or keeps $19,999,999 in Seattle and off-shores the rest.
 
Re: Business, Economics & Tax Policy 7: Workers of the world unite!

I see the article doesn't address the true elephant in the room, which is how the added cost of labor is being handled by the employers who likely already have razor thin margins as it is, whether it's cutting back hours, raising prices, etc. Sure, it might make the employees happier in the short term, but all we're really doing is increasing the capital necessary to startup, while pushing out those who aren't able to keep up. Artificial creation of a monopoly for the sharks.

You're hilarious. You realize that labor is taxed at a much higher rate than Capital right? So, instead of raising wages too high for you how about we equal out the taxes? Oh, that doesn't work in your plutocratic dream world either?
 
Re: Business, Economics & Tax Policy 7: Workers of the world unite!

Or keeps $19,999,999 in Seattle and off-shores the rest.

Amazon should just move to Billings. I assume the move costs could be covered by tax savings...along with the benefits of infrastructure, quality of labor, proximity to technology providers, etc.
 
Re: Business, Economics & Tax Policy 7: Workers of the world unite!

Amazon should just move to Billings. I assume the move costs could be covered by tax savings...along with the benefits of infrastructure, quality of labor, proximity to technology providers, etc.

Specifically what benefits over Seattle does Billings have in these areas? I lived in Billings for several years and I'm scratching my head.
 
Amazon should just move to Billings. I assume the move costs could be covered by tax savings...along with the benefits of infrastructure, quality of labor, proximity to technology providers, etc.

I've been to Billings. The baseball wasn't bad. The flight to Sidney was interesting.
 
Re: Business, Economics & Tax Policy 7: Workers of the world unite!

Specifically what benefits over Seattle does Billings have in these areas? I lived in Billings for several years and I'm scratching my head.

Your probably right. They should move for the baseball and access to Sydney.
 
Re: Business, Economics & Tax Policy 7: Workers of the world unite!

Good thing we didn’t cut taxes and eliminate a possible relief if a recession hits
 
Re: Business, Economics & Tax Policy 7: Workers of the world unite!

A little microeconomics for anyone who cares: I just gathered the annual tuition, fees, room and board, and (estimated) supplies at SCSU is stated on their site as $18,328. When I was a student my senior year, that same comparison was about $5,500. Using the $18,328, adjusting for the annual CPI as stated by the Fed, and going back to 1995, when I first paid tuition, that price would equate to $10,929.63.

The reason I bring this up is that MN universities are expecting flat or declining enrollment for the next number of years, and they're bouncing all around the reasons without pointing to the fact that universities simply cost too much now without offering the pay and benefits an undergrad degree could once all but guarantee. Why would I go to a university for a degree in business administration when I could get an HVAC education in two years, sign on with the union for an apprenticeship that pays about $20/hr, plus benefits, and nearly be set for life when I'm easily able to see the pay scales for journeymen and masters (assuming I'm not a complete wreck of an employee)?

Hmm...
 
Re: Business, Economics & Tax Policy 7: Workers of the world unite!

A little microeconomics for anyone who cares: I just gathered the annual tuition, fees, room and board, and (estimated) supplies at SCSU is stated on their site as $18,328. When I was a student my senior year, that same comparison was about $5,500. Using the $18,328, adjusting for the annual CPI as stated by the Fed, and going back to 1995, when I first paid tuition, that price would equate to $10,929.63.

The reason I bring this up is that MN universities are expecting flat or declining enrollment for the next number of years, and they're bouncing all around the reasons without pointing to the fact that universities simply cost too much now without offering the pay and benefits an undergrad degree could once all but guarantee. Why would I go to a university for a degree in business administration when I could get an HVAC education in two years, sign on with the union for an apprenticeship that pays about $20/hr, plus benefits, and nearly be set for life when I'm easily able to see the pay scales for journeymen and masters (assuming I'm not a complete wreck of an employee)?

Hmm...

Don't disagree.

Caveat - I'm guessing the quality of education is higher and education more complex (i.e., security) than it was in '95. I don't have the list of inputs and outputs to substantiate any of that...but it wouldn't surprise me if accounting for those would close the gap a fair amount.
 
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