"Byron L. Reed" wrote in message
news
On Sat, 27 Mar 2004 16:10:21 -0500, "Bruce Remick" wrote:

There was a piece on the national TV news a couple weeks ago about a
company
in Massachusetts who was ready to outsource its $30/hour computer tech
jobs
overseas where they could get the same results for $10/hour. Someone
proposed that the company first offer these jobs locally at $10/hour.
They
ended up with a ton of applications from out-of-work computer people who
were indeed willing to work for $10/hour rather than starve. Several of
them were promoted before long into better paying jobs. I doubt I
recalled
all the specific details accurately, but the premise would seem a viable
one
to at least try in some cases.

Bruce
'glad to be retired'

Yes, an outstanding option, but the average $10/hr job in the us actually
costs the employer $12-$13/hr by the time taxes, healthcare, retirement,
etc. are paid. Of course, if he looks at his output quality as being 40%
better by staying at home, that's a good option.

Along a similar line, there are many places in the US where a 30 year
employee stands right next to a new hire (year) and does exactly the same
job for a much higher cost due to tenure. That has never made sense to me
in instances where experience is not an important performance factor.


I ran into this in Govt service in a group where people from grade GS-9
through GS-15 were doing similar jobs and projects, with the GS-15 not
always the one most proficient in his/her specialized area of
responsibility. The GS-15 usually had the most savvy and "corporate
knowledge" from years of experience, but when joining a new group in a new
area of responsibility, the GS-9 in that group might end up with a better
substantive background than the GS-15. Funny though, everyone seemed to
accept what would be considered a huge inequity in other workplaces, and the
salary/grade thing seldom was looked upon as an issue.

The one perceived inequity that always bugged me was that I had to pay the
same health insurance premium for myself and my wife as the employee who had
a wife and seven children.

Before I retired, they did offer cash incentives to get some of us
high-cost, 30+ year employees to leave early, so management certainly
recognized what you mention.

Bruce



Bruce