StrypeySep 7, 2019
“[t]his is not the first time [in history] hard-working honest people are giving their all, for unfair compensation”
- #AndreStaltz
https://staltz.com/software-below-the-poverty-line.html
André Staltz - Software below the poverty line

Open Source Freelancer

Show threadStrypey
Andre is bang on. It's not right or sustainable for people with advanced skills and experience to have to live in poverty, so they can spend their working hours building and maintaining the commons. I'm wouldn't claim to be one of those people, but for years I made that choice anyway, so I could dedicate myself fulltime to #PublicInterest causes and commons projects. We all ought to be able to receive a living wage from the community for that sort of work.
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Sep 7, 2019 at 6:50pmWeb
Show threadStrypeySep 7, 2019
But some people are arguing that commons projects ought to be paying people "market rates" and I'm not sure that's equitable or sustainable either. Do we really want to emulate thd unjust distribution of the wage and salary budget in #datafarm corporations? I'd argue that a big chunk of the generous salaries they pay to developers is hush money, so they don't ask any awkward ethical questions about how their work affects people's lives, or refuse to develop abusive or violent technology.
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Show threadRobert FromontSep 9, 2019
@strypey I think you're right that there's some hush money included in "above $100k". But the range #andrestaltz gives as 'market rates' is pretty wide; I think if you're getting paid below $40k just because your work is open source, that falls under the "exploitation" heading which your quote comes from. Surely the lower half of that range should be sustainable.
Show threadStrypeySep 9, 2019
@robertfromont the exact numbers for a living wage/ salary are going to vary based on cost of living, sometimes even from city to city, but I take your point. Higher salaries are justified too in the absence of public health care and livable benefits for retirees, the unemployed, and the infirm.