Robert Reich
What I always hear: “We can’t afford to pay our workers $15 an hour.”

What I never hear: “We can’t afford to pay our CEO millions of dollars a year.”

Funny how that works, huh?
Feb 22, 2023 at 8:37pmWeb
Show thread2xfoFeb 22, 2023
@rbreich my favorite fast food restaurant is now claiming up to $20 to start. They have the drive thru open again so I guess it's working for them
Show threadNathan WierinkFeb 22, 2023
@rbreich because they are selfish and it’s time the selfish rich suffer the consequences..
Show threadSteve FischmanFeb 22, 2023
@rbreich hysterical
Show threadTransitBikerFeb 22, 2023
@rbreich should be $22.50 for those aged 18 & up. No tipped wages. Under 18 get the $15. 2 weeks paid sick leave, and 2 weeks paid time off.
Show threadchef 😎Feb 23, 2023

@TransitBiker @rbreich
I am always shocked when I read about how few days employees get off work in the US.

Two weeks? Wow. That's outrageous. 😳

Anything less than twenty days isn't even a thing here.

And don't get me started on sick leave, health insurance and other social security stuff. 🙄

Show threadTransitBikerFeb 23, 2023
@ruedi @rbreich yep.
Show threadW. AkersFeb 23, 2023

@ruedi @TransitBiker

living that tragic reality of how few days we get for holiday here. Sick days? Oh, you mean shorted PTO. Why'd you throw it in our yank faces?!

Show threadStacyMar 5, 2023
@ruedi @TransitBiker @rbreich TWo weeks? I've worked for companies with no sick/personal or vacation days.
Show threadchef 😎Mar 5, 2023

@dancinyogi @TransitBiker @rbreich
Wow. That's not even legal in Germany.

As a fulltime employee you are entitled to at least twentyfour days off after your first six months on the job.

That's a federal law.

Show threadStacyMar 5, 2023
@ruedi @TransitBiker @rbreich I didn't stay long, for obvious reasons. But I spent eight months there without taking a single day off. Sadly, it's not illegal in the state I live in.
Show threadTransitBikerMar 5, 2023
@dancinyogi @ruedi @rbreich sounds like slavery.
Show threadchef 😎Mar 5, 2023
@TransitBiker @dancinyogi @rbreich
It does, doesn't it? 🤷
Show threadLisa RogersFeb 22, 2023

@rbreich I would probably support a constitutional amendment tying congressional pay increases to national minimum wage increases. Politicians don't make more until the public makes more.

Let the increases be gradual enough for the poorer markets to absorb them without economic backslide. But otherwise, go for it. A lot of those complaining businesses stop complaining when they realize it's to their benefit as well.

Show threadCatmama 🐈Feb 22, 2023

@FearlessModerate

That sounds like a good idea, but I bet politicians make more money from inside information, connections, deals, etc. than from their salaries. For too many of them their salaries are just their pocket change.

@rbreich

Show threadLisa RogersFeb 23, 2023
@Catmama @rbreich
That's probably true for a lot of them. Good point.
Show threadMysturjiFeb 22, 2023
@rbreich
Wow! I retooted this toot and it suddenly went from 8 retoots to 118 retoots!
I never knew I had such power! 😈
Show threadPatricia KaydenFeb 22, 2023
@rbreich We also never hear that we can't afford to give billionaires tax cuts and breaks each year.
Show threadSane ThinkerFeb 23, 2023
@kaydenpat @rbreich But, but, but, they are the job creators! Gack.
Show threadBill FenstermakerFeb 22, 2023

@rbreich Proud to be caught thinking like Robert Reich

https://universeodon.com/@billyfens/109908138583298926

Bill Fenstermaker (@[email protected])

Do CEOs of companies outside of the U.S. ALL make millions of dollars a year, or are there a few cultures in which that would be deemed dishonorable?

Universeodon Social Media
Show threadLucius Annaeus SenecaFeb 22, 2023
@rbreich
The usual excuse is "competition" (If we don't pay them astronomical salaries and bonuses, talented CEOs will go "elsewhere"). However, it's not clear where they would go. CEOs in all other developed countries are paid very handsomely but definitely less than American CEOs. Maybe they'll get better paid jobs on Mars when #ElonMusk moves there? It's a racket.
Show threadMewofShadow(16of47)Feb 23, 2023
@Annaeus @rbreich a huge problem is they are not even that successful. alot of these guys are frauds and hanging on the coat tails and pretending to be successful as their companies stagnate
Show threadLucius Annaeus SenecaFeb 23, 2023
@160f47 @rbreich
And even when they fail and drive their companies into the ground, CEOs leave with golden parachutes. There is no correlation between CEO pay/bonuses/severance pay and company performance. As I said, it's a racket.
Show threadEcthompsonmdFeb 22, 2023

@rbreich So, it is really about values, right? What do we really value in this country? Do we value a man that works hard doing his 9 - 5? Or do we really value the CEO with his country clubs, yachts, and private planes?

I would argue that skilled workers are like diamonds. Rare. On the other hand, CEOs are simply guys (they are mostly guys) who got into the right rooms.

Show threadSFborn1940Feb 22, 2023
@rbreich Isn't this capitalism at work? Reward the CEOs on the backs of employees. It is a system doomed to fail.
Show threadcostrikeFeb 22, 2023
@rbreich We can’t afford to pay CEOs millions of dollars a year.
Show threadonurFeb 23, 2023
@rbreich Workers have always forged other people's happiness.
Show threadAndre C.Feb 23, 2023
@rbreich Obviously the CEO works more then 182 hours a day, so no reason to be envious.
Show threadknapjackFeb 23, 2023
@IvaCheung @rbreich I heard a story on Marketplace or #MakeMeSmart the other day about CEO vacancies and I was like, "All that free government money, they just don't want to work." 😂😉
Show threadfinpel_dorredFeb 23, 2023
@rbreich found/buy your own company and give it a try. If you're right, you'll save a ton of money and operate a better bottom line.
Show threadxs4me2Feb 23, 2023

@rbreich

In the end this gap will become a problem. We see it already happening with lower and middle class dissatisfaction seeking for an answer. Unfortunately they seem to rather fall for the far right fairytales than for reason.

Show threadNazar TokarFeb 23, 2023
@rbreich imagine some top managers seeking for work hearing this every week :) I assume it's not correct to compare high skilled CEO who's responsible for a company strategy and a high skilled programmer who wants to create websites with much less responsibilities
Show threadLstn2urmamaFeb 23, 2023
@rbreich ..pathetic eh! And this buy back stocks to make money to pay the board more only and everyone else loses ...another pathetic move...
Show threadВаняFeb 23, 2023

@rbreich meanwhile in startups

CEO: works to get food in hope of millions in future
Workers: get paid more then CEO because their work is more important at the moment

Show threadNateFeb 23, 2023
@rbreich we've pretty much gotten to $15/hr almost everywhere in the US now. Problem is, with inflation over the past several years it would have to be about $25 to make it a living wage. I doubt the divide can be solved by raising the minimum when the bar can just continually be pushed higher.
Show threadChris HillFeb 23, 2023
@rbreich We also hear about 'scroungers' taking benefits to top up their earnings. Benefits for working people are subsidising the employers who won't pay a wage people can live on. The scroungers are the employers abusing the benefits system.
Show threadDick Koopman 🇪🇺Feb 23, 2023
@rbreich there are more workers than CEO’s I guess
Show threadVegetable Gremlin ⍼​👻Feb 23, 2023
@rbreich