Pseudo Robin Hood

The Age We don't want a US-style army of working poor 11 March 2014 The nature of work will be transformed once workers relinquish penalty rates.

Before deciding what they want, people must realise that regardless of how employment laws are construed, mandated higher wages and penalty rates above the market equilibrium necessarily come at the cost of fewer jobs, shifts, and services. A higher rate is useless if one doesn't have the shift in the first place.

While I strongly support social justice, misguided efforts can have the opposite result. This stereotypically unbalanced article was written by a union representative who purports to be supporting low income workers. Such rhetoric conceals an ulterior motive, for in reality, it is well known that efforts such as these benefit established union members, but come at the cost of the most disadvantaged workers. Therefore, however well-intentioned or disgustingly sinister the writer's underlying motivations, I remain sceptical regarding mandated penalty rates. I believe in helping the poor by taking from the rich. I do not believe in helping the poor by disingenuously taking from the poorer.

http://singularity24601.blogspot.com.au/2013/05/unintended-consequences.html

(via ST’s wall)