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From: jchapman@watcgl.UUCP (john chapman)
Newsgroups: net.women,can.politics
Subject: Re: paying plumbers
Message-ID: <2210@watcgl.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 15-Jul-85 14:00:22 EDT
Article-I.D.: watcgl.2210
Posted: Mon Jul 15 14:00:22 1985
Date-Received: Wed, 17-Jul-85 03:11:21 EDT
References: <533@ttidcc.UUCP> <302@looking.UUCP>
Organization: U of Waterloo, Ontario
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Xref: watmath net.women:6398 can.politics:664

.
.
.
> on myself and those who do the purchasing.  For the wage police to come
> in and say "plumbers are worth $x, systems programmers $y, and janitors
> $z" is what we should all fear.
> 
> To suggest that the value of a human being's work is based on some tables
> in the government is demeaning.  It reduces us to cogs.  Deciding value
> is (* surprise *) a value judgement, and it should be subjective.

 I know some clerical staff who would *love* to be demeaned by having
 an independant authority decide how much they should be paid in
 general; their pay/conditions could not get much worse than they
 are now.  I'm surprised you think it less demeaning for the value
 of a human being's work to be based on random market forces or a
 hiring criterion based on getting the most for the least.

> 
> Inherent in "equal pay for work of equal *value*" is that the state
> (not the people) has to assign a value for each human being.  No thanks.
 
 Not at all necessary; what is necessary is that the decision be made
 people/persons who can make such a determination independently and
 without prejudice. Also it is possible that  people == state can be
 true you know.

> -- 
> Brad Templeton, Looking Glass Software Ltd. - Waterloo, Ontario 519/884-7473

John Chapman