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Labour Q&A with Terry Bell
Cape Town - In the ongoing South African labour debate, Fin24 user Robert Sylvester says if he was unhappy with his salary, he would simply find another job. But is it really that simple?
Sylvester writes that people are paid for the "VALUE of the JOB, not what we believe we are worth".
"I can't understand why the strikers don't just get other better paying jobs, instead of fighting with their employers."
Terry Bell responds:
Ah, Robert, and where are all these jobs that one can pick and choose from? And how is the value of a job calculated?
In the manufacturing process, every step relies on another; without one, the process cannot be completed. Yet some jobs such as in mining, rock drill operators are at the very start of the process and so, without them, the rest of the process cannot be completed. But even if they work and others along the chain do not, then, again, the process stops.
The question is rather how fair is the distribution of the wealth generated by the workers at every step.
* Add your voice or just drop Terry a labour question.
- Fin24
* Follow Terry on twitter @telbelsa.
Disclaimer: All articles and letters published on Fin24 have been independently written by members of the Fin24 community. The views of users published on Fin24 are therefore their own and do not necessarily represent those of Fin24.
