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[-] Plibbert@lemmy.ml 173 points 10 months ago

I'm confused, does he actually think a box packer is skilled labor or is this just a whoosh from the girl.

[-] ShaggyBlarney@lemmy.ca 108 points 10 months ago

Warehouse fulfillment is skilled labor. Fast food work is skilled labor. I'm having a hard time thinking of an example of a truly unskilled labor job.

[-] lieuwestra@lemmy.world 86 points 10 months ago

Skilled labor is economists jargon, so the meaning of it does not match the dictionary definition.

No one is saying there is literally no skill involved in unskilled labor.

[-] Asafum@feddit.nl 61 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago)

Skilled labor = real human deserving of a fair wage.

Unskilled labor = meat machine that we need to pay by law, but we gladly wouldn't pay them a dime if we could get away with it because they aren't real people.

-Asshat Owners

[-] lieuwestra@lemmy.world 32 points 10 months ago

Technically skilled as in requiring education (financed by the state), unskilled can learn on the job within days.

But politics has a way with twisting those words into a us/them dichotomy.

[-] Lamb@lemmy.zip 18 points 10 months ago

Many jobs societally requiring a degree could be learned on the job very quickly.

[-] kautau@lemmy.world 15 points 10 months ago

I’m a software engineer. There’s people on my team that went to Yale for computer science. There’s also people on my team that took a six month coding boot camp. They’re both great at their jobs.

[-] uis@lemmy.world 4 points 10 months ago

Specifics of software engieneering. Doesn't work with civil engieneering, electrical engieneering and many other fields.

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[-] rambaroo@lemmy.world 2 points 10 months ago

Some people just can't be trained to write code. You still need the aptitude at the end of the day.

[-] synae 1 points 10 months ago

I know both kinds that are absolutely dogshit at their jobs. I don't say this to negate your point, but rather to strengthen it.

I'll also add that some of the very best I know have no formal training whatsoever. But they have years of hobbyist experience that eventually led to a career and the additional experience that comes from that.

And even though success can come without formal training, I wouldn't want to hire someone completely untrained or inexperienced in this field - you gotta have something to get your foot in the door

[-] Asafum@feddit.nl 8 points 10 months ago

For me it's not really an us/them opposition, my disgust is with how unskilled laborers are viewed/treated because of our lack of education. That somehow makes us subhuman and undeserving of a living wage. That we should be thankful for a minimum wage.

I have no issue with skilled laborers, I have an issue with owners/CEO/etc... us laborers of all skills are in the same boat. Best friend works for Intel, Intel makes tons of money, friend gets pay cut and added responsibility. ¿Que?

[-] lieuwestra@lemmy.world 2 points 10 months ago

The problem lies in the fact that we need to categorise these subjects to write more effective policy. And it doesn't matter what words you use, they always get these connotations as familiarity grows.

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[-] Incandemon@lemmy.ca 1 points 10 months ago

I think its unintended but by that definition then carpentry or other trades which used to be learned by apprenticeship on the job aren't skilled?

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[-] helenslunch@feddit.nl 3 points 10 months ago

What constitutes skilled labor and who should be paid a living wage are two distinct conversations.

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[-] FraidyBear@lemmy.world 22 points 10 months ago
[-] VikingHippie@lemmy.wtf 12 points 10 months ago

Close, but that's not a job. It's no coincidence that the destructive practice of using your wealth to suck wealth out of society without adding anything beneficial is called Rent-seeking

[-] Honytawk@lemmy.zip 3 points 10 months ago

That requires no labour though.

[-] LemmyIsFantastic@lemmy.world 13 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago)

Warehouse fulfillment and fast food. It takes little education and training. I can be doing it in a week. Tops.

It's far harder and longer timeframe replacing an engineer for example.

[-] peopleproblems@lemmy.world 4 points 10 months ago

That's not skilled labor though, that's white-collar office worker stuff.

A better example would be a lathe operator.

[-] LemmyIsFantastic@lemmy.world 8 points 10 months ago

White collar has nothing to do with skilled or not. It's a calculation on time and cost to replace.

I don't know anything about lathe operators but it's very clear that it's harder to replace engineers vs cooking fast food.

[-] sus@programming.dev 3 points 10 months ago

probably the "labor" part

[-] jaybone@lemmy.world 2 points 10 months ago

I don’t think the issue is with the term skilled, I think it’s with labor.

Unskilled labor is McDonald’s.

Skilled labor would be like a machinist or a plumber.

It takes a lot of training, maybe an apprenticeship, etc. maybe even vocational school.

[-] KevonLooney@lemm.ee 2 points 10 months ago

You're comparing the bottom person at a restaurant with a mid level engineer. You should be comparing an engineering intern with a dishwasher or something. Both are somewhat replaceable (but try running anything without them).

Compare an actual engineer with a restaurant manager or head chef. Both of those require experience and education.

[-] LemmyIsFantastic@lemmy.world 6 points 10 months ago

An entry level engineer is going to have 2 years of additional math, or coding, or whatever after highschool. I was cooking burgers and running a register at 14. It's easy to learn. Most people can cook a burger as a part of their existence, no training but the specific way they want. Far far more easy to replace and train.

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[-] bitsplease@lemmy.ml 10 points 10 months ago
[-] hogunner@lemmy.world 4 points 10 months ago

I think all jobs at least have the potential to be skilled labor. The issue is with many of these types of jobs the work isn’t paid well enough for someone to stick around and really develop the skills.

Obviously there are many exceptions as there are a lot of really skilled workers working jobs that still pay well below what they should but hopefully, with more awareness and union membership uptick, this is improving.

[-] StickyLavander@lemm.ee 2 points 10 months ago

Yep most of the time they just stand there they just watch you walk by. To be fair lots of assholes on this side of town.

[-] xpinchx@lemmy.world 5 points 10 months ago

I guess one thing I learned reading this thread, there are very few unskilled jobs nowadays.

Maybe old time admin assistants just collating papers, making copies, etc but even then those are really just unskilled tasks moreso than an unskilled job. They also had appointments to set up, calendars and rolodexes to manage, organization, etc.

I think any unskilled job can be made skilled labour if you're thoughtful about how you do it, and do it well.

[-] skyspydude1@lemmy.world 3 points 10 months ago

Whatever job Eminem had in 8 Mile on the Up/Down button machine?

[-] helenslunch@feddit.nl 3 points 10 months ago

It's not and you know it. "Skilled labor" means you have copious amounts of knowledge that directly apply to a specific job.

Anyone can learn to work at McDonald's in an afternoon, and the people who work there would tell you the same.

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[-] Sorgan71@lemmy.world 1 points 10 months ago

Skilled labor requires a degree, unskilled labor does not.

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[-] HeyJoe@lemmy.world 12 points 10 months ago

No, he thinks it's more work. More work but he was paid slightly more until fast food workers got the bump.

Someone should tell him the harder you work the less people seem to make unless it's something very specialized.

[-] Patches@sh.itjust.works 7 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago)

All Labor is Skilled Labor.

Ask Bezos to work in one of his own warehouses. Ask him to flip burgers. See how long he lasts before he is asked to leave.

[-] Plibbert@lemmy.ml 9 points 10 months ago

Nah nah I agree my guy, but your getting caught up on the social definition. The guy who made the statement, legitimately thinks it takes significantly more skill to pack a box than to flip a burger. Like his definition of unskilled labor just unapologetically includes everyone below him, and all he does is pack fucking boxes. It's GOTTA be satire.

[-] unfreeradical@lemmy.world 2 points 10 months ago

One skill differs from another qualitatively.

None is higher or lower than another.

[-] rhythmisaprancer@kbin.social 5 points 10 months ago

I think this is an example of how much the upper crust has done to divide the main ingredients.

[-] Soleos@lemmy.world 3 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago)

Whooosh? I don't know, but I know what I want to believe.

this post was submitted on 08 Nov 2023
1482 points (97.7% liked)

Antiwork

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