Subj : Salary advice from AI low
To   : ROB MCCART
From : Mike Powell
Date : Mon Aug 04 2025 09:46:19

> MP>This whole line of thinking is part of what has gotten us into the messes
>   >we are in now.  It is "equity" thinking... that everyone's outcomes should
>   >be equal... rather than "equality" thinking... we should all have equal
>   >opportunity to reach our own potential, which should not be expected to be
>   >the same between *individuals*.

> This is true.. Equal Opportunity and, after that, you earn what you get.

> I suppose in theory exceptional people would get promoted out of the
> area they are excelling in where, possibly, they could be paid more
> money, especially if that re-situated them outside of the union.

I think that is the part that bothers others... someone might get promoted
because they are better at this, so the not better one tries to make it sound
like that is somehow "unfair."

> And that's where the Peter Principle comes in, which is the idea
> that, in big business, people who do an exceptional job keep being
> promoted until they reach a level where they no longer do a good
> job, in theory leaving all companies run by incompetent people..   B)

> I've certainly run into that a few times...

Me, too, unfortunately.  I have also worked at some places where good
people get to a certain point and don't advance because management realizes
the really *need* them doing what they are doing now, and promoting them
will likely leave a hole somewhere.

I don't blame them for that, but it isn't too great if you are one of those
folks.  ;)

> Unions were good when they were needed but they gained so much
> power in many areas that they do more harm than good, and are
> less needed now that (in many places) there are government
> standards to give workers safe working conditions and reasonable
> pay but, of course, the Union always wants their people to have
> more than the average, technially more than they are worth, and
> for them to pay lots of Union Dues..

> I think by this point Unions mainly protect the bad workers and
> add to inflation since their higher wages cause increases in prices
> bringing about everyone else needing higher wages to catch up, and
> then it all starts over.

That is my general opinion of Unions.  That said, if you have a group that
gets in power and tries to erode the government safety standards, Unions
should in theory prevent that.  I say "in theory" as the Union may not step
up if the politicians doing the eroding are the same ones they paid big
money to get elected.

IMHO, that is where Unions can do some serious damage.  They become just
like any other PAC or self-serving organization that spends a ton of money
on politicians.  They wouldn't do it if they were not expecting something
in return.

> MP>So we are both great enemies of modern "thinkers." ;)

> Hopefully the pendulum will start to swing back before too
> many more years. Maybe we will even live that long..   B)

Yes, but I expect that about as much as I expect to see pigs fly.  ;)

Mike


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