• Ledivin@lemmy.world
    1153·
    3 months ago

    Wait, what? That’s not wage theft at all. It’s fucked up and something we need to fix, but wage theft is a different thing entirely

    • Soup@lemmy.world
      322·
      3 months ago

      I feel like this is among the loosest definitions of it. Like, it fits the spirit of it and should be considered as a type of wage theft but it’s bottom of the list after things like not paying people what they’re literally contractually obligated to recieve.

    • iAvicenna@lemmy.world
      13·
      3 months ago

      I am amazed at how many people think that “being paid what you are contractually owed” and “being paid what you deserve” are entirely different. I feel like in many instances even if there is breach of contractual obligations (such as not paying at all or enough for overtime etc), the amount of money employers steal by not paying people what they deserve (based on profits and what not) is orders of magnitude higher than what they fail to pay contractually.

      • Ledivin@lemmy.world
        2·
        3 months ago

        I am amazed at how many people think that “being paid what you are contractually owed” and “being paid what you deserve” are entirely different

        …what? Yes, the writing on the contract is different from whatever set of ethics you happen to ascribe to. You can make philosophical arguments that they should be the same, but expressing disbelief at two clearly different things being different is… well, it’s insane.

        • iAvicenna@lemmy.world
          12·
          3 months ago

          If you want to discuss definition in the formal sense, it suffices to say “that is not the definition of wage theft here it is bla bla”. Instead when you say “Wait, what? they are entirely different you insane lunatic” most reasonable people will think that you are completely against even using the two concepts in the same sentence. As an example someone says “Donald Trump is a champion of democracy” and I say “Wait, what? Are you insane? Donald trump and democracy are entirely unrelated”.

          • Ledivin@lemmy.world
            3·
            3 months ago

            “Wait, what? they are entirely different you insane lunatic”

            You used quotes but somehow avoided quoting anyone 🤔 odd

    • rockSlayer@lemmy.worldOP
      1829·
      3 months ago

      you’re thinking of the legal definition of wage theft. This meme is about how all profit is made by stealing the surplus value of workers.

      • calabast@lemm.ee
        47·
        3 months ago

        I like the idea behind the comic, but I had the same initial thought as the previous commenter. I think maybe the comic shouldn’t have used a very well known phrase that has a different legal definition.

      • kryptonianCodeMonkey@lemmy.world
        271·
        3 months ago

        Don’t conflate a legal problem that is already not taken seriously and addressed enough with another thing entirely. Real wage theft is already illegal and pathways to remedy that wage theft exist as long as people take it very seriously. What is described in this meme is also a problem and also needs addressed. However it is entirely, 1000% legal to keep wages low while you rack in rescord profits, and many capitalists would argue that you should. By conflating an actual legal issue wish a subjective moral one, you make it easier to excuse the legal issue as just another subjective moral issue that can be ignored and exploited.

        They are different things that have different remedies and different access to those remedies right now. You’re not strengthening the definition of wage theft to give more power to this new issue. You’re weakening both.

        • Gormadt@lemmy.blahaj.zone
          16·
          3 months ago

          Very well said

          This is the kind of meme people point to when they go, “See how stupid the left is? They don’t even know what wage theft is.”

          It does a disservice to workers and the left.

        • rockSlayer@lemmy.worldOP
          214·
          3 months ago

          I’m not going to debate the nuances of propaganda on a meme. I disagree with your assessment, and hope you have a good day.

    • unexposedhazard@discuss.tchncs.de
      220·
      3 months ago

      This isnt r*ddit but it is hard for me to resist telling you that you got wooshed. This twisted definition is clearly the joke and intended to bring attention to the fact that corporations regularily effectively steal from employees without repercussions.

      Boss makes a dollar, i make a dime, thats why i poop on company time.

      Dont feel bad about wage theft. Its the morally correct thing to do. Just dont get caught :)

  • Gormadt@lemmy.blahaj.zone
    672·
    3 months ago

    That’s not wage left, that’s capitalism.

    By equivocating the 2 you dilute the meaning of wage theft.

      • Gormadt@lemmy.blahaj.zone
        38·
        3 months ago

        Just because it’s a meme doesn’t mean it can’t make a rhetorical statement, and in this case the meme does.

        Memes can be used as a fantastic tool for sparking discussions on topics, just as rhetorical statements and questions are.

        • Cethin@lemmy.zipEnglish
          6·
          3 months ago

          Hell, a meme is, by definition, a thing that transmits information between people. Sure, some can be humorous, but the word is about communication of concepts.

  • butwhyishischinabook@lemmy.world
    652·
    3 months ago

    Someone just posted this like a week ago, that’s not what wage theft is and deliberately misusing terms like that makes us look bad. Stop. You aren’t helping.

    • GreyEyedGhost@lemmy.ca
      4·
      3 months ago

      Upvoted you, downvoted the post, because, while this is a huge problem, it’s not wage theft.

      Just saw the community. Carry on.

    • dustycups@aussie.zone
      2·
      3 months ago

      True but…

      What is it called when one company buys all the other ones & charges extortionate prices? Maybe with a sprinkle of selling lots of brands with the same crap inside?

      I can only think of “late stage capitalism” but there must be a more technically correct name for it.

      Edit: how can I forget the word monopoly? What is wrong with me? ?

  • zbyte64@awful.systems
    21·
    3 months ago

    Alternatively, Big Bird could go with the establishment definition of wage theft and mention it’s the largest form of theft.

  • TotallynotJessica@lemmy.world
    16·
    3 months ago

    As Adam Smith observed, the profits of stock are inversely proportional to the wages of labor. When capitalists are profiting, you’re suffering.

    The US was able to see capitalists profit and workers have high wages when they had abundant access to stolen resources from the Native Americans. When there are vast opportunities, everyone can win. After that expansion period ends, the capitalists and workers compete for scarce power in society.

    Industrialization and technological advancements are similarly able to realize benefits for all, but that boon will always end. Like how ecoli bacteria can only replicate exponentially for brief periods, spending most of their existence in relative starvation, we can’t all benefit.

    The stock market booming is antithetical to worker wellbeing without corresponding leaps forward in our use of resources, or by taking resources from elsewhere. Stocks going up is bad unless it can be justified.