Originally Posted by
genejockey
I had an online debate with a more rightwing friend, more than 20 years ago now. I was The Liberal on the community/political subforum on an archery and bowhunting website, so I was The Enemy, though in those days it was all civilized. My friend challenged me to debate the proposition that an employer owed his employees no more compensation than just enough that they won't leave.
I responded with, "Sure, as long as YOU agree that employEES owe their employER no more work than would keep them from being fired."
He was HORRIFIED! That attitude, he said, was what was wrong with America today! He essentially felt that workers should ALWAYS give their best and work as hard as possible, as some kind of moral obligation. He couldn't see it as a business decision on BOTH sides of it. You'll be unsurprised to learn that he was an employER, not an employEE.
A good friend up in Oregon was running his own small construction business with maybe 8 employees or so. He grew up working construction and knows what it's like to not make much money but have to work your butt off all day and had no intention of doing that to any of his employees. He wanted them to do more than earn just enough, he wanted them all to live comfortably and well so he paid them a LOT. Needless to say, he had low turnover, everyone was happy and put in top quality work which meant satisfied customers.