The graph only includes the lowest paid 80% of the workforce production/non-supervisory workers. When using all workers, which is what you want to know if labor is lagging productivity, you must use all workers or else you aren’t measuring pay vs. productivity! In fact, EPI uses all workers in another graph and shows the gap decreasing significantly. Strangely, that’s not the graph that gets passed around. The headline and wage-inequality graph gets passed around. Savvy move on EPI’s part, I have to commend them.
The graph uses average hourly wages which does not include overtime, bonuses, shift premiums, and employer benefits…The graph provided ignores (better said, partially reflects) the growing share of compensation in benefits, not wages.
The graph uses the slow moving NDP to deflate output, while using the fast moving PCI to deflate compensation. NDP is chained, but CPI is not.
I think that even if every single assertion that person makes is taken, prima facie, to be completely 100% accurate and correct, it would still only modify my previous statement to “Our enemy is stagnant wages that - for the overwhelming majority of all workers - no longer rise in step with productivity.”
I’m really not clear on how that’s all that much of a difference. Good for the few people who lucked out I guess. The linked comment actually wraps up by saying the graph only demonstrates rising wealth inequality, which is, you know, the entire fucking point of the god damn graph, holy shit, where the fuck do they think people are claiming the lost wages went, into fucking space?!?!
I’d ask you if you rent or own your property. Are you able to buy as many groceries now as your parents could on similar budgets, inflation inclusive?
Because I know the answer, I’d suggest you look past statistics at this point and examine yourself and those around you, see if you’re able to accomplish more, or less, than your predecessors seemed to.
I have my biases and bents. I encourage you to do your own research and conclusions, vs parroting purported experts.
What do you have to say about this?
https://www.reddit.com/r/badeconomics/comments/6rtoh4/productivity_pay_gap_in_epi_we_trust/
These bits particularly stood out to me:
I think that even if every single assertion that person makes is taken, prima facie, to be completely 100% accurate and correct, it would still only modify my previous statement to “Our enemy is stagnant wages that - for the overwhelming majority of all workers - no longer rise in step with productivity.”
I’m really not clear on how that’s all that much of a difference. Good for the few people who lucked out I guess. The linked comment actually wraps up by saying the graph only demonstrates rising wealth inequality, which is, you know, the entire fucking point of the god damn graph, holy shit, where the fuck do they think people are claiming the lost wages went, into fucking space?!?!
I’d ask you if you rent or own your property. Are you able to buy as many groceries now as your parents could on similar budgets, inflation inclusive?
Because I know the answer, I’d suggest you look past statistics at this point and examine yourself and those around you, see if you’re able to accomplish more, or less, than your predecessors seemed to.
I have my biases and bents. I encourage you to do your own research and conclusions, vs parroting purported experts.
Gotta say, I’m not impressed with seeking anecdotal evidence being the go-to response.
What if I tell you “yes”? Somehow, I doubt your response will be to concede the argument.
Speaks volumes, that.
Does it?