"Equal Work, Equal Pay"

[Invincible Summer]

The concept of "equal work, equal pay" is usually applied to affirmative action-type policies and legislation, preventing wage discrimination against women and people of visible/ethnic minorities, etc.

However, are there any other ways that this can be interpreted/used? As communists, would this be something to defend or reject? It's obviously not a revolutionary call, but can it be useful for our cause?

[Vyseaurion]

I can't say for sure, as I'm still learning myself (so please correct me if I'm wrong or I misunderstand the question), but I have something to throw in.

I would defend it. We have an entirely unequal (and extremely unfair, if you ask me) distribution of wealth. People who contribute nearly nothing to society can make vast sums of money. Someone who simply speculates on future economic markets can make more than someone who makes a medical breakthrough that saves thousands or even millions of lives.

[ArrowLance]

No, it all comes down to expecting everyone to be able to work 'equally' which is just ridiculous. There is no reason we should expect anyone to work as hard as so and so for whatever.

Simply it should be equal pay for being part of society.

[Action Johnny]

So severely handicapped people would receive little to nothing if equal work = equal pay.

Even people in difficult socio-economic situations may not be able to dedicate their time to work as hard as others (single mothers for example).

[Invincible Summer]

To clarify, I'm sure it refers to equal types of work should get equal pay - e.g. all cashiers should be paid the same.

[Velkas]

But how would you decide how much people in each profession earn? Isn't every job (in a socialist society) important to society?

[CartCollector]

Even people in difficult socio-economic situations may not be able to dedicate their time to work as hard as others (single mothers for example).Well you could consider raising children as productive work. Then again this mindset already exists somewhat in welfare states, though people can only receive money for it if they meet certain requirements (like making less than a certain amount per year or working in a place that allows maternity/paternity leave).

[Invincible Summer]

I'm not talking about implementing "equal work = equal pay" in socialist society, but rather people's opinions on it in the present. Is it something socialists should defend, along with less-than-revolutionary calls for a living wage, universal health care, etc?

[red cat]

"From each according to his ability, to each according to his needs" is what we will follow in communism.

But "equal work, equal pay" is indeed a revolutionary slogan with respect to what we have today.

EDIT: We often take this slogan to claim that since bureaucrats and managers don't work as much as a lower level worker, their wages should not be more than that of an ordinary employee. The next step is to point out to the working class that capitalists do not work at all; and guess what the next slogan is ?:)

[syndicat]

If people who doing the same work but not paid equally, this is illegitimate, that's true. But there are some other related ideas that go further...also simply as things to work for at present.

if we agree that the capitalist division of labor, and the wage differentials, the various wage levels, are implemented to divide people, it is possible to fight to reduce wage differentials by demanding, in a union struggle, for example, that the worst off get a higher wage increase then the best paid. This reduces the differential, and thus gives people more of a sense of being part of an organization that looks out for their common interests, strenghtens solidarity, just as things like two-tier wage schemes undermine solidarity.

this can be defended on the basis of the principle of equal pay for equal effort. so as long as people are working just as hard, they shouldn't be paid less just because they are working a job where it is easier to find replacements for them.

This is also another way of overcoming sexually discriminatory differences in pay rates, where these are based on differences between female dominated and male dominated occupations. So it's not sufficient that everyone in the same occupation is paid the same, if people in other occupations are paid less even tho they work as hard.

[ElectricSheep1203]

I don't know about the rest of you, but when "equal work = equal pay" comes up in a discussion about communism, i find that it's a complete misinterpretation about communism. typically i see that in a completely communist world there would be no "currency" at all. remove the social value of an object and let it be an object.

[Physicist]

Since the question pertains to current day commerce, my opinion is that equal pay for equal work is unenforceable. Different organizations are not capable of distributing money equally to "all" employees with a specific employment title and you would run into the problem of job identification, among other things. Plus the variety of effort put forward in each person would make most workers hostile to the notion.

I'm also weary about reform-minded proposals as they have a tendency to be short-sighted. Typically they favor state capitalism slogged down with excessive bureaucratic elements.

[Die Rote Fahne]

In the socialist stage equal pay for equal work would be a policy in place for sure.

[chegitz guevara]

In the socialist stage equal pay for equal work would be a policy in place for sure.

Wrong. In the socialist stage, we will still need to have pay differentials, because society is not fully productive enough to provide everyone with everything they need. Read The State and Revolution.

[red cat]

Wrong. In the socialist stage, we will still need to have pay differentials, because society is not fully productive enough to provide everyone with everything they need. Read The State and Revolution.

To each according to his contribution, right ?

[chegitz guevara]

To each according to his contribution, right ?

In the beginning, yep. At the point that equal pay is possible, we will have reached the communist stage of society, and pay will be unnecessary, and wither away. ... assuming Lenin was right. He makes a good argument, but even he can't see the future (especially cuz he's dead).

[danyboy27]

i think its all come down to communities to decide such things, differents imperpretation of how work should be rewarded would arise.

Has long the mean of productions and property are collectively owned, the rest of the management of currency/labor voucher system is up to the communities, some communities might decide to allow more labor voucher to artists, other to doctor or manual worker.