Even if you avoid sweatshop style work environments, the US is simply not suited for consumer electronic manufacturing.
There are many countries where say the equivalent of €2,000 net a month would be an above average salary and would be highly competitive for a semi-skilled manufacturing position. €24 K a year in the US is nothing.
There is also the problem of massive corruption in the American medical system (I have a close friend who works in a provider and the rates they charge the insurance companies are borderline comical) and in other areas (e.g. telecommunication costs in the US are just stupid).
There are many countries where say the equivalent of €2,000 net a month would be an above average salary and would highly competitive for a semi-skilled manufacturing position. €24 K a year in the US is nothing.
If only workers for low cost products were earning the equivalent and had “above average wages”. Also above average doesn’t mean much if the average is poverty; that’s why I said fair wage.
I do think US workers have to experience the same struggles as their foreign comrades to understand and empathise. Maybe it will help them value their goods more. Europe could do with the same as we don’t see nor care about the suffering that goes into our low cost products either. Maybe having a silicon, lithium, or rare earth mine in the backyard will make us care about product origins and the supply chain more.
Even if you avoid sweatshop style work environments, the US is simply not suited for consumer electronic manufacturing.
There are many countries where say the equivalent of €2,000 net a month would be an above average salary and would be highly competitive for a semi-skilled manufacturing position. €24 K a year in the US is nothing.
There is also the problem of massive corruption in the American medical system (I have a close friend who works in a provider and the rates they charge the insurance companies are borderline comical) and in other areas (e.g. telecommunication costs in the US are just stupid).
If only workers for low cost products were earning the equivalent and had “above average wages”. Also above average doesn’t mean much if the average is poverty; that’s why I said fair wage.
I do think US workers have to experience the same struggles as their foreign comrades to understand and empathise. Maybe it will help them value their goods more. Europe could do with the same as we don’t see nor care about the suffering that goes into our low cost products either. Maybe having a silicon, lithium, or rare earth mine in the backyard will make us care about product origins and the supply chain more.
Anti Commercial-AI license