editor
hiraethified
I wonder how many Pret workers actually felt "insulted" when they were given a fat £1,000 bonus on their first week of work for the company. My guess is none at all.
Richer Sounds founder hands over control of hi-fi and TV firm to staff
- Thread starter editor
- Start date
Idaho
blah blah blah
They would tear each other apart for abstract points of theory. Heaven help us if any of them actually get power over anyone else. There is a pent up violence in them that is best confined to their bedrooms and keyboards.
kalidarkone
Bringing YOU round.....
Reading the op yesterday in the middle of a busy shift, waiting for my patient to arrive back from surgery following a dreadful, dreadful accident really lifted me up! I even read it to one of my colleagues. It's a great start. It sounds good to me. I've never had a bonus in my life and my yearly increment in April took me to 20 K pa-it's taken me 6 years to earn that. However in comparison to my son who is on a zero hours contract I feel lucky that I have great holidays, sick pay, NHS discounts and I love love love my job.
I agree with editor that it's a refreshing change from the likes of Bezos...etc but also agree with seventh bullet and Orang Utan that this should be standard practice and it is sad that we are now seemingly so far removed from this that we are celebrating it.
It's weird what can become so very wrong but normal.
The op at least reminds me things can be done differently in a way that benefits the many and that is a positive thing for me to feel.
I agree with editor that it's a refreshing change from the likes of Bezos...etc but also agree with seventh bullet and Orang Utan that this should be standard practice and it is sad that we are now seemingly so far removed from this that we are celebrating it.
It's weird what can become so very wrong but normal.
The op at least reminds me things can be done differently in a way that benefits the many and that is a positive thing for me to feel.
seventh bullet
sovietwave
You haven't really read this thread, have you?
editor
hiraethified
Thing is, I don't think a single person here disagrees with that, despite all the knee-jerking from certain quarters.
But there's never been a time when it's been routine for super successful businesses to hand over control to the workers, so I'm not going to change my opinion that Mr Richer has done a Good Thing.
billy_bob
Air of bewilderment model's own
That (the bit I added bold to) isn't what happened in this thread, though, is it? It's not just people saying 'yes, obviously Richer's actions here are better than those of many bosses but we still need to remember X, Y, and Z are more important in the grand scheme of things'. I'd have totally gone along with that. What happened - and it is leaning towards that caricature - is that anyone who welcomes those actions is seen as endorsing the system in which they've taken place.
editor
hiraethified
Spot on, sir.
seventh bullet
sovietwave
You dismiss the bottom-up viewpoint of people with actual experience in the sector on points which are in no way radical as far left knee-jerking or pie in the sky thinking, yet applaud paternalism from the top.
editor
hiraethified
And he's off again.
seventh bullet
sovietwave
The discussion on this topic moved further on to the retail sector more generally.
Orang Utan
Psychick Worrier Ov Geyoor
He doesn't deserve a pat on the back for not being a robber baron though. Let's not congratulate people doing what they ought to do, morally.
editor
hiraethified
OK, fuck him then. He's clearly a cunt. Tell him to keep the cash.
seventh bullet
sovietwave
It isn't just about morality is it?
Orang Utan
Psychick Worrier Ov Geyoor
Nope
Orang Utan
Psychick Worrier Ov Geyoor
Why? That's rather a stupid thing to say
kalidarkone
Bringing YOU round.....
Yes agree with this. It's like you can decide to take a glass half empty or half full approach. I'll go for half full while considering that the new Richer sound model is progress.
Within the little power I have, one of em being where I spend my money...I'd rather give it to Richer Sounds when buying that kind of stuff.
kalidarkone
Bringing YOU round.....
I think we should in order to encourage it.
seventh bullet
sovietwave
Yesterday he was asking me why shouldn't I start my own business, mockingly implying I had no right to talk about top-down moves by employers, which I think shows he doesn't really understand capitalist social relations and power at all.
littlebabyjesus
one of Maxwell's demons
It's possible to acknowledge that this is better than what most businesses do without fawning over the bloke who's done it. He made himself a millionaire many times over before doing it, after all.
seventh bullet
sovietwave
Yet worker action to defend, win back or improve conditions is 'pie in the sky. ' What needs encouragement and support the most? And this isn't strictly about morals. Hope that those with power allow some of their wealth to go down a bit or create the conditions where collectively people can be in the position to demand and take more of a share whether a boss is 'nice, a really great guy' or not?
Cid
Proper break this time
Even with that grand they’re not up to the London living wage.
Or the national living wage actually.
editor
hiraethified
Acknowledging a decent act which directly benefits workers is hardly 'fawning' though, is it?
seventh bullet
sovietwave
Be grateful.
Idaho
blah blah blah
Oh and now we have the mornington crescent of p&p - beseeching someone to "read the thread".
Next is actual playground name-calling.
seventh bullet
sovietwave
Keep getting your digs in about things that haven't been thought or said.
billy_bob
Air of bewilderment model's own
It's funny how alien this fairly obvious concept is to some people when it comes to sociopolitical rights and wrongs. Anyone who has ever looked after kids or pets knows that positive reinforcement is better than just bashing people over the head for what they've done wrong/failed to do all the time.
People I've disagreed with on this thread have talked about workers' conditions worsening. By definition, the fact that worsening is even possible means that the economic model is not simply already 100% bad or 100% good - if worsening is possible then so, at least theoretically, is improvement. The fear seems to be that acknowledging that improvement, when it happens, is letting the bad guys off the hook, but I don't think that follows at all.
petee
no gods, no malarkey
that's rich coming from you.
cupid_stunt
Chief seagull hater & farmerbarleymow's nemesis.
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