"Colonel Kurtz" wrote in message
...

On 28-Sep-2010, "nom=de=plume" wrote:

The productivity of minimum wage clerks HAS increased - they've been
partially displaced by "self checkout" at many retailers. A 25%
reduction
in checkout employees is a serious increase in productivity.

Or, even better yet, close the store in the US and open it as an
online-only retailer in India.

EXCELLENT point - the online and phone service support of most companies
has
been in that mode to 10-15 years. It gains a terrific increase of
productivity. Lower cost, higher profits.


Oh wait, that doesn't actually increase productivity.

It absolutely does. Increased output with less labor (and therefore labor
costs) is increased productivity.

What does do is increase profits.

That's good TOO!

We agree!

Nope. Not for the worker laid off in the US. It increases profits for the
company, not worker productivity, which is what everyone is talking about...
But fine. No problem. Companies who move work offshore should have to pay a
penalty for this. Companies who hire in the US should get a tax break.