>btw, what do IT and HR stand for?
(Information Technology--most companies call their computer depatments "IT" or "IS" (info systems). And HR is human resources.
But when organized labor achieves this, they are (generally) also supportive of others having it and will fight for others' right to have it. But programmers (generally) have disdain for everyone "below" them. They buy the whole free market philosophy that says you get what your worth and shouldn't organize. In fact, programmers have not got what they have by any solidarity, or effort on their own part, but just by a weird glitch in the capitalist system.
Why don't companies try to cut IT costs? It's as if they don't care how much they spend in that area. Maybe it's because it's good to tell Wall Street your spending loads on IT.
But when
-----Original Message----- From: owner-lbo-talk at lists.panix.com [mailto:owner-lbo-talk at lists.panix.com]On Behalf Of Wojtek Sokolowski Sent: Tuesday, January 04, 2000 12:45 PM To: lbo-talk at lists.panix.com Subject: RE: Y2-nuthin'?
At 11:56 AM 1/4/00 -0500, Zack wrote:
>In non-IT companies, management has no way of overseeing IT depts. They
>just have to trust whatever IT says. And IT is in a position right now to
>demand huge amounts of cash for whatever they say is necessary. That was
>the case before Y2K and is still the case, and Y2K only improved their
>position in that regard.
>
>These programmers in general are the most arrogant people--and mostly very
>conservative libertarian types. Even those with very low skill levels
(like
>me) make up to $100,000 a year, after just one or two years of work
>experience. And they are just as sure they deserve it all as they are that
>the Starbucks slaves serving their coffee deserve $7/hr.
Just to play a devil's advocate - after all, those folks got what organized labor and the left in general have been fighting for - occupational autonomy, independence from the bosses and from capitalist "market discipline" the ability to define all important aspects of the job do what they see fit and get paid regardless of how much their labor contributes to the economy. So if we call it arrogance and despise it when computer programmers have such privileges, why makes us think that when the revolution finally comes and grants the same rights/privileges to other types of workers, things would be different?
wojtek