As American manufacturing workers watch their jobs leave the United States en masse, headed toward nations who'll allow their workers to be paid peanuts per hour, few if anyone is proposing a viable deterrent to U.S. companies looking for the cheapest labor in the world to increase profits and share holder value. While even a moron understands running a for profit business requires minimizing cost wherever possible, when it comes to labor, there should be limits in place to discourage multinational corporations from playing the world's workforce against itself.
If the United States had leaders interested in protecting American jobs, living wages and a decent standard of living, we would hear proposals like establishing an international minimum wage for any and all labor that can be exported/outsourced from one nation to another. In other words, workers in China, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, Ethiopia, India, Ukraine, Romania, etc would be paid the same rate of pay an American or European worker would be paid for the same job. Workers around the world would now compete on quality of what they produce and not the cost of what they produce.
If the United States had innovative and forward thinking candidates running for the U.S. presidency, by now someone would have suggested an international minimum wage to address the steady outward flow of exportable jobs. If U.S. candidates vying for the world's top job could see how an international minimum wage would not only save American jobs, but would raise living conditions for workers around the globe, they'd also see how an international minimum wage could also address working conditions akin to slavery in some places.
If the United States had leaders even remotely interested in leading the world in an effort to reduce the deleterious effect of globalization on the global workforce, they'd be proposing concepts like this when ever negotiating major trade agreements. Any nation or group of nations refusing to meet minimal standards for compensation, working conditions, human rights and the health and welfare of its populace, would not be able to partner with or participate in economic development projects with the United States until they do.
If the United States had leaders smart enough to recognize an international minimum wage would not only stem the flow of American jobs out of this country, they would see how it could actually increase America's tax base. Keeping jobs in the United States increases the number of taxable workers to fund education, infrastructure repairs and America's pathetic social safety net. They'd also understand maintaining the status quo will only keep wages of all workers everywhere spiraling downward. Maybe that's the goal.
If the United States had leaders that understood an international minimum wage would take the incentive out of U.S. companies outsourcing American jobs, because they'd still have the same labor cost to manufacture a car, air conditioner, washing machine, flat screen or cell phone as it would cost in America, everything would come down to things like quality, efficiency and innovation. Not cheap labor! BTW, an international minimum wage would also keep all multinational corporations on the same level playing field.
Bottom line: An international minimum wage would put an end to U.S. businesses outsourcing American jobs. Ford could open as many auto plants in Mexico as they wanted to, but with an international minimum wage in place and enforced, it wouldn't be long before American cars would be made by the Americans again. And by the way, this ain't a new idea, the United States just doesn't have the right leaders to get the job done. Podcast below!
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