Yes, it’s a PCM meme, but still accurate as fuck.

  • atro_city@fedia.io
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    1 month ago

    I’m not an psychic, but I’d imagine the more we deport, the more wages will go up

    I think it’s a reasonable assumption, but the reason I was asking for the basis for that hope is because I was hoping you had done some research and found some data to base that assumption on. It could have been a solid basis for it. In the UK, where Brexit was touted to achieve the same goal, the wages did go up (not a very good source, but well) however they ended up asking for the pickers, truck drivers, and handiworkers to return (EuroNews 2021, BBC 2023, Le Monde).

    If you were to take a look at Germany (3rd biggest economy in the world), it struggles to get workers for elderly care and instead of increasing wages to attract more people, they are instead making easier to hire abroad e.g India.

    The biggest side effect would be higher rates for fruit/veggies and for landscaping. But I’d pay extra for fruit I know is grown ethically. I already do, as much as I try.

    I agree that the cost of food and landscaping will go up, which could be troubling for some who hoped for the opposite. Given how wages have not risen at the same rate as inflation, it is difficult to share your hope for increased wages - be it for the pickers and landscapers or the people paying for the produce and services. But, I may be wrong, I’m not a psychic either.

    I do commend you for willing to pay more for ethically grown (and harvested) fruit. Whether your fellow countrymen and women are is yet to be seen.


    In conclusion, my fear is that while there might be mass deportations and a real chance of wages going up, IMO the most likely outcomes are

    • a drastic labour shortage in under-regulated and low-wage jobs previously held by the deported
    • a quick increase in products and services of said jobs
    • following options:
      • lobbying to simplify and speed up the return of said workers to keep wages / costs down
      • prison workers being forced to do the jobs (some places already do that) --> prison industrial complex growth
      • wage increases starting from minimum wage to attract US citizens to do the jobs
      • lots of businesses going bankrupt followed by consolidation by larger businesses and acute risk or establishment of monopolies

    Whether those are all good, whether they happen together or separately, I don’t know, but my hopes aren’t very high that the total outcome will be positive.

    Good luck though.