Quote:
Originally Posted by Charlatan
So what are you going to do about it? It's easy to point at Dubai but the fact remains that those living the West are also benefiting from this globalized economy where cheap labour can be used to manufacture products (everything from clothing and molded plastic to fast food and steel). When was the last time you shopped at Wall Mart? When was the last time you purchased something that was made in Cambodia, Laos, China, etc.?
You're soaking in it.
You point to my standard of living but you might as well point to your own.
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I already acknowledged that it is near impossible to avoid buying things made in other nations by poorly paid workers at times and that we do benefit to an extent. But I know that everyone who works locally here - and in a developped nation - is paid at least a minimum wage and that is something places like Dubai will have to learn.
You know, Dubai is busy buying soccer teams for a billion dollars and splurging tens of billions on extravagent architecture. You'd think they could spare an extra shekel for people who build their wealth.
---------- Post added at 05:38 AM ---------- Previous post was at 05:31 AM ----------
Quote:
Originally Posted by dlish
are companies robbing peter to pay paul? again, i dont think so. 'we' as western expats dont get paid X so that asians are paid Y.
western expats on the other hand dont make a significant improvement in their financial stability by going overseas to work and the standard of living doesnt really improve a great deal. in some instances yes, in others definately no. so i hardly see it that the big dollars are going to the western expats while the asian workers get pennies.
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I can only speak to my experience. Every adult I have ever known who has gone to work abroad - including UAE and Saudi - did it for the cash and/or significant career advancement. Very few people uproot and move halfway round the world to a desert for less pay. So of course Westerners are heavily benefitting in one way or another.
I don't disagree that many positions do need to be filled by Westerners until such time as the local labour market is capable of filling those jobs. But those Westerners are benefitting very directly from the fact that the local labourers, domestics and dishwashers are being poorly paid.