Re:Microsoft Workers Won't Get Annual Pay Bump Despite $18.3...
by vertis on Thursday May 11, 2023 @07:57AM
(#35900902)
It's a long term evolving thing
> The working class is classically defined as that class which must sell its labour-power in order to survive.[0]
It does go on to define working class as essentially blue collar workers, even highly skilled ones. Which would exclude software engineering.
Though I think it should include anyone for which they aren't earning enough to eventually become financially independent through their labour. This would then include quite a number of white collar workers. Certainly there are software engineers outside the silicon valley bubble for which this is true, especially in parts of Asia and India.
A good litmus test is if you feel you should join a union then you're probably working class and if you feel secure negotiating your own pay then you're probably not any more. Though I doubt this fits a traditional definition of working class.
> The working class is classically defined as that class which must sell its labour-power in order to survive.[0]
It does go on to define working class as essentially blue collar workers, even highly skilled ones. Which would exclude software engineering.
Though I think it should include anyone for which they aren't earning enough to eventually become financially independent through their labour. This would then include quite a number of white collar workers. Certainly there are software engineers outside the silicon valley bubble for which this is true, especially in parts of Asia and India.
A good litmus test is if you feel you should join a union then you're probably working class and if you feel secure negotiating your own pay then you're probably not any more. Though I doubt this fits a traditional definition of working class.
[0]: https://www.oxfordreference.com/display/10.1093/oi/authority...