this post was submitted on 10 Sep 2026
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Work Reform
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A place to discuss positive changes that can make work more equitable, and to vent about current practices. We are NOT against work; we just want the fruits of our labor to be recognized better.
Our Philosophies:
- All workers must be paid a living wage for their labor.
- Income inequality is the main cause of lower living standards.
- Workers must join together and fight back for what is rightfully theirs.
- We must not be divided and conquered. Workers gain the most when they focus on unifying issues.
Our Goals
- Higher wages for underpaid workers.
- Better worker representation, including but not limited to unions.
- Better and fewer working hours.
- Stimulating a massive wave of worker organizing in the United States and beyond.
- Organizing and supporting political causes and campaigns that put workers first.
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Push everyone onto the private market and jack the prices up with worse service. Just like everything else.
Because even though the employer health care was shitty for a lot of reasons it did have one thing going for it: the ability of a powerful corporation to negotiate the best rates it could in order to keep its costs down.
If it’s no longer tied to jobs, we lose that last advantage.
If the market worked, sure. Eventually it became a selling point that looks acceptable to job applicants, but is practically useless when needed. Tons of market failures because of all the monopolies.
I’m not arguing in favor of employer health care. I’m only pointing out the single benefit it offered vs health care being run like Netflix or any other subscription service that enshittifies further and charges you more every chance it gets.
But in reality we don't get that collective bargaining benefit at all because the employer doesn't represent our interests. They're getting the entire surplus.
Imagine a corrupt union, that bargains on your behalf but takes nearly all the surplus. Your employer is even worse than that.
I don’t disagree with any of that. The corporation is negotiating for itself, not us.
There was another reason: Employer-provided health insurance is not taxed as income in the US. This is the main reason healthcare is tied to employment.
I don't understand the connection, tbh.
I know of no place that cites the taxes as a “benefit” or a main reason.
Health care was tied to employment as a means to attract workers. That’s it. The fact any of it is untaxed is at the whim of the government, not the employer. If anything the employer-based health care is a shackle, you lose your job or get fired you lose insurance.
I’m sure if enough people get kicked off employer health care or enough corpos say they’re no longer offering it the government will allow some sort of pre-tax or no-tax income allowance to individuals based on reported health insurance costs.
Maybe.