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This Online Community Demands Work Reform, And Here Are 40 Of Their Top Posts
Social IssuesMAR 9, 2022

This Online Community Demands Work Reform, And Here Are 40 Of Their Top Posts

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Everyone should be entitled to affordable food, healthcare, and homes. In short—everyone who works deserves to make ends meet without working themselves to death. That’s the main idea behind the r/WorkReform subreddit, a community of over half a million people who fight for a good quality of life for everyone and anyone who sells their labor.
Scroll down to check out some of the most powerful posts featured on r/WorkReform. Bored Panda got in touch with the moderator team at r/WorkReform who went into detail about the subreddit's history and mission. We also wanted to learn how to negotiate a good salary and work conditions, so we reached out to financial expert Sam Dogen, the founder of Financial Samurai and the author of ‘Buy This, Not That: How to Spend Your Way to Wealth and Freedom.’

#1 Burgernomics

Burgernomics
602points

"WorkReform began as an offshoot of another popular Reddit community examining labor issues. WorkReform is now part of an activist group of subreddits, including r/NewDealAmerica and r/SandersForPresident. NDA and SFP are more political. WorkReform is focused on improving living conditions for all working-class people," the r/WorkReform mods explained to Bored Panda.

They shared that the entire team is "100% all-volunteer" and take up the job because they believe in their cause. "Our primary moderation goal is to keep the working class community cohesive and supportive of each other. 'Divide and conquer' is the primary way workforces have been oppressed throughout history. When divisive efforts are kept in check, the community self-organizes to an amazing degree," they explained.

#2 Tweet

Tweet
458points

#3 Unrig The System

Unrig The System
Report
429points

According to the mods, workers "do their best bargaining" when they're part of a united block. "This is why the richest people in the world spend so much effort on stopping unions. The billionaires understand that all value is created by human labor. They know organized labor is unstoppable. This is why you see Amazon attacking union organizers by having them falsely arrested," they explained why there's a lot of anti-union sentiment in some of the larger multinational corporations.

"Organize with your fellow workers - together you are powerful!" they said. As for why employers don't want to see their workers earn fair wages and have good work conditions, it all comes down to "a culture of increasing short-term profitability at all costs."

The r/WorkReform movement is all about fairness and giving people of all wages access to the necessities of life. The group’s moderators shared a list of their beliefs, and odds are that you can get behind the majority (if not most) of them.

#4 Corrections

Corrections
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394points

#5 There Is No Labour Shortage. Tax The Rich

There Is No Labour Shortage. Tax The Rich
380points

#6 The Food Cost Paradox

The Food Cost Paradox
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375points

“People should not be worked to death. People should be paid a living wage for their labor. Income inequality and power inequality are the primary causes of social strife and lower living standards,” they write.

What’s more, the r/WorkReform mods believe that “workers must join together” to fight for what is “rightfully theirs.” They also urge workers not to be divided and conquered. “Workers gain the most when they focus on unifying issues,” they say.

Among the subreddit’s goals are: fighting for better compensation, getting better worker representation in the workforce (that includes unions and more), getting better and fewer working hours. What’s more, they aim to support political campaigns that “put workers first.”

#7 A Positive Spin For Once!

A Positive Spin For Once!
356points

#8 The System Needs To Change

The System Needs To Change
Report
347points

#9 We Have Our Own Oligarchs

We Have Our Own Oligarchs
342points

Bored Panda got in touch with financial expert and author Sam, the founder of the Financial Samurai blog, to understand the nature of work negotiations better. He was happy to share with Bored Panda the main things to keep in mind when going to negotiate for a better salary, as well as better work conditions. In short, preparing for the negotiations is more than half the battle. And knowledge is power.

#10 Pretty Simple

Pretty Simple
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341points

#11 Worker's Rights Are Human Rights (And Vice-Versa)

Worker's Rights Are Human Rights (And Vice-Versa)
336points

#12 Truth

Truth
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324points

According to financial expert Sam, there are a number of things that you should keep in mind when going to talk about the future of your career with your manager or boss. The first thing to keep in mind is the current competitive market environment.

“Is your industry growing or shrinking?” Sam said that employees should ask themselves this so they’re prepared for the negotiations better. Doing your research, knowing what the general trends in the job market are like, are very powerful tools in your arsenal.

#13 “Just Get Another Job”

“Just Get Another Job”
310points

#14 We Do Not All Have The Same 24 Hours, That’s For Sure

We Do Not All Have The Same 24 Hours, That’s For Sure
305points

#15 More People Should Do This

More People Should Do This
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301points

According to the expert, the next thing that you should consider is how well your company is actually doing at the moment. He noted some things to consider: “Is your company's stock price doing well? If it's a private company, is it raising funding at higher valuations? Is company morale good? Are there more benefits?”

#16 Pilots Don't Get Paid During Boarding

Pilots Don't Get Paid During Boarding
287points

#17 Whoops, My Bad. I Should Of Been Worse!

Whoops, My Bad. I Should Of Been Worse!
285points

#18 Threaten Bankruptcy. Get Bailout. Executive Bonuses. Repeat

Threaten Bankruptcy. Get Bailout. Executive Bonuses. Repeat
Report
278points

Then, you should move on to evaluating your own performance. You also have to take a look at how your colleagues are performing. Do your best to try and objectively pinpoint where you are results-wise relative to other workers. If you’re consistently overperforming, you should draw attention to that.

#19 All Power To The Workers

All Power To The Workers
260points

#20 Aoc: When We Say “Tax The Rich,” We Mean Nesting-Doll Yacht Rich. For-Profit Prison Rich. Betsy Devos, Student-Loan-Shark Rich. Trick-The-Country-Into-War Rich. Subsidizing-Workforce-W-Food-Stamps Rich. Because That Kind Of Rich Is Simply Not Good For Society, & It’s Like 10 People

Aoc: When We Say “Tax The Rich,” We Mean Nesting-Doll Yacht Rich. For-Profit Prison Rich. Betsy Devos, Student-Loan-Shark Rich. Trick-The-Country-Into-War Rich. Subsidizing-Workforce-W-Food-Stamps Rich. Because That Kind Of Rich Is Simply Not Good For Society, & It’s Like 10 People
241points
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