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Comment by dabent | Hacker News Reader

There are many factors at play, but wages I've seen in the US have remained flat, or even dipped once one factors in inflation. I make less than I did in 1999, in spite of the fact that I've been promoted. Part of this is the use of offshore talent, and H1-B visa workers. I've got people from both camps on my team now.

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It might be in your best interests to secure an opportunity to renegotiate the wages you receive, either with the firm you currently work for or any of the numerous ones which would be happy to take your call.

Thanks for the suggestion. In fact, I've already done that, and am aware of what talent can charge for my line of work.

I severely question your conclusion that offshore talent and H1-B visa workers lower your personal salary by a huge amount.

It might be just pretty argument which is very useful for politicians and labor unions (or the like).

Actually the opposite can be argued. If those workers get a lot less, the team's cost as a whole drops, making room for paying you raise. Except for external factors like management just taking the cost savings and put them somewhere else. But then again, these savings could have been taken out of your paycheck ...

People aren't paid based on what their companies can afford to pay them though, they're paid what the market will bear.

I think there are a couple of factors at play. Labor markets especially for highly skilled jobs tend not to be exactly the best examples of "free market" and "perfect competition". There seems to be a lot going on... imperfect information, differentiation, "cartels" on both sides...

Agreed, but wouldn't those factors also affect your scenario in which lower paid workers free up cash to raise salaries? I only meant to argue that the "what the market will bear" model is closer to reality than the scenario your presented, not that it is a perfect fit.

No. This is simply supply and demand. The more workers available for positions, especially ones who are willing to work for less impacts the supply and prices I can charge for my work go down. Management isn't going to give me a raise because they saved a buck on someone else. In fact, they're more likely to try and find a way to get rid of me and replace me with someone who charges less.

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