Equal Pay for Unequal Work

Do you remember when we were watching For Love or Country, and we saw the one scene where Sandoval and the old man are in the graveyard, laughing about how funny it was that the old man was a surgeon? Do you remember how I didn't really take any time to explain why they were laughing? Well, here's the answer -- finally!

Cuba has, up until now, followed a policy which states that everyone gets paid the exact same amount, regardless of what they do. So, a person who works at a job which involves very little stress & effort & education makes the same amount as someone whose work involves life and death decisions, long hours, and years of training and education. The theory is that everyone would work at a job they loved. No one would work at a job just for the money. Also, everyone is equal, no matter what their intelligence, work ethic, or creativity.

I suppose it didn't work out so well.

According to the BBC, the salary for every person in Cuba is $20/month. (Wow, that's low!! No wonder it's so cheap to go there on vacation.) According to the new rules, there will now be increased salary amounts for managers and workers who meet performance goals.

The Cuban government just recently allowed people to buy personal computers (fat chance as no one has any money). I wonder what they'll think of allowing next....