"Most of us at VSC encourage groups to establish a needs-based allocation system of some kind. However, setting up such a system requires a high degree of trust. Flat pay systems have their advantages."
"The issue of salaries arouses strong passions. Some people feel that it is their right to be paid as much as non-movement people in comparable traditional jobs. They argue that they work hard and have to survive in a society in which people's basic needs are met only with money. They feel that they are only able to stay in the movement if they earn enough to support stable lives. They feel that collectives cannot be an effective model of social change if they exploit workers."
"Others take the opposite position. They point out that people who work in collectives are getting the enormous fringe benefit of controlling their work lives. They argue that those who work in collectives should be willing to sacrifice money in order to maximize the effectiveness of their work. They also point out that there are simple ways of living cheaply in many cities and that the collectives movement provides its own inexpensive survival resources and entertainment. Some believe that salaries should be low so that people do not participate in taxes, militarism and consumerism."
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