Only if we let it. A workers coop doesn't engage in a labor market, it pays everyone an equal portion of the company's profit.
And I'm pretty sure we could absorb a lot more labor and have a stronger safety net for the folks who currently need to work three jobs to make ends meet.
Closing borders really only tackles a high level symptom. If we're not excited to have more help building society, we're doing something wrong.
I do not believe it's subject to supply and demand. For several reasons.
Labor is not fungible, even so called unskilled labor is actually quite skilled and requires significant training. (Put me in a strawberry field and I guarantee I'll be slower and worse then existing workers.)
Several sectors are struggling to hire workers, and have been for a long time. But until the pandemic, they really didn't see much increase in pay, despite demand.
We have regulated price minimums on labor.
Unions exist, and can ensure increased labor pool doesn't dilute pay.
The number of immigrants is small relative to the number of working Americans. And the rate of their arrival is slow. Also, we require working people to have work visas, further limiting the number of people who can impact labor pool.
And I'm pretty sure we could absorb a lot more labor and have a stronger safety net for the folks who currently need to work three jobs to make ends meet.
Closing borders really only tackles a high level symptom. If we're not excited to have more help building society, we're doing something wrong.