Guilds

It's clear that the Guilds are going to be the big loser in the changes happening in Chisholm.

I wonder if given the Gold coming from the new mines if a compensation package be deployed to soften the blow.

Every guilds man that signs on to joining a factory gets compensation.

Apprentice 50 marks
journeyman 200
Master 500
Grandmaster 1000

Also the new factories will still have "custom" lines that allow for works of art to be built. those custom lines could use masters who still wish to be "hands on"

Generous financial packages combined with giving prestigious jobs to the masters and grandmasters could soften the blow to the changes happening and "nip in the bud" any rebellious alliance between the guilds and the Chisholm aristocracy.

or at least confine any rebellion to ones that are local to particular areas.

So if a rebellion does happen the guilds/aristocracy gets crushed in a pitched battle then in the after math The empress pardons most of the Guildsmen and offers gold as a compensation. this combination of mercy/generosity firmness could bed in the changes quickly.

Don't forget your spoiler tags.

Though why anyone should figure that any discussion on the board at this point wouldn't have spoilers in it, I'm not sure.

AClone wrote:Don't forget your spoiler tags.

Though why anyone should figure that any of discussion on the board at this point wouldn't have spoilers in it, I'm not sure.

The hardback of LAMA was published in the US on 18th Feb so we are past the need for spoilers tags, except if you want to discuss the teeny tiny snippet from HFQ, of course.

Alistair, a poor Glacierheart miner earns a Mark a day, or 240 per year. I don't think many master craftsmen, running their own business with several to many employees after a dozen years of effort, at least, are going to be happily bought out for a couple of year's wages for a labourer. If it could be done that way, of which I'm doubtful, it would take an awful lot more money all round than you suggest.

Randomiser wrote:Alistair, a poor Glacierheart miner earns a Mark a day, or 240 per year. I don't think many master craftsmen, running their own business with several to many employees after a dozen years of effort, at least, are going to be happily bought out for a couple of year's wages for a labourer. If it could be done that way, of which I'm doubtful, it would take an awful lot more money all round than you suggest.

Well you could always up the price given that you have ten trillion in the first deposit!

But never the less its not a golden bullet but a "sweetener" to soften the blow.

They don't need to be "bought out" as they will lose their jobs reguardless but it will soften the blow of the jobs they are going to lose.

Alistair wrote:It's clear that the Guilds are going to be the big loser in the changes happening in Chisholm.

I wonder if given the Gold coming from the new mines if a compensation package be deployed to soften the blow.

Every guilds man that signs on to joining a factory gets compensation.

Apprentice 50 marks
journeyman 200
Master 500
Grandmaster 1000

Also the new factories will still have "custom" lines that allow for works of art to be built. those custom lines could use masters who still wish to be "hands on"

Generous financial packages combined with giving prestigious jobs to the masters and grandmasters could soften the blow to the changes happening and "nip in the bud" any rebellious alliance between the guilds and the Chisholm aristocracy.

or at least confine any rebellion to ones that are local to particular areas.

So if a rebellion does happen the guilds/aristocracy gets crushed in a pitched battle then in the after math The empress pardons most of the Guildsmen and offers gold as a compensation. this combination of mercy/generosity firmness could bed in the changes quickly.

The custom market tends to develop after the Military market, custom engraved M16's were a little rare in Vietnam for example. That said custom one-off's produced by highly skilled artisans still have a place in even the most modern installation, we call them tool makers and technicians. These are the people making the tooling for the less skilled production line workers, and any large manufacturing site has slots for far more of these than a medieval guild has members. Retraining and reeducation in the new technologies may be required but the basic hand skills and reflexes are worthy of respect and retention.

Sorry Alistair, I would not gift anything to those guild members. Apprentices and journeymen can easily make as much or more income working in a factory that produces similar products as they produce in their trade. Masters and Grand Masters can start their own factories with some amount of additional training. Provide the capital for those people to invest in the powered tools to start factories.

Those crafts that haven't adapted to steam aren't threatened yet. Masters of those crafts have time to adapt their processes to make the transition to steam power easier. Provide low interest rate loans, equity investments and even subsidies for improving their businesses but not for doing nothing.
EDIT: spelling

Hi PeterZ,

We already have hints that smart guild-masters should do very well as factory managers or supervisors that will pay very well, so I'm not worried about them as word goes around, the same for journeymen, and apprentices if they wise up.

Paying compensation ahead of time is a nasty precedent, which I think Sharleyan and Cayleb are smart enough to avoid.

I could see them helping to finance new factories with the guild masters contributing their skills for shares, but outright bribes are out, if I understand their attitude.

L

PeterZ wrote:Sorry Alistair, I would not gift anything to those guild members. Apprentices and journeymen can easily make as much or more income working in a factory that produces similar products as they produce in their trade. Masters and Grand Masters can start their own factories with some amount of additional training. Provide the capital for those people to invest in the powered tools to start factories.

Those crafts that haven't adapted to steam aren't threatened yet. Masters of those crafts have time to adapt their processes to make the transition to steam power easier. Provide low interstate loans, equity investments and even subsidies for improving their businesses not for doing nothing.

lyonheart wrote:
Paying compensation ahead of time is a nasty precedent, which I think Sharleyan and Cayleb are smart enough to avoid.

Ahmen to that, nip the entitlement/government handout culture in the bud.

If they cannot see the writing on the wall given how close they are to Charis then I am not sure any incentive will be enough. At which point economics will crush them and there is not really a lot you can do for them, you cannot help those who refuse to help themselves.