Ian wrote in [3832]:
> Provision for labourers to deal with breakdown, maintenance, etc of
>machines is part of variable capital and is just as much productive
>expenditure as provision for operatives. Provision of "maintenance" for
>workers is part of expenditure on variable capital and is productive when
>those workers are productive.
The direct labor that can be categorized as variable capital plus surplus
value is only the labor that performed on the labor-objects (not on the
instruments of the work). If this can be accepted, then we can say, although
it is the laborer that repairs the machines, its wage cannot be a part of
variable capital. (please see my reply to Jerry's 3830)
In solidary,
chai-on