As for the premise of the article, any linkage between (worker) productivity and (worker) wages is, as you notice, contrived. Work is paid for, at the value of the worker's time and how much competition there is for that grade of worker. The value of the output of the worker is highly variable based on other factors.
And how much your boss likes you.
And on a related subject, why do actors and pro athletes make so much money?
the rich elites have ridden on the backs of the working class for a long time and it has increased exponentially the last 10 yrs, where the rich have increased their wealth drastically while the worker might get lucky to have a 2% raise, let alone keep their jobs....
when an American industry can dump all its obligations and show up in another country to produce their goods leaving thousands unemployed, without pay nor bennies, then something is wrong....
and the workers have noting to say about it..
..they'll get lectured about how their huge wages, whatever that means, weren't cost effective....
but at the same time, does the product of the big company go down in price?.....hardly..
I'm sure some govt or military retiree safe in their fat pension will come on and dispute this....