WaPo: Wal-Mart says it will pull out of D.C. plans should city mandate ‘living wage’

[CrypticVillain]

Again people this isn't about Wal-Mart being who they are, this has more to do with DC. They have a history of doing some shady stuff.

 

And look what was announced today.

 

 

"DC Councilman Marion Barry is in hot water again. The Washington Post
reports that he was fined more than $13,000 for accepting thousands of
dollars in gifts from two construction companies."

 

I could care less about the company being Wal-Mart, I am just tired of the DC council operating the way they are. Don't get me wrong, they have done some good stuff. But for the most part they have been running out of control. I know most politicians operate with shady tactics, but I have seen the way DC operates first hand. I have seen it with my own two multiple times. These people are lames for real man.

[Popeman38]

Uh-oh....it sounds like it's contagious:  http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/fast-food-workers-at-2-smithsonian-museums-to-strike-again-calling-for-living-wage/2013/07/11/790c6ece-ea19-11e2-818e-aa29e855f3ab_story.html

 

"Workers from two Smithsonian Institution museum eateries are staging a one-day strike calling for the federally funded museums to ensure they are paid a “living wage.”"

Anyone eaten at a museum cafeteria? A cashier at a museum cafeteria pushes 3 buttons. That is not deserving of more than min wage. The custodians that clean, on the other hand, work hard. We need to stop rewarding lazy. Grocery clerks used to have to be good at a job (knowing the codes for produce) and be quick at typing one handed to keep their jobs. Then the UPC bar code came around, and everything is done electronically. Now, it is faster and cheaper for the store to have customers check themselves out. Why should an employee get paid $12.50/hour to do something that the customer can do themselves just as quickly? It is a stupid business model. Technology has made cashiers an unnecessary expense. 

[pointyfootball]

Uh-oh....it sounds like it's contagious:  http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/fast-food-workers-at-2-smithsonian-museums-to-strike-again-calling-for-living-wage/2013/07/11/790c6ece-ea19-11e2-818e-aa29e855f3ab_story.html

 

"Workers from two Smithsonian Institution museum eateries are staging a one-day strike calling for the federally funded museums to ensure they are paid a “living wage.”"

Anyone eaten at a museum cafeteria? A cashier at a museum cafeteria pushes 3 buttons. That is not deserving of more than min wage. The custodians that clean, on the other hand, work hard. We need to stop rewarding lazy. Grocery clerks used to have to be good at a job (knowing the codes for produce) and be quick at typing one handed to keep their jobs. Then the UPC bar code came around, and everything is done electronically. Now, it is faster and cheaper for the store to have customers check themselves out. Why should an employee get paid $12.50/hour to do something that the customer can do themselves just as quickly? It is a stupid business model. Technology has made cashiers an unnecessary expense. 

Ahhh...1986 Winn Dixie cashiers in SoFL....my first love.  I would have worked for free, versus the 3.35/hour, just to hang out with them.

 

[More Complete]

If you're plan is to make a living working at Wal Mart, then Wal Mart itself is the least of your problems.

 

Check out the DC government website. Under the non-supervisory service workers, for both wage and salary positions, there are many positions that are under this so called "living wage" of $12.50. For example there was one salary that was 21k, which is about $9.50 an hour.

 

I'm no fan of Wal-Mart but the DCC should be ashamed.

[@DCGoldPants]

Like most people, we shop some at Wal-Mart to save money, though we have an even cheaper food option in Aldi's.  I wouldn't set foot in the place if I didn't have to.  Some of the people I see there terrify me, the people-of-walmart website come to life.  If we ever get to the point where we can shop at Wegman's full time (no more daycare expenses) I'm never looking back.

 

I LOVE Wegmans.  They are thinking about putting a store in the District, but that likely won't happen now.  They were actually rated the best employer in America a few years back and are always in the top 10, but they don't pay their employees $12.50 an hour to stock shelves or ring a cash register either.  

 

A Wegmans opens in Germantown this fall. Also, I know they are bidding to build on the old Walter Reed site. Now that is a larger place that people LOVE working at. Apparently employees are treated really well, and it shows in how clean/professional those places are. But, Wal-Mart isn't concerned with that. Its not their point. They aren't going to get the folks who are looking for a rare cheese or whatever. They are looking for the customer who wants to buy AMERICAN cheese, 10 packs at a time.

[PleaseBlitz]

 

Like most people, we shop some at Wal-Mart to save money, though we have an even cheaper food option in Aldi's.  I wouldn't set foot in the place if I didn't have to.  Some of the people I see there terrify me, the people-of-walmart website come to life.  If we ever get to the point where we can shop at Wegman's full time (no more daycare expenses) I'm never looking back.

 

I LOVE Wegmans.  They are thinking about putting a store in the District, but that likely won't happen now.  They were actually rated the best employer in America a few years back and are always in the top 10, but they don't pay their employees $12.50 an hour to stock shelves or ring a cash register either.  

 

A Wegmans opens in Germantown this fall. Also, I know they are bidding to build on the old Walter Reed site. Now that is a larger place that people LOVE working at. Apparently employees are treated really well, and it shows in how clean/professional those places are. But, Wal-Mart isn't concerned with that. Its not their point. They aren't going to get the folks who are looking for a rare cheese or whatever. They are looking for the customer who wants to buy AMERICAN cheese, 10 packs at a time.

 

I don't follow.  Both WalMart and Wegman's are likely now not going to open planned stores in the District, both for the same reason, they aren't going to pay far-above market wages to unskilled workers.  But one is bad and one is good because their clientele is different?  

[@DCGoldPants]

I believe Wegman pays much better than Wal-Mart. They'd probably need to go up a little with this. But from what I read, they are still offering health insurance for part-time employees. So....I don't think they'd fall into the same issue.

 

Its not the clientele. Is the ownership making a choice about what they sell and how they compensate their employees already. 

 

http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/best-companies/

[PleaseBlitz]

I believe Wegman pays much better than Wal-Mart. They'd probably need to go up a little with this. But from what I read, they are still offering health insurance for part-time employees. So....I don't think they'd fall into the same issue.

 

Its not the clientele. Is the ownership making a choice about what they sell and how they compensate their employees already. 

 

http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/best-companies/

 

They absolutely fall into the same issue because, even if they pay somewhat better than Walmart, they don't pay cashiers $12.50 an hour.  They appear to average $8.80/hr for a cashier.  http://www.glassdoor.com/Hourly-Pay/Wegmans-Cashier-Hourly-Pay-E3042_D_KO8,15.htm.  So forcing them, or any company, to pay 150% of the market rate, and then wondering why they said 'no thanks' is obtuse.  

[Major Harris]

. They aren't going to get the folks who are looking for a rare cheese or whatever. They are looking for the customer who wants to buy AMERICAN cheese, 10 packs at a time.

This is stupid on so many levels

[sacase]

Costco > WalMart.

 Yeah then you see that walmart had 17 billion in profit vs costco 1.4 billion in 2012. SMH

[mcsluggo]

Like most people, we shop some at Wal-Mart to save money, though we have an even cheaper food option in Aldi's.  I wouldn't set foot in the place if I didn't have to.  Some of the people I see there terrify me, the people-of-walmart website come to life.  If we ever get to the point where we can shop at Wegman's full time (no more daycare expenses) I'm never looking back.

 

I LOVE Wegmans.  They are thinking about putting a store in the District, but that likely won't happen now.  They were actually rated the best employer in America a few years back and are always in the top 10, but they don't pay their employees $12.50 an hour to stock shelves or ring a cash register either.  

nothing tht you quoted gives ANY indication that this DCC decision is having any impact onthe Wegmans situation.  Are you just assuming that it will?

[@DCGoldPants]

. They aren't going to get the folks who are looking for a rare cheese or whatever. They are looking for the customer who wants to buy AMERICAN cheese, 10 packs at a time.

This is stupid on so many levels

 

 

Its true. Who do they advertise to? Wal-Mart specifically is about low prices. Wegmans is about variety and selection without mentioning price.

[Popeman38]

Costco > WalMart.

 Yeah then you see that walmart had 17 billion in profit vs costco 1.4 billion in 2012. SMH

There are 8,970 Wal Mart locations to 622 Costco locations. So there are ~14 times the number of Wal Marts, and they make 12 times the profit. I would say Costco is doing OK.

[Duckus]

Costco > WalMart.

 Yeah then you see that walmart had 17 billion in profit vs costco 1.4 billion in 2012. SMH

 

Only 1.4 billion in profits? Oh no!!!!!!!!

I am sure Costco management knows that they could squeeze higher profits out of their business model if they simply paid and treated their employees like Walmart does.

 

But they don't.

It appears they believe that profits are only part of a corporations responsibility. I guess they have this crazy, old time belief that corporations should be socially responsible and that their should be a long-term, healthy, and respectful relationship between employer and and employee. Crazy, I know.

 

[Popeman38]

 

Costco > WalMart.

 Yeah then you see that walmart had 17 billion in profit vs costco 1.4 billion in 2012. SMH

 

Only 1.4 billion in profits? Oh no!!!!!!!!

I am sure Costco management knows that they could squeeze higher profits out of their business model if they simply paid and treated their employees like Walmart does.

 

But they don't.

It appears they believe that profits are only part of a corporations responsibility. I guess they have this crazy, old time belief that corporations should be socially responsible and that their should be a long-term, healthy, and respectful relationship between employer and and employee. Crazy, I know.

You'd be wrong. Costco wrings more profit per store than Wal Mart does. $2.25M/store for Costco compared to $1.9M/store for Wal Mart.

[grhqofb5]

There was a South Park episode that was quite instructive on this matter. 

 

http://www.southparkstudios.com/guide/episodes/s08e09-something-wall-mart-this-way-comes

 

Season 8, Episode 9.  Watch, take notes, and come back to discuss further.

[GoSkins0721]

Again people this isn't about Wal-Mart being who they are, this has more to do with DC. They have a history of doing some shady stuff.

 

And look what was announced today.

 

 

"DC Councilman Marion Barry is in hot water again. The Washington Post

reports that he was fined more than $13,000 for accepting thousands of

dollars in gifts from two construction companies."

 

I could care less about the company being Wal-Mart, I am just tired of the DC council operating the way they are. Don't get me wrong, they have done some good stuff. But for the most part they have been running out of control. I know most politicians operate with shady tactics, but I have seen the way DC operates first hand. I have seen it with my own two multiple times. These people are lames for real man.

 

And, sadly, it's been that way since they ran Walter Washington out of town. When that happened, I naively thought Heil Barry would clean up the town which was still reeling from the devastation of the '72 riots. Instead, it was Heil Barry who cleaned up, lining his pockets every chance he could all while proclaiming his innocence. 

 

It's time for him to go away for good.

[Duckus]

 

 

Costco > WalMart.

 Yeah then you see that walmart had 17 billion in profit vs costco 1.4 billion in 2012. SMH

 

Only 1.4 billion in profits? Oh no!!!!!!!!

I am sure Costco management knows that they could squeeze higher profits out of their business model if they simply paid and treated their employees like Walmart does.

 

But they don't.

It appears they believe that profits are only part of a corporations responsibility. I guess they have this crazy, old time belief that corporations should be socially responsible and that their should be a long-term, healthy, and respectful relationship between employer and and employee. Crazy, I know.

You'd be wrong. Costco wrings more profit per store than Wal Mart does. $2.25M/store for Costco compared to $1.9M/store for Wal Mart.

 

Even more impressive.

[endzone_dave]

It's not just Walmart, most companies don't give a rip about their employees.  High tech companies are always moving operations and consolidating work, just to add to the profit they already don't share with the employees.  Apple doesn't take their massive profits and hand it to their employees either.

 

The bottom line is if you don't like how your company is treating you, change companies - of course you are screwed just about anywhere you go.  I think it's just how capitalism has evolved.  We all get screwed.

 

My five minute lunch break is over, back to work.

[mistertim]

Well, in Apple's defense, they DID install nets to catch the people who were jumping to their deaths to escape the horrid life in their factories. Nets aren't cheap. 

[China]

Well, in Apple's defense, they DID install nets to catch the people who were jumping to their deaths to escape the horrid life in their factories. Nets aren't cheap. 

 

They are if you buy them from China.

[CrypticVillain]

They are if you buy them from China.

Well played....

[Popeman38]

Well, in Apple's defense, they DID install nets to catch the people who were jumping to their deaths to escape the horrid life in their factories. Nets aren't cheap. 

 

They are if you buy them from China.

I didn't know you sold nets?!? When did you get into the business?

[PleaseBlitz]

 

Costco > WalMart.

 Yeah then you see that walmart had 17 billion in profit vs costco 1.4 billion in 2012. SMH

 

Only 1.4 billion in profits? Oh no!!!!!!!!

I am sure Costco management knows that they could squeeze higher profits out of their business model if they simply paid and treated their employees like Walmart does.

 

But they don't.

It appears they believe that profits are only part of a corporations responsibility. I guess they have this crazy, old time belief that corporations should be socially responsible and that their should be a long-term, healthy, and respectful relationship between employer and and employee. Crazy, I know.

 

 

I worked at a Costco when I was in high school.  They treat their employee's like ****.  I made $7/hr.  

[Corcaigh]

I worked at a Costco when I was in high school.  They treat their employee's like ****.  I made $7/hr.

I'm glad to hear it.