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

[PleaseBlitz]

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.

 

It was the one out there between Ashburn and Sterling, by Target.

 

The manager's name was Jill.  We called her Free Jilly.  She was fat.  

[CrypticVillain]

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.

How old were you? In 2005, I worked at a shoppers in VA and made $6.35

[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.

How old were you? In 2005, I worked at a shoppers in VA and made $6.35

 

I was like 16.  Why is that relevant?

[Slateman]

Ironically, Costco is currently being praised for paying it's employees so fairly. The average is $15 an hour.

 

Anyway, good for WalMart. I've never liked the government strong arming companies in to having to pay a certain amount. The additional cost is absorbed by the consumer in the end, and, frankly, it doesn't improve service or living wages.

[CrypticVillain]

Double Post. That quote feature just own3d me big time....

[CrypticVillain]

I was like 16.  Why is that relevant?

 

My bad PB lol, I meant to say what year was it. I was trying to account for cost of living and what not.

 

 

 

I can tell you, that $6.35/hr in 2005 didn't do nothing for me. I can't imagine what $6.35 would feel like in 2013. Half of my hourly salary would go to a gallon of gas. 

[twa]

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/

i read yesterday they are dropping ins for PTers....say thank you obamacare

[isle-hawg]

Walmart doesn't force anyone to work for them or shop there, if you don't like their pay look elsewhere for emplyment, if you don't like them, don't shop there.  I don't get this law, but then we are talking the DC council.

[HeluCopter29]

I say good for the DC council.  And screw anyone who says otherwise.

 

It's time to stop kow-towing to large corporations if they don't want to contribute to society.  I'd ban Walmart from DC if I sat on the board.

[Runs with Scissors]

If you live in a small town,Walmart is just about your only option.It's either Walmart for me or a 30 min drive.

[mistertim]

Ironically, Costco is currently being praised for paying it's employees so fairly. The average is $15 an hour.

 

Anyway, good for WalMart. I've never liked the government strong arming companies in to having to pay a certain amount. The additional cost is absorbed by the consumer in the end, and, frankly, it doesn't improve service or living wages.

How do you feel about companies strong arming the gov't or other companies in order to create an uneven playing field so they can maximize their profits?

[PleaseBlitz]

I was like 16.  Why is that relevant?

 

My bad PB lol, I meant to say what year was it. I was trying to account for cost of living and what not.

 

 

 

I can tell you, that $6.35/hr in 2005 didn't do nothing for me. I can't imagine what $6.35 would feel like in 2013. Half of my hourly salary would go to a gallon of gas. 

 

I gotcha bud.  This was like 1999, so it was above minimum wage.  But they ****ing worked you like a dog.  It was miserable.  I quit and learned how to wait tables . . . and thought that was the best job in the ****ing world by comparison.  

 

 

 

God I used to be dumb.

[CrypticVillain]

Lol. I was dumb too.

I quit my produce job at Giant in October 2008. That was right around the time the recession started. Didn't find another job until August 2011.

Them side jobs kept me afloat during that time lol

But yeah, I don't never want to work retail again. It ain't for me

I don't care how good Wegman and Costco treat their employees....

But if it was the best job available, I'll be a fool but to work there. Or Wal-Mart fir that matter

[Slateman]

Ironically, Costco is currently being praised for paying it's employees so fairly. The average is $15 an hour.

 

Anyway, good for WalMart. I've never liked the government strong arming companies in to having to pay a certain amount. The additional cost is absorbed by the consumer in the end, and, frankly, it doesn't improve service or living wages.

How do you feel about companies strong arming the gov't or other companies in order to create an uneven playing field so they can maximize their profits?

Completely fine with it. Companies maximizing profits is a good thing.

 

WalMart is what it is. Everyone knows what their business model is. It works. It makes money. And, believe it or not, it provides jobs for uneducated, unskilled labor. You can't tell them that they have to change their business model and expect them to agree to it. Nor should they. Especially when this legislation may as well be specifically targeted at WalMart and no one else.

 

Like I said, I hope WalMart pulls out completely. Getting to work 29 hours at $8.50/hr is better than not getting paid at all.

[Larry]

But you're pretending that those jobs just magically appear out of nowhere, when Wal Mart shows up.

Do they? Or do they simply replace other jobs, (from companies that were driven out of business), many of which were a little bit better?

[twa]

But you're pretending that those jobs just magically appear out of nowhere, when Wal Mart shows up.

Do they? Or do they simply replace other jobs, (from companies that were driven out of business), many of which were a little bit better?

But any money saved is money that can be spent in the area.

if those businesses are enough better they will still prosper,if not they can join the buggy whip crowd.

I rarely go to Walmart,but they are not evil nor should be singled out

[velocet]

[twa]

why don't they unite and start their own business?

afraid of risks?

[velocet]

Twa,

 

Your first question is too problematic in that it only raises more questions, and intractable ones at that, than it does any good in illuminating the way toward real problem solving.   "They"  who?   In some countries that is well nigh impossible.  Here?   That there are fewer entrenched obstacles in the way of obtaining capital etc. still does not offer a great course of action because such a business model looks on first blush to be unwieldy versus firms run by the Gordon Gecko types.     

 

And some people just want a friggin' decent-paying job that takes care of the homefront so they can have a life outside of the marketplace.

 

As for "risks", in your second question... life in the proletariat is all risk, sturm und drang and all that from beginning to end anyway; as opposed to the full on guaranteed fun ride of the privileged.

 

Now, to turn your second question back on you:  why not embrace a worker's utopia?   

 

Afraid of the risks?

 

 

 

 

velocet

[twa]

my question is problematic and raises more questions whereas a workers unite sign is not?

 

the workers utopia doesn't work w/o skin in the game and people making hard choices to answer yours.

[skinsmarydu]

Corporations who don't want to pay a living wage are also usually the cheapskates who hate social programs that help the people they employ.

 

You know, the people who work their asses off, yet need help to get food, which is often processed and fast, because they don't have time or funds to actually make healthier options in their homes...oh, that's right, they often have no safe (non-moldy) HOME to cook in.

You know, the people who work their asses off, yet have to work when they're sick because they can't afford to lose the $20-30 PER DAY(after taxes) that they make.

You know, the people who work their asses off, yet when are forced to take that rare sick day, are not paid for it, not even partially, and can only lay in bed with (hopefully) a home remedy, since a doctor/medical assistant at the "doc in a box" is even out of financial reach.

 

I've read that if WalMart went up 10 cents on each pack of tube socks, they could pay for healthcare for their ENTIRE workforce.

They certainly don't have a problem raising a price or two to help themselves & their stockholders, but their employees?...no way.

[mistertim]

The interesting thing is how companies like Wal-Mart are, indirectly, massively funded by taxpayer dollars. They pay crap and don't pay for healthcare for many of their employees. As a result, the person doesn't make enough money to live and feed their family so they have to get gov't assistance in the form of "food stamps" and welfare; the taxpayers float the bill and Wal-Mart pays zilch. The person gets sick, goes to the ER and the taxpayers float the bill; Wal-Mart doesn't have to pay a dime.

 

As I said earlier in this thread, some of the greatest cons in US history have been (and are continuing to be) carried out by US corporations. And that isn't "anti-business" or whatever nonsense some people immediately react with. It is the recognition that we have a completely rigged game when it comes to the way our business and gov't institutions work when it comes to profits and the economy. To be honest, what they do is about as "anti-capitalist" as I can imagine if you're talking about pure capitalist theory and free markets. It isn't a free market and they make sure it stays that way.

[velocet]

my question is problematic and raises more questions whereas a workers unite sign is not?

 

the workers utopia doesn't work w/o skin in the game and people making hard choices to answer yours.

 

And with that I have to defer to you and concede the last word.  I appreciate your indulgence in debate.  You've been a mainstay and pillar of this forum for a long time, and the pleasure is all mine.   

 

 I gotta  cease posting until the season.  I want my posting privileges to remain intact for the fall and winter months, especially after last season.

I've spent over a decade posting to boards where, well, in order to get banned one needs to threaten off board real life physical violence, post someone's personal info (assuming one has it), or be a pure spammer.    The rest is anarchy.  Looking back on this thread, most posts mention either Wal-Mart, the DC council or both.  Then I go off on a tangent... related, but a tangent nonetheless.  

Habit, or rather a foolish consistency, really is the hobgoblin of the little mind.  Read more post less has to remain my mantra here; I'm too #@!^%*+#ing retarded for anything else.  See you in September!  

 

 

 

 

Hail!

[Popeman38]

Corporations who don't want to pay a living wage are also usually the cheapskates who hate social programs that help the people they employ.

Most hourly corporations don't pay a "living wage" to the lowest rung of employees. Do you think a person who literally scans a barcode and places an item in a bag deserves to be paid $12.50/ hour ($26K/year full time)? If every job paid a $12.50/hour, how many years will it take before that "living wage" is too low and workers demand $15/hour? What is the threshhold where we say unskilled labor isn't worth that money? If I am WalMart, I don't employ any check-outs at $12.50/hour. All lanes will be self checkout, and there will be an associate assigned to every 4 or 5 lanes to help with items requiring ID. 

[SkinsHokieFan]

I don't think it is simply "replacing" jobs Larry

 

http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/dc-politics/as-wal-mart-threatens-to-walk-whats-next-for-a-dying-shopping-center/2013/07/13/6923faa8-eb19-11e2-a301-ea5a8116d211_story.html

 

Link for rest

 

 

As Wal-Mart threatens to walk, what’s next for a dying shopping center?

 

The Skyland Shopping Center in Southeast Washington is almost dead. Shops are shuttered and windows broken. Pigeons peck at torn awnings, and someone dragged in a mattress to crash on the floor of the closed post office.

Last week, the owner of a beauty supply store scrawled a poster-size goodbye note to customers in black marker. “Thank you for 38 years,” it read, along with a happy face. And there was a pile of leftovers: “Free hair.”

This is the city’s plan: to kill the old Skyland, at Good Hope Road and Alabama Avenue, so it can create a gleaming new community in its place. A strip club and acres of pavement and decay would be replaced by sit-down restaurants and a 125,000-square-foot Wal-Mart.

Now a high-profile fight over what constitutes a fair wage has turned Skyland into a political pawn, leaving the neighborhood shifting between bouts of defiance and hard-earned fears about its future.

The D.C. Council’s vote last week to require minimum hourly wages and benefits of $12.50 for Wal-Mart and other large non-union retailers has the company promising to pull out of Skyland and two other planned sites. Mayor Vincent C. Gray (D), who lives a half-mile from Skyland and has championed the project, has to decide whether to veto the legislation.

Some of those most eager for the development — an 18-acre site with about 480 homes and a Main Street — say they’d rather see it delayed than submit to what they see as corporate threats.

Others, such as Kevin Brown, 26, who has a looping Washington Nationals “W” tattooed on the front of his neck, voiced anger at Wal-Mart for not being willing to pay higher wages. But, he said, the area needs the boost now.