Another call to raise the minimum wage

[Acanthus]

Originally posted by: Pabster

Originally posted by: Acanthus
They are, look at walmarts last quarter earnings, they missed projections hard, and blamed it on gas prices.

Perhaps that's an achievement of the higher fuel prices?

Sadly, I don't think anything short of $1000 a gallon fuel would put a dent in Wally's pocket.

Actually their official PR response was "because most of our customers are low income, the increase in gas prices has slowed their ability to purchase goods" or something to that effect.

 

[Pabster]

Originally posted by: Acanthus
Actually their official PR response was "because most of our customers are low income, the increase in gas prices has slowed their ability to purchase goods" or something to that effect.

Next we'll hear that their new push towards "environmentally friendly" energy and lighting sources is to blame for something.

 

[dirtboy]

Originally posted by: Pabster

Originally posted by: dmcowen674
The Waltons should be brought up on the Patriot Act as traitors and enemies to the U.S.

The Patriot Act?!?!

That's beyond extreme

Perhaps the American consumer should begin to speak with their wallet. That's what allows companies like Wal-Mart (a big fish in a big pond) to do what they do.

Nothing is beyond extreme when your tin foil has has fallen forward on your head and has been covering your eyes for years.

 

[cKGunslinger]

Originally posted by: Engineer

Originally posted by: charrison
Yes and it artifically inflates the price of labor. Bump the price of minimum wage too much and more clerks will be replaced by self checkout lanes and other such productivty enhancements.

As technical advances become cheaper (PC's, scanners, self checking stations), that's going to occur more anyway. Besides, I love the self checkout lanes and use them where I can find them. I might as well scan and bag it as I unload it.

But aren't you adamantly against outsourcing, due to the lose of US jobs? How is this any different? A self-checkout system typically reduces employees by a 3-to-1 margin (1 employee monitors ~4 check-outs, instead of 4 separate cashiers.) Couple that with the probability (?) that most of the electronics for the system are produced overseas, and you are left with more Americans losing jobs.

The only difference I see is that these are relatively low-paying jobs, vs the $25+/hour IT jobs lost to India. Is that the reason for your seemingly incongruent notions?

 

[dmcowen674]

Originally posted by: Pabster

Originally posted by: dmcowen674
Pretty hard for the Sheeple to do that when Wally World drove all others out of business with their unfair business practices.

But doesn't the blame lie heavily with the American consumer, who, instead of going a block away and purchasing an American-made item for $25, drove 10 miles to their Super Center and bought a chinese version for $9.99?

I know it is unrealistic to expect some sort of mass exodus from Wal-Mart, but, I've had no trouble shopping while avoiding them.

What American made $25 item a block away???

Republican Corporate Policy has sent all manufacturing overseas.

 

[cKGunslinger]

Originally posted by: sandorski
Heard on the news today they have also announced a major environmental push. More energy efficient stores, cut fuel consumption of their Transport fleet(largest in North America) in half, decrease Greenhouse gas emmissions, and giving preference to Suppliers who decrease packaging.

They also opened up this enviro-friendly store in our neighborhood a few months ago. They have quite a few nice ideas that aren't listed in that blurb, like a rain-collection facility on the roof that channels water to a near-by pond (that is aerated via wind-mills) to use for landscaping irrigation (a must in Texas.)

 

[Pabster]

Originally posted by: dmcowen674
What American made $25 item a block away???

Republican Corporate Policy has sent all manufacturing overseas.

Let me give you an example.

There's a small flag store about 3 blocks from me. I went there a few months back and bought a new flag for my pole outside. I paid almost $50 for a 3x5 size.

Now, I could have driven across town to Wally World and got one for half that price (or less).

 

[ExpertNovice]

Since they pay everyone more than minimum wage their tarnished image has only to do with the way the mainstream media portrays them and how the media junkies utter the mantra, "I believe."

 

[Kibbo86]

Originally posted by: cwjerome
Why wouldn't WalMart be for it?

Huge companies love regs, taxes, licenses, fees, and hoops in general because it helps keep them safe from competition. They can afford such demands.

Labour, being a marginal cost rather than a fixed cost, factors differently into the competition equation than a regulated increase in a fixed cost. (For example, a law that says any new factories need extra emissions reduction technologies.)

 

[miketheidiot]

Originally posted by: charrison

Originally posted by: judasmachine
Wally World Article

I'm flabergasted, and speechless. But the rules say I have to say something, so...

I guess if anyone can afford a new minimum wage it's WallyWorld.

Considering walmart is paying most of people above minimum wage, I dont understand why they are making this call. Walmart at any time could define and publish its own minimim wage....

Seems like only a pr move..

by a raise in minimum wage, above minimum wage jobs will also be pushed up, or at least thats how i see it happening.

 

[miketheidiot]

Originally posted by: Engineer

Originally posted by: charrison

Originally posted by: Engineer

Originally posted by: charrison


That is bit of a bogus response as well. The number of people that only make minimum wage is only 1-2% of the population. Basic economics has been moving starting wages up since minimum has not been adjusted in some time.

While I agree with you on that one, a raise in minimum wage tends to drive others up as well. If you're making several dollars above minimum wage and suddenly, minimum wage is bumped to what you're currently making, usually you push (and mostly get) a wage increase too or you have the power to leave easier as you're on a even field again. I have seen this happen while working at Kroger where others that were making more than minimum wage had similar jumps in pay when minimum wage was increased.

Yes and it artifically inflates the price of labor. Bump the price of minimum wage too much and more clerks will be replaced by self checkout lanes and other such productivty enhancements.

As technical advances become cheaper (PC's, scanners, self checking stations), that's going to occur more anyway. Besides, I love the self checkout lanes and use them where I can find them. I might as well scan and bag it as I unload it.

i loathe checking out my own goods.

 

[wchou]

Originally posted by: dmcowen674

Originally posted by: Pabster

Originally posted by: dmcowen674
The Waltons should be brought up on the Patriot Act as traitors and enemies to the U.S.

The Patriot Act?!?!

That's beyond extreme

Perhaps the American consumer should begin to speak with their wallet. That's what allows companies like Wal-Mart (a big fish in a big pond) to do what they do.

Pretty hard for the Sheeple to do that when Wally World drove all others out of business with their unfair business practices.

Nothing is fair, most of us would step on someone's head if it would push you to the top. I know it stinks but that's life.

 

[Zanix]

Originally posted by: wchou

Originally posted by: dmcowen674

Originally posted by: Pabster

Originally posted by: dmcowen674
The Waltons should be brought up on the Patriot Act as traitors and enemies to the U.S.

The Patriot Act?!?!

That's beyond extreme

Perhaps the American consumer should begin to speak with their wallet. That's what allows companies like Wal-Mart (a big fish in a big pond) to do what they do.

Pretty hard for the Sheeple to do that when Wally World drove all others out of business with their unfair business practices.

Nothing is fair, most of us would step on someone's head if it would push you to the top. I know it stinks but that's life.

No, that's Fascism. Only the ruthless survive!!

 

[XZeroII]

Walmart would be the least affected by a raise in minimum wage. They probably actually want it because big business can afford to pay people more. It's the small businesses that get the shaft when minimum wage goes up.

 

[maluckey]

:QThe paltry sum of 1000 dollars per candidate really shook things up!!!

Get over it. 1000 dollars per candidate whether R or D is nothing.

 

[WhipperSnapper]

I think it's for better publicity and perhaps also to put more dollars in some of its shoppers' wallets. I know Walmart's been concerned about the effect rising energy costs would have on its customers.

 

[CQuinn]

Originally posted by: ExpertNovice
Since they pay everyone more than minimum wage their tarnished image has only to do with the way the mainstream media portrays them and how the media junkies utter the mantra, "I believe."

But they also are taken to task for giving thier workers "short hours", (less than 32 hours a week), so they don't have to
provide additional benefits along with that higher wage.

EatSpam
True enough, but Wal-mart is currently the biggest fish in the retail sea. If they were to say "Make it in the USA", the companies would.

Some of us remember the 1980s, when a then growing Walmart did exactly that... And it was a big boost for the companies business.

Funny thing is, they managed to maintain that patirotic position, while slowly shifting business elsewhere.

 

[inhotep]

"Wal-Mart CEO Lee Scott said he's urging Congress to consider raising the minimum wage so that Wal-Mart customers don't have to struggle paycheck to paycheck." Let me translate: Wal-Mart is urging Congress to consider raising the minimum wage so that Wal-Mart's competitors will go down the hole. Infact, there will be more unemployment as the result. Also, WalMart headquarters is in Arkansas, a state with minimun wage of $5.15.


http://www.dol.gov/esa/minwage/america.htm

 

[Zebo]

Originally posted by: charrison

Originally posted by: EatSpam

Originally posted by: charrison

Originally posted by: EatSpam

Originally posted by: Pabster

Originally posted by: EatSpam
This situation would also be helped if Wal-mart insisted that its goods were manufactured where its customers lived instead of in China.

Perhaps the blame is left to the American Consumer, as I've stated numerous times. Wal-Mart wouldn't be importing and selling all those chinese goods if people weren't buying them. Money talks, Americans are driven by the almighty dollar, an extra couple bucks for an American product just "isn't worth it" to most. (Sadly)

I agree with you somewhat, but its often that I cannot find an American made good, even if I look. If I absolutely need the product, there's no American made choice. For exmple, I used to exclusively buy SuperMicro motherboards because they were US-made. Not really an option any more.

The point I was trying to make, however, was that it is in Wal-mart's interest to have an American consumer with money in their pocket. If they were to pay Americans to make their goods, despite the cheaper Chinese alternative, more Americans would have money to spend in their stores. At some point, the downward spiral will even affect Wal-mart.

The only problem is that you cannot take away offshore manufacturing. It will exist and someone will take advantage of it, if not walmart someone else will.

True enough, but Wal-mart is currently the biggest fish in the retail sea. If they were to say "Make it in the USA", the companies would. As a bonus, you'd see a lot more American products at Target and K-Mart, as well. I think this would be good for America, far better than any magical economic theory about how losing millions of jobs is good for your average American citizen.

I dont think that would happen. Someone else would sell cheap good from overseas.

That's a poltical decision. We allow imports from either communist countries or countries ravaged by communism which now enage in slave labor, zero civil rights etc. If thats what you want to 'compete' with fine that's your political choice but not mine I like Americas huge middle class. I like woking 30-40 hours not 70-80. I like working four days a week not six. etc etc. Just like we don't trade with Iraq, NK, Burma, Laos we could just as easily put the same restrictions on China. The powers you worship don't want it cause they are making a ton of money of the deal.

 

[Zebo]

Originally posted by: CQuinn

Originally posted by: ExpertNovice
Since they pay everyone more than minimum wage their tarnished image has only to do with the way the mainstream media portrays them and how the media junkies utter the mantra, "I believe."

But they also are taken to task for giving thier workers "short hours", (less than 32 hours a week), so they don't have to
provide additional benefits along with that higher wage.

EatSpam
True enough, but Wal-mart is currently the biggest fish in the retail sea. If they were to say "Make it in the USA", the companies would.

Some of us remember the 1980s, when a then growing Walmart did exactly that... And it was a big boost for the companies business.

Funny thing is, they managed to maintain that patirotic position, while slowly shifting business elsewhere.

I remember that. I used to only shop at walmart when Sam was still alive. A model of patriotism and austereness which I appreciated. Now, since the stockholders took over, who only care about themselves and next quarter profit, I hav'nt been there in 10 years. Course I order 80% of goods though internet so that may have had something to do with it too.

 

[Zebo]

Originally posted by: wchou

Originally posted by: dmcowen674

Originally posted by: Pabster

Originally posted by: dmcowen674
The Waltons should be brought up on the Patriot Act as traitors and enemies to the U.S.

The Patriot Act?!?!

That's beyond extreme

Perhaps the American consumer should begin to speak with their wallet. That's what allows companies like Wal-Mart (a big fish in a big pond) to do what they do.

Pretty hard for the Sheeple to do that when Wally World drove all others out of business with their unfair business practices.

Nothing is fair, most of us would step on someone's head if it would push you to the top. I know it stinks but that's life.

Where are you from? I can tell it's either from a third world sh1thole who never got anywhere or the slums who all beleive in get rich quick schemes because that's not how you build strong societies.