Person of the Week: Chicago Workers

I believe that this living wage movement is way overdue and one of the most importent human rights issue’s to be adopted by a city in years. Now if other citys will only have the guts to stand up to this tyranical corp. of greed and inhumanity.  This messure is a great first step and I call on all my Union brothers and sisters to stand togather against this “EVIL EMPIRE” and boycott Wal-mart untill they allow the employees to orginize without the fear tactics and underhanded tricks that they employ to stop the unions.

Dave Smith
Iron worker Local 710
Monre La.

Right on Dave
I will never shop at Walmart after what they did to the store employee’s in Jonquiere Quebec.
Every chance I get I will take the opportunity to show people I come into contact with, the true track record of this deplorable employer.  This is a poorly run company. This company is in so much trouble. I was reading an article on CNN Money the other day about the Greening of Walmart.
The blog that accompanied the article was almost all condemnation of this giant money at all costs machine.
Truely this company has made its bed, and now it has to lay in it.

Alex - get Dave to tell you the state of the US Steel industry. He and his brothers are likely to have spent more time at home than at work in the last few decades. As far as a boycott you would have to get your locals, corporate office and paid critics like ACORN to stop too… Oh, considering the rapid decline of union labor in the US—even if they all stopped it would not make a dent

Probably the same as the Canadian steel industry.
Mostly done offshore. So does that mean that people should just say “Yea, I’ll work for 50 cents an hour” just to compete with third world countries. You see Lottabull (I like your name. I feel it is fitting), you folks use this cheap, cheap labour as an reason for bashing unions. Fact of the matter is that third world countries pay so little that it really doesn’t matter if North America has unions. But I will tell you one thing. Companies like Walmart that do the shit they do to my fellow Canadians better not expect me to support them.  It is only a matter of time, and Walmart employee’s will have an organization to deal with an organization. Not if, but when.

There are a couple stories that came out today that relate to this.

First: The US House of Reps. just passed a bill to raise the minimum wage from $5.15 to $7.25 over the next two years.  I know it real isn’t enough to support the American working class, but it is a step in the right direction.

Second: Wal-Mart just sold all of its interests in Germany.  This means there will not be any more Wal-Mart stores in Germany.  The reason for this is that Germany is very labor friendly.

Hey Dave,

Woops,,
Hey Dave,
If this living wage was so a great thing and should happen through the country, why not make it for everyone instead of the big box stores. It would surely sink the economy, but who cares if it makes you liberals happy…

Once banned- For one, you can’t expect the smaller chains or the mom & pop’s stores to do the same as the corporate giants. The obvious difference here is about 11.2 billion in net profits. It’s just not practical, nor does it make any sense. We all know damn good and well, that Wal-Mart will “NOT” sink if they pay a “livable wage.” What, are they afraid they might only make 6 billion this year? The only things Wal-Mart has ever offered the American people, is crap jobs and cheap toliet paper to go along with it!!!

POWER-

For one, you can’t expect the smaller chains or the mom & pop’s stores to do the same as the corporate giants.

You are essentially saying that the employees of small businesses do not deserve this living wage you speak are always babbling about.

The obvious difference here is about 11.2 billion in net profits.

The other obvious differences are 1.8 million employees and $316 billion in sales.

It’s just not practical, nor does it make any sense.

It makes plenty of sense. I thought you liberals were concerned about all of the working class.

We all know damn good and well, that Wal-Mart will “NOT” sink if they pay a “livable wage.”

If you can mathematically demonstrate the truth of this claim, I will change my position. Why don’t you start with this: Wal-Mart’s annual profit per associate. (That’s $11200 million / 1.8 million if you were wondering.)

What, are they afraid they might only make 6 billion this year?

Why won’t you understand? They can’t do this!!!

The only things Wal-Mart has ever offered the American people, is crap jobs and cheap toliet paper to go along with it!!!

It sounds like that toilet paper would go quite well with your cheap opinions.

Someone- 1.)"You are essentially saying that the employees of small buisnesses do not deserve this living wage you speak are always babbling about” Why not? You don’t think “anybody” under you deserves a living wage. 2.) “The other obvious differences are 1.8 million employees and $316 billion in sales.” Exactly, just two more reasons why Wal-Mart should be paying a livable wage. 3.) “It makes plenty of sense. I thought you liberals were concerned about all of the working class.” Yes, we do. But we can’t always please “all” of the greedy conservatives now can we? 4.) “If you can mathematically demonstrate, blah,blah,blah” You can compute this, and you can compute that, but it all still comes out to 11.2 billion in annual net profits, and greedy multi-billionaires. Not to mention, over paid management! 5.) “Why won’t you understand? They can’t do this!!!” Sure they can. Just ask Aldi Supermarkets and Costco. I’m sure they can give you guys a refresher course on business practice and morals! 6.) “It sounds like toilet paper would go quite well with your cheap opinions.” Facts are Facts!!!

Power,
you say to look at costco and aldi as good examples. I’m sorry but you can’t. According to one of the other post, from a worker from aldi, the stores are severly undermaned, that’s why the can afford to pay them much more. If you have 5 people doing the work of 20, they better get paid alot more. The other person who posted said her store has typically 3 people working the whole store. That sounds like a great work place. Costco doesn’t have anywhere near the work force wal-mart has, and goes after a higher social class so they can charge more and pay their employees more. Like I said, this is like comparing apples to pine cones.

*sighs*

I was hoping Generic would provide a more intelligent response for me to read. I have no time for individuals who dismiss the numbers while claiming, “facts are facts.” At least Generic tries to justify his stances instead of merely parroting back perverse talking points.

Once banned- You underestimate the average American worker. Employees don’t mind working a little harder, if, “Their compensated for it with a livable wage”, unlike Wal-Mart. As far as the disgruntled Aldi employee is concerned, I guess she could run out, join the team at Wal-Mart, and start making $5 less on the hour, with the same amount of work. Yes, I guess it is like comparing apples to pine cones. Someone- 1.) 50% turn-over rate 2.) 86% of goods purchased from overseas suppliers 3.) 60,000 plaintiffs in Colorado alone with class-action lawsuits 4.) Hiring subcontracted illegal immigrants 5.) locking employees in over night with obvious health issues 6.) life insurance that benifits them after the death of a door greeter. 7.) Price gouging. All of these “numbers” and issues are facts! “PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY?” It looks like if Wal-Mart were to adhere to this phrase “themselves”, then that sir, would be a much more, “intellegent response!”

POWER-

Nothing on your list has anything to do with the wage issue we were discussing. I’m still waiting to be convinced. Remember I want proof of obligation, numbers to show it’s possible, and an explanation for how a business continues to thrive and please its shareholders when losing half its profits. Then, if you want, I will entertain your undeveloped talking points. If you can’t give me an answer, you can always search my posts to see what I’ve said about them in the past...or else you can wait until WMW brings them up again or I write about them on my blog.

Well, ask and you shall receive, Someone.

Okay:

1.) I feel, personally, that small businesses should be given a tax break for having to pay a living wage, but a large, profitable corporation would have no problem doing this.
2.) See number one.  Also, I personally believe in universal, single-payer healthcare, so that solves that issue, as well.
3.) I think that ultimately, there should be a real, minimum living wage for everyone, but, in the meantime, companies like Wal-Mart should have no problem adhering to this principle.
4.) Well, since you are the math expert, you would be better at doing this, however, mathematics aside, we both know that Wal-Mart can afford it (it’s just like any other overhead cost of doing business).
5.) Yes, they can, it’s just a matter of if they want to.  Legally, the obligation of a corporation is to increase the profits of the shareholders, but a company can still be profitable while paying decent wages, etc.  I’m sure Wal-Mart could be even more profitable if they cut even more corners, but would this be desirable/ethical to do so?  Can they violate the law (more than usual) and then say “We were just trying to increase profits for the shareholders.” Click on my link and read the FAQ’s for a different perspective on the Living Wage.