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Wage & Hour Issues Read how Wal-Mart continually fails to pay every worker for every hour worked

Health Care Wal-Mart's still insures barely over half its employees on the company plan

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The Environment How Wal-Mart's business model is detrimental for our planet

Site Fight Of The Week: A Dark Day In Moon, PA

As Wal-Mart site fights go, there aren’t too many stories more troubling than that of Moon, Pa.

On July 3rd, the Beaver County Times reported that after an exhausting 6-hour meeting the Moon Township commission voted against a Wal-Mart proposal, 3-2. Only three days later on the 7th, the Times reported that the commission was reconsidering the issue. At least two of the commissioners who voted “no” were surprised when they were notified that a “special meeting” was to be held on the 10th to reconsider the issue. Lo and behold, two commissioners switched their votes and gave Wal-Mart a 4-1 green light.

And it doesn’t end there. One of the commissioners who switched his vote is Mike Hopper, who was recently injured in a car accident, has been not been present at any of the recent Wal-Mart city meetings, and has failed to respond by phone or email to any residents.

So what happened? Wal-Mart’s legal team. Clearly, Wal-Mart’s lawyers threatened to sue and sent a major scare into Moon Township’s lawyers – who convinced the commissioners that the Township, and possibly them commissioners personally, would be sued unless they reversed their votes. So they waved the white flag, and surrendered to Wal-Mart.

The result: despite widespread public opposition, and a town commission that voted against the project, Wal-Mart looks to move forward in Moon.

Says the Beaver County Times:

“According to Hopper, board solicitor Michael Santicola told him between the board’s July 2 and July 10 meetings that the township and supervisors individually could potentially be on the hook “for the property itself, which Wal-Mart bought for $7 million; for their engineering costs and fees; and even for the potential loss of sales.”

Unfortunately, Moon is not alone. There has been a startling trend in recent years of Wal-Mart filing and/or threatening to file SLAPP (Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation) lawsuits against public groups that oppose Wal-Mart – with the express purpose of stamping out the opposition and/or scaring officials into turning their votes around.

Here’s how it (basically) works: a corporation or developer files a lawsuit claiming that some action by a city official or local group is interfering with its business model by speaking out against it. According to Professor Penelope Canan of the University of Denver, who coauthored a study on SLAPP lawsuits, “These suits aren’t even designed to win in court — 95 percent are dismissed or dropped. They’re designed to not only keep the SLAPPee from filing a complaint or speaking out, but their neighbors as well. It effectively kills opposition, since people are fearful that if they speak out, they get sued.” PRWatch.org says that the SLAPP suits “achieve their objectives by forcing defendants to spend huge amounts of time and money defending themselves in court..,” and adds that the practice “threaten[s] the very foundation of citizen involvement and public participation in democracy.”

Some states have adopted anti-SLAPP laws, but Wal-Mart has still filed them in (among others) San Antonio, TX; Glasgow, DE; Liberty, OH and Albuquerque, NM.

It’s a troubling trend – and it’s likely to continue, without significant action from State Governments to protect public discourse and defend local officials from dangerous SLAPP suits. 

TAKE ACTION NOW!

Email the Moon Township commission now, and let them know that surrendering to Wal-Mart is not OK. A town’s growth & development plans should be the decision of the residents and the local officials, not developers and their lawyers.

Posted by Eric Bull on Thursday, July 17, 2008

Click Here for a Printer-Friendly Version

COMMENTS

“If some community, for whatever reason, doesn’t want us in there, then we are not interested in going in and creating a fuss.  Wal-Mart wants to go where it is wanted.“ ~ Sam Walton

Ken V in Texas
Thursday, July 17 at 07:23 PM

“I lied.”

Sam Walton in
Thursday, July 17 at 11:25 PM

Look at at the quote again.  “If some community, for whatever reason, doesn’t want us in there, then we are not interested in going in and creating a fuss.  Wal-Mart wants to go where it is wanted.“

Like most of these, it is not the community who is not interested in having the Walmart.  It is the Moon Township commission.  If they put it up to a vote by the population, there would probably be a Walmart.  This is typical.  A very small group is going against the wishes of the people who elected them.  They don’t believe the people in the community is smart enough to make that decision on their own.

Johnny in OKC
Friday, July 18 at 08:03 AM

Look at at the quote again.  “If some community, for whatever reason, doesn’t want us in there, then we are not interested in going in and creating a fuss.  Wal-Mart wants to go where it is wanted.“

Like most of these, it is not the community who is not interested in having the Walmart.  It is the Moon Township commission.  If they put it up to a vote by the population, there would probably be a Walmart.  This is typical.  A very small group is going against the wishes of the people who elected them.  They don’t believe the people in the community is smart enough to make that decision on their own.

Johnny in OKC
Friday, July 18 at 08:03 AM

Isn’t Moon Township a suburb of Pittsburgh?

I, for one, would love to hear Nick’s take on all this…

bbrd in
Friday, July 18 at 08:53 AM

tell me folks where is the same we cant handle anymore traffic,public safety and livability bs when all the high cost crap like target,costco,strip malls,ufcw union grocery stores and etc want to build in the same space wm wants to build in?where is the same we dont want it because it will kill all the mom and pops argument with these other stores?

m att hew vantress in gresham,oregon
Friday, July 18 at 10:03 AM

Hey, Johnny! What part of “for whatever reason” don’t you understand?

Instead of spending all that time and money ‘greasing’ local officials, I wonder why Bentonville doesn’t try to bring these issues to a referendum?

I’ll tell you why. Because they couldn’t control the outcome. Wal-Mart might win a vote, but if they didn’t they would be finished in that local. Too risky! Better to claim anti Wal-Marters are “a very small group” then to actually find out via a vote.

Ken V in Texas
Friday, July 18 at 12:40 PM

Hey, Kenny:  What part of of English do you not understand?  If you read the sentence properly you will find that it says “community, for whatever reason”.  It does not say “township commission, for whatever reason”.  That is basic primary school English. 

Of course the real vote is after it is open and whether it becomes a another profitable store, but the SEIU fears that outcome.  If the SEIU sincerely thought the township did not want Walmart, then they would let them go ahead and build the Walmart and let it fail.

Johnny in OKC
Friday, July 18 at 01:57 PM

As of last year (’07) there were 330 communities that have decided they don’t want a Wal-Mart.

Let me see if I get this straight, Johnny.  The “township commission” doesn’t represent the people that elected them? I suppose that also applies now that they have switched their stand.

How is it exactly that Bentonville knows what these communities really want while the people that live in them don’t?

There is more to life than “cheap underwear“. ~ The Peninsula Neighborhood Association

Ken V in Texas
Friday, July 18 at 02:44 PM

How do we get in touch with those fighting the Walmart in Moon?

ChuckP in Leechburg, PA
Friday, July 18 at 04:20 PM

Click on the ‘EMail” link under the TAKE ACTION NOW! heading in the main body of the post.

“There is no perceived risk in attacking Wal-Mart anymore. They have gone from being a business success story to being a cultural villain.” ~ Eric Dezenhall

Ken V in Texas
Friday, July 18 at 05:07 PM

It is truly the silly season.  Even Kenny must be smart enough to realize that nearly every Walmart built in the US has been successful.  If they want to build a Walmart in Moon, it would be successful.  That is the true test that the “community” wants a Walmart.

Johnny in OKC
Saturday, July 19 at 07:21 AM

Nearly every Walmart. I forgot to mention the 400 stores Walmart has closed in the US and carry as dead real estate wasted with taxpayer money to tear some of them down. They call them ‘dark stores’ and most were built with subsidies from the states and local towns that were suckered into giving Walmart cash and tax abatements and then welfare for the poor souls who worked there. That is the true test that the “community” wants a Walmart. I am not a Walmart ass wipe like you already think I am. I am merely a Walmart internet troll.

Johnny in OKC
Saturday, July 19 at 07:45 AM

Phoney Johnny,

You forgot to mention, that most ‘dark stores’ are stores that were ‘replaced’ with ‘new’ ones and the employees just moved to the ‘new’ stores and did not go on welfare!!  Also, the ‘new’ store was bigger, so more employees were needed, not less!!

RDS in
Saturday, July 19 at 09:50 AM

RDS: What you forgot to mention,that when WalMart upgrades TO the new store and MOVES the employees FROM the old one,WalMart claims they are creating NEW jobs,for which they feel entitled to tax credits . How are these transferred employees considered new employees , or their transfers,new jobs?

ddrb in
Saturday, July 19 at 10:11 AM

Johnny: I notice you parsed your comment to say “nearly” every WalMart in the “U.S.” Two notable exceptions that come to mind - the Jonquier,Canada store WalMart shut down for trying to start a union, and, Hearne,Texas,which has a sad story all its own.

ddrb in
Saturday, July 19 at 10:18 AM

is truly the silly season.  Even Kenny must be smart enough to realize that nearly every Walmart built in the US has been successful.  If they want to build a Walmart in Moon, it would be successful.  That is the true test that the “community” wants a Walmart.

I would imagine, at the very least, that most Pittsburgh suburbanites would want a choice given that they lost Kroger in the late 80’s and Supervalue folded a lot of stores in recent years, leaving Giant Eagle as the de facto grocery monopoly…

bbrd in
Saturday, July 19 at 10:20 PM

I am not a Walmart ass wipe like you already think I am. I am merely a Walmart internet troll.

OK, SVD—put your money where your mouth is and prove it, already!

bbrd in
Saturday, July 19 at 10:21 PM

Tell me, oh omniscient ‘bb’, why do you suppose WalMartWatch spruced up the site if it’s on “life support”?

Don’t you ever get tired of being wrong? Where do they find you pro Wal-Marters anyway? Loser Anonymous?

Bwah-ha-ha-ha!

Ken V in Texas
Sunday, July 20 at 04:09 PM

RDS, bbrd and ‘Johnny in OKC’,

As WalMart internet frauds, you should have taken a good look out back where the WalMart ‘war room’ buried NICK and ELLIS W.

WalMart- When we say “jump”, our ‘war room’ internet frauds say “how high?” And somebody find out if propaganda slobs, shills, fakes and twits can be procured cheaper in India or Nigeria than these $10 million Edelman ‘war room’ fees.

SanDiegoView in WalMart: Your advanced payday loan dream job
Monday, July 21 at 07:37 AM

Tell me, oh omniscient ‘bb’, why do you suppose WalMartWatch spruced up the site if it’s on “life support”?

Well, Carnak Ken*, I’m guessing because the web team had some free time on their hands.

After all, people have to stay gainfully-employed, and all that…

Let’s face it, Kenbo—if it weren’t for RDS (and a few others), you people would have noone to direct your hate-filled diatribes towards…

...you should have taken a good look out back where the WalMart ‘war room’ buried NICK and ELLIS W.

Nick created his own demise, SVD. 

Personally, I’m looking-forward to the day when you and old “what’s her name” skip town and run-off to Vegas, which IMO, would be about the same as being buried…

*With apologies to the late, great Johnny Carson

bbrd in
Monday, July 21 at 03:28 PM

SDV,

“where the WalMart ‘war room’ buried NICK and ELLIS W.”

Didn’t your side claim that NICK and ELLIS W. were the same person?  And, where did WalMartWatch bury old IRONHEAD, the guy who said he would never leave this site?  Haven’t heard from Alex in Ontario lately either, ditto for him too!!

BTW: Didn’t old NICK just post here a few months back?

RDS in
Monday, July 21 at 10:50 PM

Some believe that NICK aka ELLIS W committed internet suicide by way of arrogantly exceeding his own threshold of excessive ignorance and died from the gravitational effect of his stupidity. Some view the matter as one of simple contrast where NICK aka ELLIS W died as an internet weed from exposure to rationality.

Still others accept the notion that NICK aka ELLIS W was suddenly killed off by the other WalMart ‘war room’ trolls out of embarrassment of association and the competitive libertarian self-interest of collective image management for WalMart. There is a story going around that the ‘war room’ management challenged NICK aka ELLIS W to actually prove that smoking did not cause cancer and suggested he personally verify the matter.

While drifting further and further into thoughtless tirades typical of the WalMart defense team against America and people, NICK aka ELLIS W finally crashed within his own cul-de-sac of hate filled invective of threats as his medication could no longer compensate for or control his basic human sinful nature and rather extensive character flaws. Internet decency and managerial alarm snuffed out NICK aka ELLIS W and sentenced him to an extended term at Ayn Rand bigots prison when he became entangled in the contortions of self-imposed rage about illegal aliens. Hostility against illegal Mexicans employed as evening cleaning crew slave labor at WalMart was to much for the WalMart/Edelman propagandists.

In any case the ‘war room’ got rid of him and I am glad to have helped in his demise. Let the dumpster out back where they threw NICK aka ELLIS W be a lesson to you m att hew vantress.

“I didn’t attend the funeral, but I sent a nice letter saying I approved of it.”
Mark Twain

SanDiegoView in the endless autopsy on Walmart internet frauds
Tuesday, July 22 at 12:30 AM

Nick’s public admission of being EllisW and the awareness to himself of it when he stopped listening to his own drivel realizing most people were not paying attention to him caused this...another basic self absorbed delirious confession.

“Actually, everyone, I am EllisW. I posted under EllisW
(Ellis Wyatt, an oilman/capitalist genius from the capitalist bible “Atlas Shrugged"). When I posted too much factual information, my posts were dropped. When I posted economic information that was logical and embarassing to the anti-Wal-Mart crowd, I was banned. I’m sure that I will be banned again at some point. You know you are making too
much sense when you are banned. When pro-capitalist posters disappear from this forum, rest assured they were scoring too many points and convincing too many people to come over to the good side of the Force.”

Nick in
Saturday, March 31 at 09:08 PM

SanDiegoView in WalMart is business theology for psychopaths
Tuesday, July 22 at 12:41 AM

...you people would have noone (sic) to direct your hate-filled diatribes towards…

Au contraire, little bb. We will always have Wal-Mart (aka) The Beast of Bentonville!

Here’s yet another reason to avoid Wal-Mart:

Wal-Mart doesn’t give a rat’s ass that Megan Fox was voted FHM’s Sexiest Woman in the World…They are still banning her from the premises of a Florida store* because she shoplifted there as a teenager.

I hate to break it to her, but if you’re banned from one Wal-Mart, you’re banned from all (including parking lots)!

Ken V in Texas
Tuesday, July 22 at 08:51 AM

Ken V,

“Au contraire, little bb. We will always have Wal-Mart (aka) The Beast of Bentonville!”

And, what if Wal-Mart could care less for what you have to say?  You end up talking to yourselves, basically ‘spinning your wheels’!!

RDS in
Tuesday, July 22 at 11:33 AM

RDS: Is WalMart doesn’t care,WHY do you? Just who is “spinning their wheels” and who is “ spinning WalMart’s lies”,RDS?

ddrb in
Tuesday, July 22 at 01:27 PM

“According to a marketing executive, an Edelman executive providing media training to his firm said:
Speaking of “spinning the golden fleece”,~~~~~~~~
Sometimes, you just have to stand up there and lie. Make the audience or the reporter believe that everything is ok. How many times have you heard a CEO stand up and say “No, I’m not leaving the company” and then - days later - he’s gone. Reporters understand that you “had” to do it and they won’t hold it against you in your next job when you deal with them again. “~~~~~~Sourcewatch~~~~~~~

ddrb in
Tuesday, July 22 at 01:34 PM

ddrb,

“Is WalMart doesn’t care,WHY do you?”

Two reasons: 1.) I hate seeing people trying to destroy a business, just because they don’t like it!! YOUR main reason, is because the store next to you BOTHERS you!!  And, 2.) It’s fun exposing your untruths and twists of the truth!!

“Just who is “spinning their wheels” and who is “ spinning WalMart’s lies””

Look at my posts, they do not follow Wal-Mart’s talking points, but most anti people repeat time after time, the union’s talking points!!  Even some anti Wal-Mart people have refuted those talking points, and they get told that they too are liars!!  Here’s the ‘rub’, we have people here, who don’t shop or work at Wal-Mart, and have the nerve to tell people who DO shop or work at Wal-Mart, that they don’t know what they are talking about!!  The anti group gets their information from people who have an axe to grind with Wal-Mart, disgruntled ex-employees, the liberal media and mostly the unions!!

And, then there is SDV, who lives in a world of his own and is a ‘great’ promoter of Costco!!  He posts under a million different names and even poses as other regular posters!!  Why do you think that HE does that?  Could it be, to make the anti group look LARGER than it really is?

RDS in
Tuesday, July 22 at 10:31 PM

And, then there is SDV......  He posts under a million different names and even poses as other regular posters!!  Why do you think that HE does that?  Could it be, to make the anti group look LARGER than it really is~~~~RDS~~~~~~~Well,Bob, has it actually been established that SDV is really doing that? I know that it has irrevocably established that YOU have done the very thing of which you accuse him. WHY did you?I recall you had 2 or 3 identities at the same time.BTW, didn’t Screwed call you Jerry Baloney,(after the ventriloquists dummy)because of all your simultaneous “sock puppet “identities?

ddrb in
Tuesday, July 22 at 11:31 PM

Tommy in
Thursday, December 06 at 10:37 PM

“Shut the Hell Up, “Tommy”

You are such a loser Robert, RDS, Bob in, Donald in, “jerry” and now I guess we can add “Tommy” to the ever-growing list.......................................................”

ScrewedbyWal-Mart in Anytown, America
Friday, December 07 at 02:09 AM

ddrb in
Wednesday, July 23 at 12:29 AM

“And, then there is SDV, who lives in a world of his own and is a ‘great’ promoter of Costco!!”

“1.) I hate seeing people trying to destroy a business, just because they don’t like it!!”

RDS in
Tuesday, July 22 at 10:31 PM

Costco is a nice shopping experience. They do not advertise on television, radio, in papers etc because they don’t have to do so. I have never worked for them or on their behalf.

Costco just does not have the reputation problems that WalMart has because the Costco business model is not based on ‘extremist profiteering’, the exploitation of people/customers/labor and suppliers and the social and economic destruction of whoever gets in their way.

“The Shepherd drives the wolf from the sheep’s throat, for which the sheep thanks the shepherd as a liberator, while the wolf denounces him for the same act as a destroyer of liberty.” Abraham Lincoln

Social responsibility is what bothers you RDS about Costco. WalMart is truly afraid, very afraid...and paranoid as the social contrast and ultimate destructive economic consequences mount and continue to emerge by way of WalMart own egregious attitude, philosophy and business operations.

How Costco Became the Anti-Wal-Mart
By STEVEN GREENHOUSE
Published: July 17, 2005

Excerpts include-

“Costco’s average pay, for example, is $17 an hour, 42 percent higher than its fiercest rival, Sam’s Club. And Costco’s health plan makes those at many other retailers look Scroogish. One analyst, Bill Dreher of Deutsche Bank, complained last year that at Costco “it’s better to be an employee or a customer than a shareholder.”

“Good wages and benefits are why Costco has extremely low rates of turnover and theft by employees, he said. And Costco’s customers, who are more affluent than other warehouse store shoppers, stay loyal because they like that low prices do not come at the workers’ expense. “This is not altruistic,” he said. “This is good business.”

“Workers seem enthusiastic. Beth Wagner, 36, used to manage a Rite Aid drugstore, where she made $24,000 a year and paid nearly $4,000 a year for health coverage. She quit five years ago to work at Costco, taking a cut in pay. She started at $10.50 an hour - $22,000 a year - but now makes $18 an hour as a receiving clerk. With annual bonuses, her income is about $40,000.

“I want to retire here,” she said. “I love it here.”

<http://www.nytimes.com/2005/07/17/business/yourmoney/17costco.html?ex=1279252800&en=8b31033c5b6a6d68&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss>

“This tentative agreement, if accepted by the membership, will continue to keep unionized Costco workers at the top of any wage earners in the retail industry,” said Rome Aloise, chairman of the Costco Teamsters Negotiations Committee. Costco’s average full-time wage is $17 an hour and the company pays more than 92 percent of workers’ health premiums.

<http://www.signonsandiego.com/uniontrib/20070124/news_1b24costco.html>

“Few things are harder to put up with than the annoyance of a good example.”
Mark Twain

WalMart- Costco simply treating their employees well makes us Bentonville slobs look like crap. And that is in addition to WalMart making themsleves look like crap. Let’s blame the unions.

SanDiegoView in WalMart can be your death penalty for petty theft!
Wednesday, July 23 at 02:35 AM

bullshit costcos average pay sdv is 17.00 an hr.if costco is so great then why in the hell do they have to charge a yearly membership fee to shop there?i guess the greedy costco ceo slobs there are not making enough and happy enough huh?most costco workers sdv are only part time and cant get full time work.companies do that to save money on benefits.cheap as costco slobs cant give full time work to everyone and have to charge a fee?what bs and a pile of shit company costco is.

m att hew vantress in gresham,oregon
Wednesday, July 23 at 05:20 AM

By the numbers…

Costco is a nice shopping experience.

Depends on who you ask—Costco is a full-blown working warehouse, complete with the concrete floors and flourescent lighting that Mr. Screwed loves to hate.  Forklifts, too!

Costco just does not have the reputation problems...

Costco is a mere fraction of WM’s size—get back with us when they hit the 3,000-store mark.

And Costco’s customers, who are more affluent than other warehouse store shoppers...

Read - Costco caters to those who have money, which would explain why they’re not yet outside the large cities.

Beth Wagner, 36, used to manage a Rite Aid drugstore, where she made $24,000 a year and paid nearly $4,000 a year for health coverage.

Better watch who you’re quoting, fanboy—all of a sudden, WM’s pay/benefits doesn’t look nearly as bad, now.

...unionized Costco workers...

I suppose they can do all that stuff you mentioned since every household has to pay anywhere from $50-100 just for the privilege to shop there.

...Costco Teamsters Negotiations Committee...

Enough said.

...average full-time wage is $17 an hour...

How about the average, part-time wage?  You know, the 20-35 hours a week crowd? 

Get back with us on that, OK?  We’ll be waiting…

They do not advertise on television, radio, in papers etc because they don’t have to do so. I have never worked for them or on their behalf.

bbrd in
Wednesday, July 23 at 08:40 AM

Piss poor subjective opinion from bbrd the other WalMart loser troll who can’t handle numbers either-

Try these numbers, documented and cited, that show Costco wages compared far superior to WalMart wages-

Hourly Rate Survey Report for Employer: Costco Wholesale Corp.

Median Hourly Rate by Job - Employer: Costco Wholesale Corp. (United States)

Cashier- (19)- $11.34

Retail Cashier- (17)- $15.26

Sales Clerk/ Cashier- (17)- $16.99

Optician, Dispensing- (14)- $19.88

Warehouse Supervisor- (11)- $20.45

Certified Pharmacy Technician
(CPHT)- (9)- $15.00

Butcher/ Meat Cutter- (8)- $20.86

Updated: 7/21/2008 | Individuals reporting: 262

http://www.payscale.com/research/US/Employer=Wal-Mart_Stores,_Inc/Hourly_Rate

Hourly Rate Survey Report for Employer: Wal-Mart Stores, Inc

Median Hourly Rate by Job - Employer: Wal-Mart Stores, Inc (United States)

Department Manager, Retail Store- (283)- $11.97

Cashier- (179)- $8.17

Retail Cashier- (248)- $8.75

Sales Associate- (220)- $8.93

Pharmacy Technician- (157)- $10.16

Certified pharmacy Technician
(CPHT)- (148)- $10.90

Customer Service Manager- (133)- $10.29

Updated: 7/16/2008 | Individuals reporting: 3,317

http://www.payscale.com/research/US/Employer=Wal-Mart_Stores,_Inc/Hourly_Rate

Overall it works out like this for WalMart-

Wal-Mart founder Sam Walton once said, “I pay low wages. I can take advantage of that. We’re going to be successful, but the basis is a very low-wage, low-benefit model of employment.”
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Criticism_of_Wal-Mart#_note-
iswalmartgood

“Is Wal-Mart Good for America?” PBS. November 16, 2004. Retrieved on February 24, 2007.

bbrd, you and the equally gifted vantress will want to disavow ABC NEWS and their reporting a $17/hr average wage at Costco as if either of you should ever be taken seriously about anything. I know vantress thinks he is superior to a national news organization, but you yourself as a WalMart ass kissing lackey never seemed superior to vantress.

Costco CEO Finds Pro-Worker Means Profitability
High Wages, Employee Benefits Build Loyalty—and P.R. Ambassadors
By ALAN B. GOLDBERG and BILL RITTER
August 2, 2006 Excerpted-

And Sinegal says he’s also built a loyal work force. In fact, Costco has the lowest employee turnover rate in retailing. Its turnover is five times lower than its chief rival, Wal-Mart. And Costco pays higher than average wages—$17 an hour—40 percent more than Sam’s Club, the warehouse chain owned by Wal-Mart. And it offers better-than-average benefits, including health care coverage to more than 90 percent of its work force.

Costco doesn’t have a P.R. department and it doesn’t spend a dime on advertising. There’s a real business advantage to treating employees well, Sinegal said. “Imagine that you have 120,000 loyal ambassadors out there who are constantly saying good things about Costco. It has to be a significant advantage for you,” he explained.

Sinegal admits that “paying high wages [to his employees] is contrary to conventional wisdom.”

And conventional wisdom in this case comes from Wall Street. Analysts seem to be the only critics of Costco and Sinegal. They think the company could make even more money if it paid its workers less—like Wal-Mart does.

Sinegal is unfazed by his critics. “Wall Street is in the business of making money between now and next Tuesday,” he said. “We’re in the business of building an organization, an institution that we hope will be here 50 years from now. And paying good wages and keeping your people working with you is very good business.”

What Sinegal has proven is that a company doesn’t have to be ruthless. Being humane and ethical can also make you money.

http://abcnews.go.com/2020/Business/story?id=1362779

bbrd, you carefully omitted Beth Wagner now making over $40,000/year at Costco in your lame bumbling of basic facts as reported…
“...but now makes $18 an hour as a receiving clerk. With annual bonuses, her income is about $40,000.”

Also noticed how important is was for you again bbrd to leave out that Costco is the 4th largest retailer in the U.S. and 7th largest in the world. (FORBES)

“Denial ain’t just a river in Egypt.”
Mark Twain

SanDiegoView in WalMart is America's #1 poverty engine whorehouse
Wednesday, July 23 at 10:28 AM

That should read…

http://www.payscale.com/research/US/Employer=Costco_Wholesale_Corp./Hourly_Rate

under the ‘Updated: 7/21/2008 | Individuals reporting: 262’ data line.

SanDiegoView in
Wednesday, July 23 at 10:34 AM

SDV: “The best advertisement you can get is “word of mouth” from a satisfied customer......or a satisfied employee.

ddrb in
Wednesday, July 23 at 11:30 AM

bbrd,

Did you notice Costco’s stock share drop of $8.57 a share yesterday?

Costco: The High Cost of High Prices!!

SDV,

“Wal-Mart founder Sam Walton once said, “I pay low wages. I can take advantage of that. We’re going to be successful, but the basis is a very low-wage, low-benefit model of employment.””

Was he lying?  Did they NOT become successful, using that model?

RDS in
Thursday, July 24 at 01:27 AM

ddrb,

“The best advertisement you can get is “word of mouth” from a satisfied customer......or a satisfied employee.”

Guess that is why Wal-Mart has grown over the last 40+ years, has such a huge customer base, 1.5+ million employees, became #1 and is still growing, “word of mouth” and it must have been favorable towards Wal-Mart, or else people wouldn’t shop and work there!!

RDS in
Thursday, July 24 at 01:33 AM

sdv still cant back up his 17 average costco wage either nor can he refute what i raise by asking why costco is too cheap and lazy to give full time work to all.sdv i have worked in the ufcw union that feeds you false distorted stats.the figures you cite are b.s..those ceo selfish slobs at costco.wm offers healthcare to over 90% as well and covers over 90% of workers premiums too pal so get your facts right and your head out of your ass buddy. sdv.funny how you leave that out.enough ufcw union bs about wms low prices coming at the expense of workers sdv.the ufcw dont do shit to get full time work,better wages and benefits for all in the grocery industry.

m att hew vantress in gresham,oregon
Thursday, July 24 at 03:48 AM

RDS: You have a point. So why are there so few folk,or elsewhere, extolling the joys and wonders,RDS? Why is there not a WalMart site to have these happy,peppy customers present their tales of customer satisfaction? Why doesn’t WalMart have a site specifically for these fans?Or do they? And why has WalMart consistently been at the top of worst corporation for years in a row now? I knew full well when I posted that statement you would run with it. That’s fine. People have choices. I have mine,too. But it is insulting to expect anyone to believe that shopping at WalMArt is akin to an orgasmic experience...they way your spin would portray it. Possibly for you and Dave, but not for normal human beings.

ddrb in
Thursday, July 24 at 01:31 PM

Why is there not a WalMart site to have these happy,peppy customers present their tales of customer satisfaction?

There have been such sites—they were either trashed by your cronies or otherwise criticized by those who had an axe to grind…

bbrd in
Thursday, July 24 at 02:47 PM

Did you notice Costco’s stock share drop of $8.57 a share yesterday?

Yup - and their dirty little secret (gender discrimination suit) isn’t helping their image, either.

bbrd in
Thursday, July 24 at 02:50 PM

bbrd, you carefully omitted Beth Wagner...

Has Ms. Wagner hit the warehouse’s glass ceiling at $40K a year?

http://genderclassactionagainstcostco.com

Somehow, I think so…

bbrd in
Thursday, July 24 at 02:57 PM

Why is there not a WalMart site to have these happy,peppy customers present their tales of customer satisfaction?

There have been such sites—they were either trashed by your cronies or otherwise criticized by those who had an axe to grind…

bbrd in
Thursday, July 24 at 02:47 PM~~~~~~~~~~Note:You mean the power of a monority(a few critics) overwhelmed and prevailed over the power of the majority-(WalMart happy,peppy customers)?

ddrb in
Friday, July 25 at 07:54 PM

Correction: Minority NOT monority

ddrb in
Friday, July 25 at 07:58 PM

ddrb,

“Why is there not a WalMart site to have these happy,peppy customers present their tales of customer satisfaction?”

I don’t know about you, but, most people who are HAPPY about something, don’t go out of their way to express it on a blog, but, complainers are always looking for a place to bitch about things!!  The fact that Wal-Mart shoppers remain loyal to Wal-Mart with their shopping habits, is a sign that they are pleased with shopping there, otherwise they would be heading towards the nearest Target, Costco, Safeway, Kroger or K-Mart, anywhere other than Wal-Mart!!

RDS in
Friday, July 25 at 11:41 PM

I don’t know about you, but, most people who are HAPPY about something, don’t go out of their way to express it on a blog, but, complainers are always looking for a place to bitch about things!!RDS~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Are you saying you’re not happy with WalMart,RDS?

ddrb in
Saturday, July 26 at 12:23 PM

ddrb,

“Are you saying you’re not happy with WalMart,RDS?”

No, I’m saying that I’m not happy with what the SEIU and UFCW are trying to do to Wal-Mart!!  No self-respecting union, would launch such a huge attack against a company whose employees they didn’t already represent!!

RDS in
Sunday, July 27 at 02:23 AM

RDS: Does SEIU and UFCW ALREADY represent WalMart employees? That’s what you’re saying?

ddrb in
Sunday, July 27 at 09:11 AM

ddrb,

“Does SEIU and UFCW ALREADY represent WalMart employees? That’s what you’re saying?”

Learn to read!!  I said “No self-respecting union, would launch such a huge attack against a company whose employees they didn’t already represent”!!  Do you know what the word ‘didn’t’ means?  It means that they DON’T represent them, but are still launching attacks against Wal-Mart!!  Most ‘self respecting unions’ ONLY deal with employees of companies they DO represent and employees who are seeking representation!!  And, in case you don’t ‘get it’, SEEKING, means the employees have ASKED to be represented!!

RDS in
Sunday, July 27 at 11:41 PM

the ufcw needs to but out of wms business and mind their own.ufcw needs to fight harder for full time work and living wages for all so workers in the union can get off food stamps,public assistance and state welfare rolls.

m att hew vantress in gresham,oregon
Monday, July 28 at 05:53 AM

dont ask me to name any union people on welfare because i cant back that up.the lies i tell are part of trying to win the first prize in the who is most full of shit contest wm had me enter into.the ufcw can bring better pay,full time work and real good benefits at wm but they should leave the poor working slobs at wm alone so wm management can run their lives into the dirt like they have mine.wm is best at screwing people over you hypocrite losers.

m att hew vantress in gresham,oregon
Monday, July 28 at 07:15 AM

Matt: Have you considered you might do quite well in the Orient? Your philosophy seems more Eastern than Western.

ddrb in
Monday, July 28 at 10:03 AM

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