I really loathe Walmart

This camp perhaps:

http://www.responsiblewealth.org/

It's entirely possible to be a capitalist, even a wealthy capitalist, and still believe in and be actively working toward a living wage for all Americans.

Many working poor are working for the current federal minimum wage, which doesn't even put them at the poverty level for a family even if working full time. It's not entirely fair to say they should just get a degree if they are unhappy. I am sure many of them (if not most) would love to better their lives if they could. Unfortunately, most working at those wage levels find they must have at least two jobs if they intend to live indoors. This reality leaves them no time for any kind of classes leading to a degree, not even distance classes, as most cannot begin to afford the luxury of quitting one of their jobs to devote time to any kind of classes. I would imagine many in their position feel stuck because they are stuck.

We're not talking about welfare cheats or illegal aliens here, these are hard-working Americans who are working full time plus and still barely subsisting in the wealthiest country in the world. Their numbers are growing because even as costs of living continue to rise, wages haven't kept up especially for those working in low-valued ("low-skill") jobs. They may not be performing brain surgery but they are performing jobs necessary for our economy to function. Companies not paying them anything close to a living wage are effectively saying "you are not worthy of living in the community in which you work", because for many that is the reality they live everyday. No one should work full time and still be borderline homeless.

Kit

 

Re: durak irks janko

Janko, I am terribly sorry if my previous post reads as a personal attack on you. It certainly wasn't meant to be, but after re-reading it can definitely see how it might be interpreted that way especially with the lead sentence. (Suppose an emoticon should have been added somewhere.) It was not an attack on religion either, but simply a comparison to the hypocrisy of SOME adherents of organized religions to the hypocrisy of SOME who want certain things or conditions but at the same time don't want to pay for them or take any responsibility toward making those things real. I am sure you don't fall into either of those categories.

The fact is simply these issues make me nuts, really nuts: Non-living wage full time jobs in the wealthiest country in the world, children in other lands chained to rug looms while people in wealthy countries buy those cheap rugs without a care, slave and prison labor producing cheap clothing that wealthier customers buy without thought, people screaming for less pollution while they themselves don't reduce, reuse, or recycle, etc., etc. These issues make many people nuts, but not enough, mostly because too many people just don't know these things are happening. Jack Tracey had a good point in this thread about slavery in our modern world. He's right, it's still occuring and most people are blissfully unaware and even inadvertantly supporting it.

But regardless, this is not the first time I have unintentionally insulted someone while in full rant mode. Again, I apologize and am sure this won't be the last time such an apology is necessary.

Your hard-right on some issues, hard-left on others, ranting raving but sometimes mild-mannered (ok, hardly ever) fellow poster,

Kit

 

OK.

 

Walmart wanted to move in and reclaim an outdated mall in Mission, Kansas recently. The local citizens raised enough concern over the issue such that Walmart was denied. Here is a link to a local news source.

http://www.thekansascitychannel.com/money/3684235/detail.html

 

I hear alot of complaining, but what is the alternative. Wal-Mart has over 1,000,000 employees in the US alone at over 3250 sites. Do you really wish all those to be unemployed?

I worked as an exec for Wal-Mart (in IT) for a number of years and they exist to make profit. They are not a social organization, welfare management system, or a job corp. They are responsible for some of the most innovative retail strategies ever conceived. (ie inventory that is not paid for until it is scanned, inventory that is never warehoused as it moves from incoming truck directly to outgoing truck)

And what they do, they do very well. 200 billion dollars in sales on an operating budget of just over 16% -- unheard of!! Earning over $5 per square foot of store, the next closest retailer doesn't even do $2. Their presence, success, and power entitle them to use thier clout to make money -- that is capitalism.

Also, the working off the clock issue was brought up by 40 people in Kansas City and then grew to 28 states. Wal-Mart settled the claim by paying out $50MM to 69,000 workers. The problem stems for the power given to store managers (they are free to make just about any decision they want) and they earn annual bonuses ranging from $70K - $150K (and I am almost certain the driver is operating expense, salary being #1)

If you really believe that "working off the clock" is corporate policy, you really are blinded by ideaology.

 

Awww -- someone with a vested interest.

So, you are saying that 69,000 workers are lying and the execs at WalMart are "god fearing Christians" who wouldn't rip off the American worker. /

The alternative? Geez - get a life. WalMart isn't the all knowing corporation (thank god). If WalMart didn't exist, then those 1M workers would be working somewhere else. (probably at a better living age).

As an exec, can I give you some advice? Can the commericals. The commercials alone make me gag. Perhaps you should hire a better marketing and ad firm as the commericals don't play out well in places where the average education level is greater than the 8th grade. WalMart should be more concerned about being good than looking good. Even though they are not required to do so, it does suit their best interest to be a good corporate citizen. As a percentage of sales, WalMart is near the bottom as far as donations. Look at Target as the large corporate donor giving nearly 10%. (to WallyMart's 2.5%).

WalMart exists to make money - and to make the Walton family even richer. They have innovated the retail industry but not at a cost to others (JIT is not a free ride). I for one agree at their right to exist, but I still won't shop there.

 

They also make help the common stock holder which are average Americans increase their net worth. They have millions of them that have done very well for them.

Don't forget the other stakeholders in their business.

It is the easy armchair approach to blame the corporation and executives.

Walmart provides jobs, pays taxes, lowers prices, pays benefits and gives money, not bad and I'm not even a stockholder.

Bah

 

I stated --worked-- (with an "ed"). I haven't worked there for over 7 years. I am now employeed in a much more evil empire -- private industry, oil/gas refining.

No, I said the lawsuit was settled, Wal-Mart admitted the problem existed and said it was due to store management, they could independently make those decisions.

I have no idea if the execs at Wal-Mart are God fearing Christians --- I know I am. The accumulation of wealth does not automatically exclude one from being a Christian.

I have no idea if the motives of Wal-mart are to rip people off or make a healthy margin, but I would guess the later. It is you who assumes that anyone who excels and masses wealth MUST have done it at the expense of someone else. Are you saying there are NO honest wealthy people? The world of opportunity is NOT a zero-sum game. If you want to earn more than minimum wage, get a high school diploma, go to college instead of WWE events, learn to save/invest instead of applying for your tenth capital one credit card, quit lying around all day complaining, waiting for the govenment to save you, and for goodness sake quit assuming that every human being that makes more than you owes you a living. Take some chances. Entrepreneurship is risky business, it should be well rewarded.

My point was simple -- There is no way that as a corporate policy Wal-Mart execs would endorse working off the clock. There were (and probably still are) individuals who manipulate the system to increase their own bonus shares, but I do not believe it is "corporate culture" to do so.

 

Despite their sales record, WalMart stock has been mediocre at best. I had 1000 shares at one time and made only a few bucks. Of course I made over 60K in 1.5 years with Cisco stock and even more with LRCX and NVLS.

Stocks like WalMart are not big money makers - it is the nature of Wall Street (a good example is Intel - although they have consistantly made more money and have 10000X the intrinsic value as Yahoo or EBAY, their stock has sucked for the past 5 years)

 

Interesting analysis Kansas

I never said that accumulation of wealth was a bad thing. I was pointed out that WalMart makes it a point to say that it is a "Christian" corporation. I support the accumulation of wealth. BTW: Higher education does not equal more money. (even in the tech industry). I know more than a few PhD's that are making 40-50% less than what they were making 3 years ago- and they are computer scientists and plasma physicists.

WalMart has a history of having marginal benefits (despite the nonesensical commericals), low wages, etc. If people are dumb enough to work for them or worse off, buy at their stores, then they are part of the problem.

If you want a Toyota, then buy a Toyota, but don't confuse a Toyota with a Kia or Yugo (the analogy meaning if you want quality products shop elsewhere - if you want the stuff that last <1 year, go to WalMart).

 

Obviously Walmart provides a service that many people find value in. They also provide a work environment that MANY choose. While these may not be your choices it is unfair to characterize them as you do.

 

Wal-Mart

This story might be interesting in learning more about Wal-Mart.
http://anokacountyunion.com/

TomC.