Black Friday - Walmart Strike?

[amg35]

Works for us.

You aren't a giant corporation. At least, I don't think so!

 

[mefordis]

You aren't a giant corporation. At least, I don't think so!

I never claimed to be.

Anyway, I hope your $$ difficulties get better soon.

 

[amg35]

I never claimed to be.

Anyway, I hope your $$ difficulties get better soon.

I was just joking with you. Sorry...


But now that you said that....I worked my butt off during school and ever since. Was poor(according to poverty levels) for quite some time even making $31k where I lived (after taxes, we both know how much that really is). Had bad credit, pulled myself out of it year by year and now consider myself very lucky. Thanks for asking.

 

[mefordis]

I was just joking with you. Sorry...


But now that you said that....I worked my butt off during school and ever since. Was poor(according to poverty levels) for quite some time even making $31k where I lived (after taxes, we both know how much that really is). Had bad credit, pulled myself out of it year by year and now consider myself very lucky. Thanks for asking.

That's okay! Kudos to you for working hard and getting out of debt.

 

[tvguy]

That doesn't change my answers from previous posts though. What is minimum wage in NYC?

$7.25 except in tipped positions, then its $2.13 an hour.

 

[Fly4free]

I'm striking. As a consumer. I am refusing to go out and shop.

Same here! And if I did go out to shop it will not be @ Walmart.

 

[joviroxx]

Walmart is a disgusting company. I do not shop there, period. I feel sorry for anyone who does work there, although they could go elsewhere if it is that bad. .

How do you feel about the Walmart Foundation and the MILLIONS they give out each year? 'Im talking over 900 million, though I'm sure some people will think its not enough.

Or more. It's only 31k a year! Who can live on that and raise a family?

It's better for everyone if people are doing well and can actually afford to buy things like food, medical services, heat, etc. Why would we want to see folks struggle?

Here is a question, why would anyone start a family where you would have to support them, at entry level pay? That one always has me scratching my head.

But as an employer it is up to me to determine what pay my employee merits, and I have set that pay at $15/hour. As a result, other housekeepers might find out what she makes and demand that level of pay and if the employer cannot afford it they will just have to clean their own house. See how that works? However, in an affluent area where people will not clean their own houses, they will pony up the $$. Trust me.

I am paying my housekeeper a decent wage and as a result does a spectacular job. We are both happy.

Big difference. You are employing with your disposable income. You aren't in it to make a profit. Companies are in business to make money, not just spend it. I know shocking idea, but yep, people start business and take HUGE risks in order to MAKE money. Im not sure when profit became a 4 letter word or when we decided that we have a right to tell a company how much profit they should make or how much profit is "proper".

But if you don't like something, speak with your wallet, it's well within your rights.

 

[laura.anne]

Maybe some of y'all would be interested in playing around with this, the Living Wage calculator from MIT: http://livingwage.mit.edu/. I thought it was really interesting to see the differences and similarities between different places.

 

[laura.anne]

Here is a question, why would anyone start a family where you would have to support them, at entry level pay? That one always has me scratching my head.

There are many different factors at play in a decision like that. You never know what someone's background is when they are supporting a family on minimum wage. Things happen. People get pregnant out of wedlock, people get pregnant while they're married unexpectedly (contraception fails, human error, etc.), they had a great job but got laid off and now this is the work available to them, etc.

 

[amg35]

There are many different factors at play in a decision like that. You never know what someone's background is when they are supporting a family on minimum wage. Things happen. People get pregnant out of wedlock, people get pregnant while they're married unexpectedly (contraception fails, human error, etc.), they had a great job but got laid off and now this is the work available to them, etc.

But all of those are unfortunate life circumstances.
It doesn't mean the company should pay higher than minimum wage for a job that only requires minimum wage skills.

Believe me, I'm not trying to be heartless, and I'm very thankful for the job I have.

 

[laura.anne]

But all of those are unfortunate life circumstances.
It doesn't mean the company should pay higher than minimum wage for a job that only requires minimum wage skills.

Believe me, I'm not trying to be heartless, and I'm very thankful for the job I have.

I know. I was answering the question "Why would someone start a family on this pay?" Sometimes that is the only choice, and for some people that is the best way for them to take responsibility for their family.

 

[joviroxx]

I know. I was answering the question "Why would someone choose this job when they have a family?" Sometimes that is the only choice, and for some people that is the best way for them to take responsibility for their family.

Actually I asked why would someone START a family if they were working an entry level job.

 

[dakcp2001]

How do you feel about the Walmart Foundation and the MILLIONS they give out each year? 'Im talking over 900 million, though I'm sure some people will think its not enough.

.

I think it is the very least they could do. The very least. And even then, not enough to redeem all the bad they have done.

 

[laura.anne]

Actually I asked why would someone START a family if they were working an entry level job.

I realized my mistake and I edited to correct it before you posted this. But my answer to your question is the same.

 

[Planogirl]

People can live on $15 an hour here. It's not great money but it will pay the bills.

Did they ever go on strike? I went to our local Wal-Mart this afternoon and saw no sign of it.

 

[cornflake]

I just heard on the news that someone was saying they thought that Wal-Mart should pay ALL employees $15/hour!!!!! It was supposedly as striking worker said that is how much they should be paying all employees. I don't know *any* retail store that pays that as a starting wage! At least not around here, it is basically minimum wage -- that goes for Target, Wal-Mart, Kohl's, Best Buy, Home Depot, etc... I can't think of a single one that would say pay their cashiers $15/hour. It is hard enough to find a retail job around here as it is and that is with min. wage or slightly above.

Costco.

I think the lowest Costco goes is around $12 an hour and that's for stockers and such. Cashiers make $15 or more afaik - and *every* Costco employee is entitled to a benefits package that the company picks up more than 90% of the cost of.

There is no Walmart in NYC, just btw. We've managed to keep them out, despite their trying to get in again and again. They're evil.

As to the idea that Walmart and the like are some sort of stepping-stone employment that is just for kids and not adults with families - where in the world does this idea come from?

There are threads in which people discuss that college isn't for everyone and with people talking about going back to work after having not worked for decades and etc., but Walmart and other such jobs are only for teens?

Walmart employs literally millions of people. That's just them, not counting all the other big box stores, fast food establishments, dry cleaners, supermarkets, etc., etc., that employ minimum-wage workers. There aren't enough teen and entry-level young workers in the country to begin to fill those posts. Even if there were, then what do the unskilled, undereducated do for work? They're not all moving up to be managers, that's mathematically impossible.

Plenty of people attempt to support families on those wages, for years and years, because the jobs need to be filled and there are a lot of people for whom that kind of job is the top of the line.

 

[Tink-aholic]

Costco.

I think the lowest Costco goes is around $12 an hour and that's for stockers and such. Cashiers make $15 or more afaik - and *every* Costco employee is entitled to a benefits package that the company picks up more than 90% of the cost of.

There is no Walmart in NYC, just btw. We've managed to keep them out, despite their trying to get in again and again. They're evil.

As to the idea that Walmart and the like are some sort of stepping-stone employment that is just for kids and not adults with families - where in the world does this idea come from?

There are threads in which people discuss that college isn't for everyone and with people talking about going back to work after having not worked for decades and etc., but Walmart and other such jobs are only for teens?

Walmart employs literally millions of people. That's just them, not counting all the other big box stores, fast food establishments, dry cleaners, supermarkets, etc., etc., that employ minimum-wage workers. There aren't enough teen and entry-level young workers in the country to begin to fill those posts. Even if there were, then what do the unskilled, undereducated do for work? They're not all moving up to be managers, that's mathematically impossible.

Plenty of people attempt to support families on those wages, for years and years, because the jobs need to be filled and there are a lot of people for whom that kind of job is the top of the line.

Wow...you sound like an elitist. There are flaws in your logic: While it used to be the norm where you start at an entry-level position, work for a company for X number of years, and you eventually move up the ladder (I know McDonalds does this and John Lassiter is a great example at Disney), most employers expect an employee to better themselves in order to move up now. Get a degree or two, make lateral moves to position yourself better, etc.

Gone are the days that people work for one company for the entirety of their lives...yet many people who still work with that notion that they should. I am a teacher and most of our bus drivers are making marginally more than minimum wage and more than half of them have been driving at our school for over 20 years.

I work in a technical school and I teach my students that there is honor in any job. My students are often the first of several generations in their families to seek an education and maintain employment. When the kids see the rewards of earning their own money and being a productive member of society, they are proud. It means they aren't simply cashing a welfare check or selling drugs or worse. And more often than not, they will get their relatives to go out and get a job, too...usually at Walmart. How can it be evil that a company will hire a 3rd generation welfare recipient with no skills, and give that person a paycheck?

I shop at Walmart, for the above reason, for their generous philanthropy, and the fact that I can get great prices on everything I need. I don't think they are evil at all. They are capitalism in its purist form -- and I agree with them.

 

[donaldlovesdaisy]

Costco.

I think the lowest Costco goes is around $12 an hour and that's for stockers and such. Cashiers make $15 or more afaik - and *every* Costco employee is entitled to a benefits package that the company picks up more than 90% of the cost of.

There is no Walmart in NYC, just btw. We've managed to keep them out, despite their trying to get in again and again. They're evil.

As to the idea that Walmart and the like are some sort of stepping-stone employment that is just for kids and not adults with families - where in the world does this idea come from?

There are threads in which people discuss that college isn't for everyone and with people talking about going back to work after having not worked for decades and etc., but Walmart and other such jobs are only for teens?

Walmart employs literally millions of people. That's just them, not counting all the other big box stores, fast food establishments, dry cleaners, supermarkets, etc., etc., that employ minimum-wage workers. There aren't enough teen and entry-level young workers in the country to begin to fill those posts. Even if there were, then what do the unskilled, undereducated do for work? They're not all moving up to be managers, that's mathematically impossible.

Plenty of people attempt to support families on those wages, for years and years, because the jobs need to be filled and there are a lot of people for whom that kind of job is the top of the line.

What a silly thing to say!

 

[cornflake]

Wow...you sound like an elitist. There are flaws in your logic: While it used to be the norm where you start at an entry-level position, work for a company for X number of years, and you eventually move up the ladder (I know McDonalds does this and John Lassiter is a great example at Disney), most employers expect an employee to better themselves in order to move up now. Get a degree or two, make lateral moves to position yourself better, etc.

Gone are the days that people work for one company for the entirety of their lives...yet many people who still work with that notion that they should. I am a teacher and most of our bus drivers are making marginally more than minimum wage and more than half of them have been driving at our school for over 20 years.

I work in a technical school and I teach my students that there is honor in any job. My students are often the first of several generations in their families to seek an education and maintain employment. When the kids see the rewards of earning their own money and being a productive member of society, they are proud. It means they aren't simply cashing a welfare check or selling drugs or worse. And more often than not, they will get their relatives to go out and get a job, too...usually at Walmart. How can it be evil that a company will hire a 3rd generation welfare recipient with no skills, and give that person a paycheck?

I shop at Walmart, for the above reason, for their generous philanthropy, and the fact that I can get great prices on everything I need. I don't think they are evil at all. They are capitalism in its purist form -- and I agree with them.

I don't understand what you mean the flaws are or how what I said was elitist; we seem to materially agree. I said these jobs aren't entry-level - I was responding to someone in the thread who had said that.

I agree people work minimum-wage jobs as their jobs for years and that's fine. There's nothing wrong with that; the jobs need to be filled, everyone in the world not only can't be an executive, plenty don't want to be.

However, we do disagree on Walmart. I think they're absolutely evil - the mistreatment of employees (both overt [see the various lawsuits regarding pay, advancement discrepancies, osha and other violations, etc.] and covert [in the limiting hours, paying as little as possible, not subsidizing benefits the way they could, etc.]), the well-established methods for putting small manufacturers and small businesses out of business, etc. I won't shop there and I'm glad my city has kept them out.

 

[luvmy3]

Costco.

I think the lowest Costco goes is around $12 an hour and that's for stockers and such. Cashiers make $15 or more afaik - and *every* Costco employee is entitled to a benefits package that the company picks up more than 90% of the cost of.

There is no Walmart in NYC, just btw. We've managed to keep them out, despite their trying to get in again and again. They're evil.

As to the idea that Walmart and the like are some sort of stepping-stone employment that is just for kids and not adults with families - where in the world does this idea come from?

There are threads in which people discuss that college isn't for everyone and with people talking about going back to work after having not worked for decades and etc., but Walmart and other such jobs are only for teens?

Walmart employs literally millions of people. That's just them, not counting all the other big box stores, fast food establishments, dry cleaners, supermarkets, etc., etc., that employ minimum-wage workers. There aren't enough teen and entry-level young workers in the country to begin to fill those posts. Even if there were, then what do the unskilled, undereducated do for work? They're not all moving up to be managers, that's mathematically impossible.

Plenty of people attempt to support families on those wages, for years and years, because the jobs need to be filled and there are a lot of people for whom that kind of job is the top of the line.

Bottom line, a company is not responsible for making sure you can support yourself or your family. They are responsible for making sure they pay you for the work you do for them. You are a stock clerk or cashier, you are worth minimum wage to a company, you want more money do something for yourself to make yourself worth more. (as opposed to sitting around doing nothing but whining how its not fair)
Is it great that some companies pay more to their employees, sure but that doesn't make those who don't "evil".