In a dozen cities across the nation on Tuesday, dozens of Walmart workers walked off the job to protest what they say are the company's attempts to "silence and retaliate against workers for speaking out for improvements on the job." From Dallas to Seattle, Chicago to Washington, DC, Los Angeles to Miami – employees of the retail giant staged the first ever strike against the company in its history. Walmart workers do not belong to a union – but the walkouts were planned by OUR-Walmart – an organization of workers backed by the United Food and Commercial Workers Union. More actions are planned today at Walmart's annual investor meeting in Arkansas. It's important to remember – that the six heirs to the Walmart fortune are worth a combined $90 billion – which is as much as more than 40% of the nation combined. Many Walmart workers, on the other hand, are paid minimum wage.
Good for them. It's shameful how shabbily Wal*Mart treats their associates. Part time hours to avoid providing health insurance (and very high deductibles for the policies they do offer). Part time hours and low wages translates to a work force that qualifies for government help (WIC, food stamps, housing assistance, free lunch programs, etc) so Wal*Mart allows the taxpayers of the municipalties they operate in to supplement the poor wages they pay.
Let's not even get into the quality of the goods they sell and the manufacturing jobs that have been lost in this country in favor of cheap Chinese made products.
They could do better by their associates and still make oodles of profits for their shareholders. They choose not to.
Wow, 3:49, I don't anyone forced them to apply for jobs at Wal-Mart and I don't believe anyone forced them to stay there if they didn't like their work.
Workers are paid for what they are worth. If those jobs were worth more, people would not work for that pay rate. If the folks who accept those jobs were worth more in the job market, they would not take those jobs and seek a job that pays them more. The job skills match the pay rate. The wealth of the Walton's has absolutely NOTHING to do with what the employees are paid.
How many people does Wal Mart employ? Now divide that number into 90 billion. Now divide that by the number of years Wal Mart has been in business. Now you have the amount of profits Wal Mart actually made off each employee per year. It should roughly equal TWICE their yearly salary.
If those employees don't like the way they are treated, they need to file the law suit or find another job. Nobody is forcing them to work there. By going on strike against Wal-Mart you accomplish this - strike, go home, and stay home.
It is sad to see such an abundance of ignorant, low mentality comments from your readers. I applaud the workers for standing up for themselves. Big Box needs to increase their wages/benefits and provide workers with livable wages. How stupid of your readers to not realize that Walmart as well as most employers here in Smallsbury are living the high life off the backs of their workers, who struggle to simply survive. And this stella economy doesn't make things easier. How ignorant to imagine anyone can possibly live on this pathetic minimum wage we continue to pay. When you look at corporate waste and profits, you can easily see how poorly employees are treated. That stupid comment they are only paid what they are worth, is as clueless as clueless can get. Learn history, google the history on garment workers here in the good old USA who worked under horrendous conditions and died in an effort to create laws that made our working conditions better, even today. You have to stand up for yourself, no one else is going to do it for you.
I agree 3:49. As a Constitutional far right conservative I have a hugh problem with crony capitalism. Walmart freeloads. I have no problem with a government waiving fees and paying for infrastructure for these mega retailers because Walmart does create jobs but the sad fact is just up near 90% of those jobs are below poverty level wages and the tax payers are supplementing around 80% of the employees. Walmart success is only because of their close relationship with governments. They are what obama meant when he said they didn't build it,they had help. Walmart had help and continues to get help via we the people being so damm stupid as to not stand up and say ENOUGH OF THIS FREELOADING-We can not continue to subsidize your employees any longer. The governments are broke and can't afford it. Start paying better wages and do you part so employees have some disposable income to help jump start the economy. Pay them more so they can afford to buy a house so our houses will go up in value and buy new cars to get the auto industry moving. We've helped Walmart for so long,now it is their turn to help us.
Look we have all seen the employees at Wal-Mart would you hire them to work for your company? I think they do a service by giving some of these people employment.
How would any of you negative shouting comment folks would like to get paid min. wages. Majority of these people want to work. But, have no where else to go. They work hard and still have to go to the government to get some form of finanancial assistance your tax dollars are paying to feed their own families. You people just don't get it. The rich would rather pay cheap slave labor then to pay Americas what they are really worth. The family owners of Wal=Mart are just greedy. Hell, Walmart may pays chinese workers in their own country 99 cent an hour and lock them up at night in quarters not fit for dogs. You people better stand up for the workers in Wal-Mart before you find yourself in their shoes.
Truth: Multiply $7.50/hour to a 40 hour work week (most people don't see these anymore). Then multiply that to a 52 week work year. Then stop and b**** about people having to stand in line at the Department of Social Services so they can feed their families.
The folks trashing these workers are the same buffoons that believe that "corporations are people too" that just want to do their patriotic duty and create as many US jobs as possible. You folks seem to actually believe that in capitalism, business actually wants to look out for your interest and not the interest of their profit margins.
"Salom Moe said... They are Obama-Knights in service of their Demon President.
October 13, 2012 6:33 PM"
What is this supposed to mean? I think I know, but for the record it was Walmart who happened to be one the biggest lobbiers for Obama's food stamp expansion. So don't complain about this exapansion because your beloved Walmart was a driving force behind it. The 'Obama-Knights' are those that support Walmart and not those who disapprove of crony capitalism.
Due to Walmart more than almost any other company has relied on taxpayers to finance their growth. Public money has been the major reason behind their rapid expansion.
You clowns are hilarious. So workers shouldn't be allowed to practice their rights to free speech. They should just shut up and take it huh?
October 13, 2012 6:28 PM
I was thinking the same thing and I bet he doesn't work at a walmart either.
Unions got their start by situations like these.
Most are lucky to have a job, even if it's at a walmart.
They don't think the corporate offices don't know this? Of course they do. And they use it to their own advantage.
One commenter said if the workers were worth more they would a better paying job. And I'm quite sure most would do just that, IF THERE WERE ANY BETTER JOBS OUT THERE.
Right now it is an employer's market now. Which means there are more workers than jobs. Which means they don't have to offer fair and living wages because SOMEONE will accept whatever wage they offer.
Not to mention the competition that walmart forces out of business because smaller stores cannot compete with walmart's prices.
Because walmart does not have to pay higher wages and they have huge purchasing power which allows them to stock their stores with cheaper products, and from other countries whose own labor prices are lower, such as China for example.
23 MILLION Americans out of work. Millions of other are working part time or for a lot less than what they made in their last job. Many with collge degrees. Wal-Mart gets waivers on property taxes, development fees, and zoning regs. Many of their workers qualify for WELFARE benefits because their wages are so low. WHO in the hell do you "Fire them all" idiots think PAYS for those benefits? Wal-Mart comes to town and WIPES OUT hundreds of good paying jobs and shuts down dozens of other small busineses and you SUPPORT the no benefits, low paying, part-time jobs generously provided by Wal-Mart? It's DISGUSTING to see how many Americans are willing to approve of this. The "I got mine and now you can die" attitude will surely come back to bite you in the ace. You are just too stupid, too greedy, too selfish, and too preoccupied with your own LITTLE world to see whats really going on....
Wal-Mart doesn't wipe out anything, 9:49. That would be illegal. Wal-Mart offers products at attractive prices and their customers either buy there or somewhere else. It's the consumers who wipe out local businesses.
Once again I agree with you lmclaim. Contrary to popular belief most of those on public assistance are what is termed the 'working poor.'
Obama expanded on the food stamp program with the backing of Walmart and other major corps. Obama's reasoning (excuse, he had to come up with because the real reason is he's got his hand in the corps pockets) was it will help to stimulate the economy if people don't have to spend all their money on food. They will have more 'disposable income.' Walmart lobbied for the expansion because it will benefit their profits since they are now the top grossing grocery retailer.
11:41 if you are referring to anti trust laws you are wrong. Though we have them on the books, large corps have a way around them. It's called regulation. Why do you think Nixon created the EPA? The EPA and other "regulatory" agencies were proposed as a direct way for lrg corps to skirt the anti trust laws. They are the driving force behind regulation in order to drive and force out smaller competitors by making it cost prohibitive for them to stay in business.
If there were fewer people in the world there would be more resources to go around and more money for each.We need a more aggressive depopulation approach.Wal Mart brings out the human herding instincts.They hire in herds and have herds of people in their stores.They stampede into Wal mart on black Friday and don't feel comfortable unless they are shoulder to shoulder with their competitors.This mentality of mass #s will always result in more $$ for WM and less for their employees.Spread the wealth and shop around.WM is'nt the only show in town.And while you're at it stop pumping kids out.
fire all of them
ReplyDeleteSpread the wealth!
ReplyDeleteGood for them. It's shameful how shabbily Wal*Mart treats their associates. Part time hours to avoid providing health insurance (and very high deductibles for the policies they do offer). Part time hours and low wages translates to a work force that qualifies for government help (WIC, food stamps, housing assistance, free lunch programs, etc) so Wal*Mart allows the taxpayers of the municipalties they operate in to supplement the poor wages they pay.
ReplyDeleteLet's not even get into the quality of the goods they sell and the manufacturing jobs that have been lost in this country in favor of cheap Chinese made products.
They could do better by their associates and still make oodles of profits for their shareholders. They choose not to.
Wow, 3:49, I don't anyone forced them to apply for jobs at Wal-Mart and I don't believe anyone forced them to stay there if they didn't like their work.
ReplyDeleteWorkers are paid for what they are worth. If those jobs were worth more, people would not work for that pay rate. If the folks who accept those jobs were worth more in the job market, they would not take those jobs and seek a job that pays them more. The job skills match the pay rate. The wealth of the Walton's has absolutely NOTHING to do with what the employees are paid.
ReplyDeleteAmen, good for them!
ReplyDeleteHow many people does Wal Mart employ? Now divide that number into 90 billion. Now divide that by the number of years Wal Mart has been in business. Now you have the amount of profits Wal Mart actually made off each employee per year. It should roughly equal TWICE their yearly salary.
ReplyDeleteI bet it's less...
If those employees don't like the way they are treated, they need to file the law suit or find another job. Nobody is forcing them to work there. By going on strike against Wal-Mart you accomplish this - strike, go home, and stay home.
ReplyDeleteYou clowns are hilarious. So workers shouldn't be allowed to practice their rights to free speech. They should just shut up and take it huh?
ReplyDeleteIt is sad to see such an abundance of ignorant, low mentality comments from your readers. I applaud the workers for standing up for themselves. Big Box needs to increase their wages/benefits and provide workers with livable wages. How stupid of your readers to not realize that Walmart as well as most employers here in Smallsbury are living the high life off the backs of their workers, who struggle to simply survive. And this stella economy doesn't make things easier. How ignorant to imagine anyone can possibly live on this pathetic minimum wage we continue to pay. When you look at corporate waste and profits, you can easily see how poorly employees are treated. That stupid comment they are only paid what they are worth, is as clueless as clueless can get. Learn history, google the history on garment workers here in the good old USA who worked under horrendous conditions and died in an effort to create laws that made our working conditions better, even today. You have to stand up for yourself, no one else is going to do it for you.
ReplyDeleteThey are Obama-Knights in service of their Demon President.
ReplyDeleteI agree 3:49. As a Constitutional far right conservative I have a hugh problem with crony capitalism. Walmart freeloads. I have no problem with a government waiving fees and paying for infrastructure for these mega retailers because Walmart does create jobs but the sad fact is just up near 90% of those jobs are below poverty level wages and the tax payers are supplementing around 80% of the employees.
ReplyDeleteWalmart success is only because of their close relationship with governments.
They are what obama meant when he said they didn't build it,they had help. Walmart had help and continues to get help via we the people being so damm stupid as to not stand up and say ENOUGH OF THIS FREELOADING-We can not continue to subsidize your employees any longer. The governments are broke and can't afford it. Start paying better wages and do you part so employees have some disposable income to help jump start the economy. Pay them more so they can afford to buy a house so our houses will go up in value and buy new cars to get the auto industry moving. We've helped Walmart for so long,now it is their turn to help us.
Look we have all seen the employees at Wal-Mart would you hire them to work for your company? I think they do a service by giving some of these people employment.
ReplyDeleteHow would any of you negative shouting comment folks would like to get paid min. wages. Majority of these people want to work. But, have no where else to go. They work hard and still have to go to the government to get some form of finanancial assistance your tax dollars are paying to feed their own families. You people just don't get it. The rich would rather pay cheap slave labor then to pay Americas what they are really worth. The family owners of Wal=Mart are just greedy. Hell, Walmart may pays chinese workers in their own country 99 cent an hour and lock them up at night in quarters not fit for dogs. You people better stand up for the workers in Wal-Mart before you find yourself in their shoes.
ReplyDeleteTruth: Multiply $7.50/hour to a 40 hour work week (most people don't see these anymore). Then multiply that to a 52 week work year. Then stop and b**** about people having to stand in line at the Department of Social Services so they can feed their families.
ReplyDeleteThe folks trashing these workers are the same buffoons that believe that "corporations are people too" that just want to do their patriotic duty and create as many US jobs as possible. You folks seem to actually believe that in capitalism, business actually wants to look out for your interest and not the interest of their profit margins.
ReplyDelete"Salom Moe said...
ReplyDeleteThey are Obama-Knights in service of their Demon President.
October 13, 2012 6:33 PM"
What is this supposed to mean?
I think I know, but for the record it was Walmart who happened to be one the biggest lobbiers for Obama's food stamp expansion. So don't complain about this exapansion because your beloved Walmart was a driving force behind it.
The 'Obama-Knights' are those that support Walmart and not those who disapprove of crony capitalism.
Due to Walmart more than almost any other company has relied on taxpayers to finance their growth. Public money has been the major reason behind their rapid expansion.
ReplyDeleteYou clowns are hilarious. So workers shouldn't be allowed to practice their rights to free speech. They should just shut up and take it huh?
ReplyDeleteOctober 13, 2012 6:28 PM
I was thinking the same thing and I bet he doesn't work at a walmart either.
Unions got their start by situations like these.
Most are lucky to have a job, even if it's at a walmart.
They don't think the corporate offices don't know this? Of course they do. And they use it to their own advantage.
One commenter said if the workers were worth more they would a better paying job. And I'm quite sure most would do just that, IF THERE WERE ANY BETTER JOBS OUT THERE.
Right now it is an employer's market now. Which means there are more workers than jobs. Which means they don't have to offer fair and living wages because SOMEONE will accept whatever wage they offer.
Not to mention the competition that walmart forces out of business because smaller stores cannot compete with walmart's prices.
Because walmart does not have to pay higher wages and they have huge purchasing power which allows them to stock their stores with cheaper products, and from other countries whose own labor prices are lower, such as China for example.
8:49, you are a classic piece of trash. I would most certainly give a walmart worker a job over you any day.
ReplyDelete23 MILLION Americans out of work. Millions of other are working part time or for a lot less than what they made in their last job. Many with collge degrees. Wal-Mart gets waivers on property taxes, development fees, and zoning regs. Many of their workers qualify for WELFARE benefits because their wages are so low. WHO in the hell do you "Fire them all" idiots think PAYS for those benefits? Wal-Mart comes to town and WIPES OUT hundreds of good paying jobs and shuts down dozens of other small busineses and you SUPPORT the no benefits, low paying, part-time jobs generously provided by Wal-Mart? It's DISGUSTING to see how many Americans are willing to approve of this. The "I got mine and now you can die" attitude will surely come back to bite you in the ace. You are just too stupid, too greedy, too selfish, and too preoccupied with your own LITTLE world to see whats really going on....
ReplyDeleteWal-Mart doesn't wipe out anything, 9:49. That would be illegal. Wal-Mart offers products at attractive prices and their customers either buy there or somewhere else. It's the consumers who wipe out local businesses.
ReplyDeleteOnce again I agree with you lmclaim.
ReplyDeleteContrary to popular belief most of those on public assistance are what is termed the 'working poor.'
Obama expanded on the food stamp program with the backing of Walmart and other major corps.
Obama's reasoning (excuse, he had to come up with because the real reason is he's got his hand in the corps pockets) was it will help to stimulate the economy if people don't have to spend all their money on food. They will have more 'disposable income.'
Walmart lobbied for the expansion because it will benefit their profits since they are now the top grossing grocery retailer.
11:41 if you are referring to anti trust laws you are wrong. Though we have them on the books, large corps have a way around them. It's called regulation. Why do you think Nixon created the EPA? The EPA and other "regulatory" agencies were proposed as a direct way for lrg corps to skirt the anti trust laws. They are the driving force behind regulation in order to drive and force out smaller competitors by making it cost prohibitive for them to stay in business.
ReplyDeleteIf there were fewer people in the world there would be more resources to go around and more money for each.We need a more aggressive depopulation approach.Wal Mart brings out the human herding instincts.They hire in herds and have herds of people in their stores.They stampede into Wal mart on black Friday and don't feel comfortable unless they are shoulder to shoulder with their competitors.This mentality of mass #s will always result in more $$ for WM and less for their employees.Spread the wealth and shop around.WM is'nt the only show in town.And while you're at it stop pumping kids out.
ReplyDeleteI hope this won't cause an increase in the $3 t-shirts I buy.
ReplyDelete