Wal Mart

“This is a VERY interesting read about some of the market dynmics that are set into motion by the LARGEST COMPANY IN THE WORLD....

http://www.fastcompany.com/magazine/77/walmart.html”

“UC Berkeley study estimates Wal-Mart employment policies cost California taxpayers $86 million a year

By Kathleen Maclay, Media Relations

BERKELEY – Employment policies at Wal-Mart, the nation's largest employer, cost California taxpayers approximately $86 million a year in public assistance to company workers, according to a University of California, Berkeley, study released today (Monday, Aug. 2).

The study indicates that Wal-Mart workers in California rely on the state for about $32 million annually in health-related services, and $54 million a year in other assistance such as subsidized school lunches, food stamps and subsidized housing.
[...]
In the end, Wal-Mart essentially "is shifting part of its labor costs onto the public," the report said.
<snip>”

“Shop Kmart! :-D”

“or Target”

“Better yet a locally owned business.”

“Now if all those Wal-Mart employees were on welfare and not paying any taxes how much would the taxpayers be losing ?

The people are there, if they could get better jobs I'll bet they would.

Yes with social services they represent a loss, but at least a smaller loss than those on welfare.

A second consideration would be to look at the general health of those working with some purpose in life, compared to those with no work at all. Which group has more health problems and represents a greater drain on social services.”

“UC Berkeley? Give me a break.
LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL”

“I heard this on NPR this moring. They pointed out that the sales tax that Wal-Mart generates wasn't taken into account in any way in the report.”

“I thought there were studies that show a net loss of jobs in communities that Wal-Mart builds in.

I wonder if total sales stay flat (no net increase in sales tax).”

“NPR? Give me a break.
LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL”

“Princeton, NJ 08543
Hamilton, NJ 08620
Burlington, NJ 08016
Manville, NJ 08835
North Brunswick, NJ 08902
Lumberton, NJ 08048
Whitehouse Station, NJ 08889”

“I can find out V. My boss has been on the local IDB for 20+ years. They can tell you for every type of job how many other jobs are created, what the impact on the school system is, and just about any kind of othe impact that there is.

I hesitated to post this because of the total sales stay flat thing you mention, then I remembered how much extra crap most people buy when they go there to buy a stick of gum.”

“NPR is something I listen to on occasion. With my schedule it is frequently the only news I get to listen to, see, or read(other than the braintrust that is TT.)”

“Don't be dissin Wal-Mart. Our state economy will collapse.”

“It would be interesting to see that stat though, pre Wal Mart year total sales tax in a community vs. post Wal Mart years - especially the years after Wal Mart caused everybody else to close shop and vacate the "old downtown area".

You'd have to inflation adjust it and all. But I bet we'd find that the only group that really shows any net gain out of all that is the Wal Mart shareholder group.”

“Wal-Mart Online for those that can't wait to get off TT to shop Wal-Mart! ;-)”

“SS - they have lots of cool and functional sleeping bags and tents.”

“You missed the ones in Linden and Old Bridge (that I know of) StoveStomper. What is your point?”

“First Wal Mart in North America to be unionized is going to be in La Belle Province (Quebec), Canada.

Word is that only a few workers want a union, and that once the union got wind of it....they took over and kept pressing to get the workers unionized. More union dues for the union....I guess.

Some workers are already afraid that that Wal-Mart might shut it's doors in the future.

Happened to a MacDonald's in B.C a few years ago. Two months after the place got unionized....the restaurant shut down.”

“Happened to a MacDonald's in B.C a few years ago. Two months after the place got unionized....the restaurant shut down.

I can see that happening. Back in the coal mine days, with intolerable conditions, unions had a very viable need and responsibilty. The government would pass the legislation it has today. Nowadays though....

I was once working as an outside contractor in a local shipyard. A welder was assigned to weld two pieces of metal together. Part 2 was cut improperly. In the real world, that welder, being also proficient with a burning torch and grinder, would have just modified it to fit. But this is a union shop. He had to go to the office and get the following to occur: First, a materials handler had to come get part #2 and deliver it to the burning shop. Then a burner had to scheduled to come over and cut it. Then another materials handler had to deliver it to the grinding shop to clean it up. A grinder had to be scheduled. Then yat a third materials handler had to deliver it back to the welder. What did the welder do during the whole day while he waited for the part to be modified, ad nauseum???? He had to wait there. He was not allowed to start another job until he finished the one assigned to him!!!

This union yard builds the Aegis Cruisers used by the US Navy right now. Ever wonder why your government budget is so high??? The welder told me that the job pays better than his old job and he needs the money, so he goes with the flow, as established by the union. He was shaking his head at the time. It's not just the military contracts that this foolishness happens at.

I can certainly understand why McDonald and Walmart would be hesitant to have a union store. Is it the death knoll?? I'm not sure, but I have never seen a union that co-operated with a company to help increase profits, which is the primary reason for having a business, afterall.”

“walmart is evil, plain and simple.”

“In December, 2002, I quit a so called part-time job after 7½ years. The supermarket chain, for which I worked, had made some rule changes. I did not like the changes, so I left. Usually, I have been against unions, but one could have helped in this situation.

One change involved some specific area of job performance. Management would assign people to perform secret observations of others at work. The observers should have been management personal, but most of the time they were not. Even some of the management people were not qualified to perform the inspections. This allowed bias, personal feelings, etc., to enter the picture. The result was that the company quickly lost a number of their best associates.

The change, that bothered me the most, was one that effected my pocketbook. When I first started, I was able to take off for up to 13 weeks without any problems. After a transfer, the new store cut me down to 30 days. After getting the district manage on this problem, it was raised to 12 weeks plus a possible 13th week.

Then the company decided to try and reduce medical and dental expenses. Many part-time employees were there only for the medical benefits. The new rule was that if a part-time employee was off work for more than two weeks, he/she was automatically removed from the medical and dental plans, if enrolled. A full year was required then to requalify for the plans. Also, the part-timer was placed on Leave Status. Anyone on Leave Status could not qualify for a profit sharing plan for six months after their return. This change cut me off from distributions that occurred about every three months. So I said, "Bye, bye."

This last change actually had nothing to do with saving the company money from the medical and dental plans. In fact, it did not save the company one penny. Each total distribution was just split among fewer associates.

In many ways the company was now treating Part-time associates like the Full-time associates, but without all the same benefits, such as paid vacation. Consequently, I now feel that a union is needed to protect the rights of Part-time associates in this company(and elsewhere, most likely).

Just consider me, In Transit.”

“I read that story a few weeks ago, or a very similar one, in the magazine my daughter's college puts out. The reason that information is available is that Wal Marts have been fought all across the nation, so there is a great deal of research available to study.”

“You did the right thing in leaving nowslimmer. If a company doesn’t give ya what ya want or they make changes ya don’t like then that’s not the place for you. A union will only hurt everyone through higher prices and using labor blackmail to force a company to do what you want is hardly right.

Nothing does my heart better than when I see a company being held in blackmail by a strike and the company fires the whole lot and replaces them.”

“Nigal what about places where the company is the only game in town? In nowslimmer’s case a union could have helped works by keeping the benefits they already had. When a union acts to protect workers they aren't that bad. Unfortunately there is a lot of corruption within the unions as well as in businesses. I'm not saying unions are the answer to all labor problems, but sometimes they are the lesser of two evils.”

“Unions are a necessary evil.”

“"Nigal what about places where the company is the only game in town?”

This is simply a matter of lack of competition. We can’t blame a national chain for changing policies simply because there’s not a Miejiers and a Target in town.


“When a union acts to protect workers they aren't that bad.”

It’s not a matter of protection. It’s a matter of workers trying to force their will on the company they do not own.
Back when workers were abused and the unions came in they did serve a purpose. That purpose has been served and is no longer needed as we have actual governmental departments that track and protect worker’s rights and company practices like when the unions first started. Of course Buddha Bush will be along any time to call me ignorant and uninformed as he defends his source of a pay check.

Can ya tell how I feel about unions?”

“Ya know everyone wants to either demonize business owners/managers or unions and workers.

Screw over the business enough and then they close down and we lose our jobs. Screw over the workers enough and they quit and we get substandard products and poor service.

Fact is, the real problem is people trying to take advantage of other people no matter what their station is.”

“Everyone hates the big guy. If a business is up and coming everyone roots for them and we all love a great story about the little guy making it big. Then we turn around and hate them because they have gotten too big. Don’t like Walmart? Don’t shop there and don’t work there. It’s like when people hate Microsoft yet I bet 99% of the people here are using their products. If ya hate MS switch to Linux. Don’t complain, take action by taking your money/services elsewhere.”

“Fact is, the real problem is people trying to take advantage of other people no matter what their station is.
humanpackmule
09:05:05 AM


I think you hit the nail on the head.”

“Heck, I personally love Walmart. I can get everything in one place and the Sam’s brands are dirt cheap compared to the national brands. How are they taking advantage of me?

I do get sick and tired of the syrupy, sugar sweet way they parade around their charity contributions though. Every time one of these commercials come on I always say, “Gee wiz! Ya know what? Walmart really does make the world a happy happy place!”.

Too over the top?

Not for a cookie!”

“You tell those evil doing evil doers Nigal!”

“Here in Texas, you can gauge a town's population by the local Walmart. Really small places don't have one. Small towns have smaller Walmarts. Places like Houston have a 24 hour mega mart Walmart every couple of miles.

Its interesting how people get so passionate about Walmart. I think it might be a way to put a name and entity to general fears about change from local economies to global economies. It is true that many local businesses can't compete against Walmart or Lowes or Home Depot. Some local businesses do manage to find a niche.

In the end, you have to ask who killed the local stores. Was it Walmart by their presence or was it local folks who chose price over service and their neighbors' business. Walmart enabled the decision but individuals made them.

Is it any worse to shop at Walmart than it is to order clothes or outdoor equipment over the internet. Internet sales are also likely to cause sales issues for small local businesses.

The world is changing. Walmart and Lowes may be visible elements of the change, but we are the ones who caused it. We can decide to shop locally versus any major chain. I do shop at Walmart. I also generally buy things at my local Ace Hardware rather than at Lowes or Walmart. They offer good competitive prices, awesome personal service, and are very community minded folks. That is my decision to make, and I vote with my money at the local business.”

“HPM - you hit the nail exactly on the head!

In the unions I represent that have good leadership, they police thier own. If management comes to the table because people are abusing sick leave, they allow harsh sick leave abuse language in the contract to keep those folks in line, or they pay the price. However, if you have a manager that is abusing his/her power, we go to the table and get restrictions on management.

Unions are supposed to be a check and balance to the greed that capitalism is based on. In some cases it works very well, in others terribly, and in most both parties get what they deserve.”

“Forget the Alamo.
Remember Ludlow.”

“Mall Wart.”

“Nigal..

Have you ever actually been a member of a union??

just curious..”

“"Nigal..

Have you ever actually been a member of a union??

just curious.."

No but I have many people in my life who were and are from a fairly wide range of unions. The experiences they relate to me are hilarious.”

“Wal-Mart announced that they will soon be offering customers a new
discount item: Wal-Mart's own brand of wine. The world's largest retail
chain is teaming up with E&J Gallo Winery of California, to produce the
spirits at an affordable price, in the $2-5 range.

Wine connoisseurs may not be inclined to throw a bottle of Wal-Mart
brand into their shopping carts, but "there is a market for cheap wine",
said Kathy Micken, professor of marketing. She said: "But the right name
is important." Consumer research was conducted to determine the most
attractive name for the Wal-Mart brand. The top surveyed names in order
of popularity are:

10. Chateau Traileur Parc

9. White Trashfindel

8. Big Red Gulp

7. World Championship Riesling

6. NASCARbernet

5. Chef Boyardeaux

4. PeanutNoir

3. I Can't Believe It's Not Vinegar!

2. Grape Expectations

And the number 1 name for Wal-Mart Wine:

1. Nasti Spumante

The beauty of Wal-Mart wine is that it can be served with white meat
(Possum) or red meat (Squirrel).”

“ROFLMFAO”

“Sorry, Wounded Knee, old news.

Probably competing with Trader Joe's?”

“Won't be in PA! ~ Communists!

Gotta be sold at state stores!”

“LOL! Funny thing is that the "Live Free or Die" State also has a system of State liquor stores. At this point, anyone can sell wine and beer, its only the hard stuff that they have a State monopoly on. Part of the concern is that eliminating the State hard liquor monopoly might make it harder to have no State sales or income tax (the other probably has to do with all the patronage jobs).

NH has a bunch of their State liqour stores right on the Interstate highways to catch as much out of state business as they can. It's caused a lot of tension with Massachusetts (sometimes called Taxachusetts) and there have been Mass cops taking lisence numbers of Mass cars parked at the State liqour store.

Interestingly, the prices at the discount liquor stores in MA are usually cheaper that at the State stores in NH - but a lot of Mass people go out of their way to buy in NH anyway (I think they like the idea of sneaking around taxes).”

“Wally World has the Teva knockoffs again $7.99 and they're pretty comfortable”

“I found REAL tevas a couple years ago for 5 bucks at a end of season clearence the clearence sale at sports authority :) :P

no alcohol for me these days :) so wine is a no-no!”

“What is up with that Nicole? Is Mike drinking all your Boones Farm?”

“nope...just not drinking. :)”

“LMAO.

I was in Tazewell, TN the other day and noticed they had a "regular" WalMart (as opposed to Super WalMart).

One of the last ones left I suppose.”

“Earning money is bad.
last edited: 6/14/05 8:45:55 PM”

“I had not seen that one WK. Nasti Spumante indeed!”