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Walmart says it will kill plans to build 3 new stores if DC wage bill passes

I've been thinking about minimum wage a lot lately and I believe there are many small business, large businesses too, who rely on teenagers and college students working in the summers and seniors supplementing their retirement incomes or just keeping active. As a result, a minimum wage that is two high could curtail access to such jobs to these two segments of the employment pool.

What would be the harm in having a differentiated minimum wage? Either one that separates full time employment from part-time pastimes, or one that considers a lesser wage for younger people with little or no experience and seniors without a need for career building or primary income?
 
captainawesome said:
Costco pays well and doesn't have higher prices. Same for Whole foods. HEB. Those three companies are profitable.
Click to expand...

Most companies are profitable - if they weren't they wouldn't exist....

The real question is weather or not the profits are enough to justify a businesses doing business.
 
trfjr said:
do you know how many jobs 6 Walmart stores would provide? do you know the youth unemployment rate in DC is at 50%? would you rather make 8.50 an hour or 0 an hour? you liberal are like a starving man that was given food and then he complains it was hamburger and not a steak

if i was Walmart i would say the hell with DC and go places where people appreciate the jobs and the low prices
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Hmm, $8.50 per hour for a 40 hour week? That’s $340 a week, or $1360 gross a month. I can live with that right?

After all deductions (between ¼ - ⅓ of gross for various taxes, Social Security, etc.) of about $400.00, that leaves me with $960.00.

Lets see, average rent for a 1 bedroom in D.C. is $1617.00 a month.
Average Rent In Washington, Washington Rent Trends and Rental Comps

Definitely can’t afford that, so let’s say I can find a “C-level” apartment for $600.00 available somewhere in surrounding Maryland and Virginia. (Class C properties were built within the last 30 to 40 years. They generally have blue-collar and low- to moderate-income tenants, and the rents are below market.) Apartment - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

That leaves me with $360.00 for all other expenses. Hmmm. Electricity and gas…$45 - $55 a month depending on time of year (cold weather/hot weather), so we’ll average that to $50.00.

Now I’m at $310.00. but according to this I’d need $348.92 a month if I bought and prepared all my own food and maintained a healthy diet!:shock: Food Prices in Washington, DC, United States

Shoot! Hmmm, maybe I overestimated my tax burden…if I cheat a little on my W-2 I can maybe bring it down to only $300 in deductions…pay it back at the end of the year with savings. ;) Yeah, so I get $100 more, and $61.00 in disposable income.

I still need to get to and from work. The Metro train fares range from $1.70 to $5.75 and bus fares start at $1.60 one way if I get a “SmarTrip card. Gee, that means even if I live close I’d need $3.20 a day round trip for work. At 5 days a week…that’s $64.00! :shock: Metro - Fares - Metrobus (follow link to rail fares also).

I guess I can try walking several hours, put in some gas money for a ride, or buy a bike…hope I don’t need to shave or buy clothes, or anything. :(

EXCEPT…Full-time Wal-Mart employees work 28 -40 hours, 1/3 of all employees are part-time, working under 28 hours, and they are beginning to replace full-timers with “temps” in another effort to eliminate benefit requirements. :doh PBS - STORE WARS: Wal-Mart Business Practices and Exclusive - Wal-Mart's everyday hiring strategy: Add more temps | Reuters

I can only HOPE I get to be one of the “full-timers” getting 40 hours a week.
 
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Mr.Nick said:
Most companies are profitable - if they weren't they wouldn't exist....

The real question is weather or not the profits are enough to justify a businesses doing business.
Click to expand...

HEB, Whole Foods, and Costco are all growing rapidly and making high return.
 
Captain Adverse said:
Hmm, $8.50 per hour for a 40 hour week? That’s $340 a week, or $1360 gross a month. I can live with that right?

After all deductions (between ¼ - ⅓ of gross for various taxes, Social Security, etc.) of about $400.00, that leave me with $960.00.

Lets see, average rent for a 1 bedroom in D.C. is $1617.00 a month.
Average Rent In Washington, Washington Rent Trends and Rental Comps

Definitely can’t afford that, so let’s say I can find a “C-level” apartment for $600.00 available somewhere in surrounding Maryland and Virginia. (Class C properties were built within the last 30 to 40 years. They generally have blue-collar and low- to moderate-income tenants, and the rents are below market.) Apartment - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

That leaves me with $360.00 for all other expenses. Hmmm. Electricity and gas…$50 - $70 depending on time of year (cold weather/hot weather), so we’ll average that to $60.00.

Now I’m at $300.00. but according to this I’d need $348.92 a month if I bought and prepared all my own food and maintained a healthy diet!:shock: Food Prices in Washington, DC, United States

Shoot! Hmmm, maybe I overestimated my tax burden…if I cheat a little on my W-2 I can maybe bring it down to only $300 in deductions…pay it back at the end of the year with savings. ;) Yeah, so I get $100 more, and $51.00 in disposable income.

I still need to get to and from work. The Metro train fares range from $1.70 to $5.75 and bus fares start at $1.60 one way if I get a “SmarTrip card. Gee, that means even if I live close I’d need $3.20 a day round trip for work. At 5 days a week…that’s $64.00! :shock: Metro - Fares - Metrobus (follow link to rail fares also).

I guess I can try walking several hours, put in some gas money for a ride, or buy a bike…hope I don’t need to shave or buy clothes, or anything. :(

EXCEPT…Full-time Wal-Mart employees work 28 -40 hours, 1/3 of all employees are part-time, working under 28 hours, and they are beginning t replace full-time with “temps” in another effort to eliminate benefit requirements. :doh PBS - STORE WARS: Wal-Mart Business Practices and Exclusive - Wal-Mart's everyday hiring strategy: Add more temps | Reuters

I can only HOPE I get to be one of the “full-timers” getting 40 hours a week.
Click to expand...

"Average rent" can be deceiving.

Here in Chicago rent can be anywhere between $20,000 a month to $300.00 a month with the majority of places being 400-1,200 a month...

Those ridiculously expensive places raise the average quite a bit.
 
captainawesome said:
HEB, Whole Foods, and Costco are all growing rapidly and making high return.
Click to expand...

Growth doesn't necessarily translate into profits - it usually translates into equity/capital.

Businesses usually reinvest in their business.
 
CanadaJohn said:
I've been thinking about minimum wage a lot lately and I believe there are many small business, large businesses too, who rely on teenagers and college students working in the summers and seniors supplementing their retirement incomes or just keeping active. As a result, a minimum wage that is two high could curtail access to such jobs to these two segments of the employment pool.

What would be the harm in having a differentiated minimum wage? Either one that separates full time employment from part-time pastimes, or one that considers a lesser wage for younger people with little or no experience and seniors without a need for career building or primary income?
Click to expand...

The only problem I can see is how full time would be defined. Conventional thinking puts that at 40 hrs. a week, and I think you'd see a rash of people getting hired for 39 hours and 59 minutes per week to get in under the line.

Other than that, I think it's a great idea to have different levels along those lines.
 
Mr.Nick said:
Growth doesn't necessarily translate into profits - it usually translates into equity/capital.

Businesses usually reinvest in their business.
Click to expand...

Costco, HEB and Whole Foods are very profitable.
 
captainawesome said:
Costco, HEB and Whole Foods are very profitable.
Click to expand...

And the majority of those profits go back into the business hence "growth."

If owners/investors kept profits - the business would never grow...
 
Captain Adverse said:
Hmm, $8.50 per hour for a 40 hour week? That’s $340 a week, or $1360 gross a month. I can live with that right?

After all deductions (between ¼ - ⅓ of gross for various taxes, Social Security, etc.) of about $400.00, that leaves me with $960.00.

Lets see, average rent for a 1 bedroom in D.C. is $1617.00 a month.
Average Rent In Washington, Washington Rent Trends and Rental Comps

Definitely can’t afford that, so let’s say I can find a “C-level” apartment for $600.00 available somewhere in surrounding Maryland and Virginia. (Class C properties were built within the last 30 to 40 years. They generally have blue-collar and low- to moderate-income tenants, and the rents are below market.) Apartment - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

That leaves me with $360.00 for all other expenses. Hmmm. Electricity and gas…$45 - $65 depending on time of year (cold weather/hot weather), so we’ll average that to $50.00.

Now I’m at $310.00. but according to this I’d need $348.92 a month if I bought and prepared all my own food and maintained a healthy diet!:shock: Food Prices in Washington, DC, United States

Shoot! Hmmm, maybe I overestimated my tax burden…if I cheat a little on my W-2 I can maybe bring it down to only $300 in deductions…pay it back at the end of the year with savings. ;) Yeah, so I get $100 more, and $51.00 in disposable income.

I still need to get to and from work. The Metro train fares range from $1.70 to $5.75 and bus fares start at $1.60 one way if I get a “SmarTrip card. Gee, that means even if I live close I’d need $3.20 a day round trip for work. At 5 days a week…that’s $64.00! :shock: Metro - Fares - Metrobus (follow link to rail fares also).

I guess I can try walking several hours, put in some gas money for a ride, or buy a bike…hope I don’t need to shave or buy clothes, or anything. :(

EXCEPT…Full-time Wal-Mart employees work 28 -40 hours, 1/3 of all employees are part-time, working under 28 hours, and they are beginning to replace full-timers with “temps” in another effort to eliminate benefit requirements. :doh PBS - STORE WARS: Wal-Mart Business Practices and Exclusive - Wal-Mart's everyday hiring strategy: Add more temps | Reuters

I can only HOPE I get to be one of the “full-timers” getting 40 hours a week.
Click to expand...

You make the point well. Wal-Mart is great for part time jobs. Students can always use a part-time job. That's fine.

There is, as you point out, no way a person could live on what they'd be paid at Wal-Mart. The two sides are talking past each other about two different things.
 
Mr.Nick said:
And the majority of those profits go back into the business hence "growth."

If owners/investors kept profits - the business would never grow...
Click to expand...

Not true all three pay investors. HEB is still private. The Butt family is worth billions.
 
rocket88 said:
The only problem I can see is how full time would be defined. Conventional thinking puts that at 40 hrs. a week, and I think you'd see a rash of people getting hired for 39 hours and 59 minutes per week to get in under the line.

Other than that, I think it's a great idea to have different levels along those lines.
Click to expand...

You make a good point - not to complicate it too much, but perhaps the differentiated rates could be differentiated even further, say anything under 30 hours is x - 31 to 39 is x + z and then the traditional 40 hours plus is paid at the highest rate.

It's complicated.
 
Mr.Nick said:
"Average rent" can be deceiving.

Here in Chicago rent can be anywhere between $20,000 a month to $300.00 a month with the majority of places being 400-1,200 a month...

Those ridiculously expensive places raise the average quite a bit.
Click to expand...

Perhaps, but as you can see, I based my requirements on a $600.00 apartment. I avoided the more expensive average.
 
rocket88 said:
You make the point well. Wal-Mart is great for part time jobs. Students can always use a part-time job. That's fine.

There is, as you point out, no way a person could live on what they'd be paid at Wal-Mart. The two sides are talking past each other about two different things.
Click to expand...

I lived on my own, by myself off $10.00/hr. My rent was $750.00 to boot and I still had money for food, phone, internet, utilities etc... It wasn't very comfortable but I managed it.
 
Captain Adverse said:
Perhaps, but as you can see, I based my requirements on a $600.00 apartment. I avoided the more expensive average.
Click to expand...

Well, I managed to live on my own off 10 bucks an hour....

I did work 8 hours of OT every week at time x2 ($15.00/hr) so that helped.
 
Captain Adverse said:
Hmm, $8.50 per hour for a 40 hour week? That’s $340 a week, or $1360 gross a month. I can live with that right?

After all deductions (between ¼ - ⅓ of gross for various taxes, Social Security, etc.) of about $400.00, that leaves me with $960.00.

Lets see, average rent for a 1 bedroom in D.C. is $1617.00 a month.
Average Rent In Washington, Washington Rent Trends and Rental Comps

Definitely can’t afford that, so let’s say I can find a “C-level” apartment for $600.00 available somewhere in surrounding Maryland and Virginia. (Class C properties were built within the last 30 to 40 years. They generally have blue-collar and low- to moderate-income tenants, and the rents are below market.) Apartment - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

That leaves me with $360.00 for all other expenses. Hmmm. Electricity and gas…$45 - $55 a month depending on time of year (cold weather/hot weather), so we’ll average that to $50.00.

Now I’m at $310.00. but according to this I’d need $348.92 a month if I bought and prepared all my own food and maintained a healthy diet!:shock: Food Prices in Washington, DC, United States

Shoot! Hmmm, maybe I overestimated my tax burden…if I cheat a little on my W-2 I can maybe bring it down to only $300 in deductions…pay it back at the end of the year with savings. ;) Yeah, so I get $100 more, and $61.00 in disposable income.

I still need to get to and from work. The Metro train fares range from $1.70 to $5.75 and bus fares start at $1.60 one way if I get a “SmarTrip card. Gee, that means even if I live close I’d need $3.20 a day round trip for work. At 5 days a week…that’s $64.00! :shock: Metro - Fares - Metrobus (follow link to rail fares also).

I guess I can try walking several hours, put in some gas money for a ride, or buy a bike…hope I don’t need to shave or buy clothes, or anything. :(

EXCEPT…Full-time Wal-Mart employees work 28 -40 hours, 1/3 of all employees are part-time, working under 28 hours, and they are beginning to replace full-timers with “temps” in another effort to eliminate benefit requirements. :doh PBS - STORE WARS: Wal-Mart Business Practices and Exclusive - Wal-Mart's everyday hiring strategy: Add more temps | Reuters

I can only HOPE I get to be one of the “full-timers” getting 40 hours a week.
Click to expand...

and you can afford all that with 0 per hour?

liberals are like a starving man that you give some food to then have him complain it was hamburger and not a steak
 
captainawesome said:
Not true all three pay investors. HEB is still private. The Butt family is worth billions.
Click to expand...

It doesn't matter - a business can't grow without investment. A lot of profit goes back into the business.

Furthermore what a family is worth is irrelevant - the only thing that matters is what the business is worth.
 
Mr.Nick said:
I lived on my own, by myself off $10.00/hr. My rent was $750.00 to boot and I still had money for food, phone, internet, utilities etc... It wasn't very comfortable but I managed it.
Click to expand...

OK, now support a family on 8.50/hour.
 
Mr.Nick said:
I lived on my own, by myself off $10.00/hr. My rent was $750.00 to boot and I still had money for food, phone, internet, utilities etc... It wasn't very comfortable but I managed it.
Click to expand...

I was going to make a crack about "possible drug dealing on the side were ya???" but in here the joke would fall flat. ;)

There are lots of anecdotal stories of people "managing it." I'm sure the workers sharing 5 or more to a one bedroom apartment are "managing it" too. I think we are talking about a store employing several hundred workers at minimum wage who might in the aggregate NOT be able to manage it. Especially since even "full-timers" at Wal-mart don't always get 40 hours a week. For instance, trying to support a family on it.
 
trfjr said:
and you can afford all that with 0 per hour?

liberals are like a starving man that you give some food to then have him complain it was hamburger and not a steak
Click to expand...

Conservatives take a dump in a bowl give it to a starving person then call them ungradeful for not wanting to eat feces. Feces has calories they say. If you don't want to eat feces then starve sucka.
 
Mr.Nick said:
Furthermore what a family is worth is irrelevant - the only thing that matters is what the business is worth.
Click to expand...

Libertarian.txt
 
Captain Adverse said:
Hmm, $8.50 per hour for a 40 hour week? That’s $340 a week, or $1360 gross a month. I can live with that right?

Lets see, average rent for a 1 bedroom in D.C. is $1617.00 a month.
Average Rent In Washington, Washington Rent Trends and Rental Comps

Definitely can’t afford that, so let’s say I can find a “C-level” apartment for $600.00 available somewhere in surrounding Maryland and Virginia. (Class C properties were built within the last 30 to 40 years. They generally have blue-collar and low- to moderate-income tenants, and the rents are below market.) Apartment - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

That leaves me with $360.00 for all other expenses. Hmmm. Electricity and gas…$45 - $55 a month depending on time of year (cold weather/hot weather), so we’ll average that to $50.00.

Now I’m at $310.00. but according to this I’d need $348.92 a month if I bought and prepared all my own food and maintained a healthy diet! Food Prices in Washington, DC, United States

Shoot! Hmmm, maybe I overestimated my tax burden…if I cheat a little on my W-2 I can maybe bring it down to only $300 in deductions…pay it back at the end of the year with savings. ;) Yeah, so I get $100 more, and $61.00 in disposable income.

I still need to get to and from work. The Metro train fares range from $1.70 to $5.75 and bus fares start at $1.60 one way if I get a “SmarTrip card. Gee, that means even if I live close I’d need $3.20 a day round trip for work. At 5 days a week…that’s $64.00! :shock: Metro - Fares - Metrobus (follow link to rail fares also).

I guess I can try walking several hours, put in some gas money for a ride, or buy a bike…hope I don’t need to shave or buy clothes, or anything. :(

EXCEPT…Full-time Wal-Mart employees work 28 -40 hours, 1/3 of all employees are part-time, working under 28 hours, and they are beginning to replace full-timers with “temps” in another effort to eliminate benefit requirements. :doh PBS - STORE WARS: Wal-Mart Business Practices and Exclusive - Wal-Mart's everyday hiring strategy: Add more temps | Reuters

I can only HOPE I get to be one of the “full-timers” getting 40 hours a week.
Click to expand...

Get an education. Don't work at WalMart. :shock:
 
This thread is certainly turning out as expected :2razz:
 
rocket88 said:
OK, now support a family on 8.50/hour.
Click to expand...

That's why people who make $8.50 an hour are on welfare, that's also why many on welfare refuse to work...

In the end it's the individuals fault they're making $8.50 an hour and companies shouldn't be required to pay more in salary because it's not the companies fault there are lazy idiots out there - it's the individuals fault...

If people want to make more they should learn a skill that pays more.
 
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