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Walmart Gives 500,000 Workers A Raise

jet57 said:
When they start making $10 an hour they won't have to get public assistance and shop at the dented can store.
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Maybe, but the people that work in hundreds of other stores that pay MW will.
 
Gill said:
Maybe, but the people that work in hundreds of other stores that pay MW will.
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The idea is to fix minimum wage isn't it. Adults should not be making minimum wage. They should make a prevailing wage that allows them to support themselves. Minimum wage used to be a great start for kids getting into the work market. Companies, like mcdonalds and walmart however have taken advantage of minimum wage and now we see the results.
 
If a business wants to attract talent and keep them, they need to cough up some money. Hopefully Wal-Mart finally recognizes that. Looks like T.J. Maxx and Marshalls are following suit. Props to them.
 
ludin said:
thank you for once again not making an argument just like every other person out there that screams living wage.

please tell me how you pay a bag boy 20 bucks an hour? or even 15 an hour?
what skill does he provide to earn that type of money?
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I didn't say pay them that. So straw man away. Why don't YOU tell the rest of what what skill qualifies someone to make $400,000,000 in a year. You seem to be confident in the current system and my question is actually happening while your scenario isn't. Explain away.
 
jet57 said:
The idea is to fix minimum wage isn't it. Adults should not be making minimum wage. They should make a prevailing wage that allows them to support themselves. Minimum wage used to be a great start for kids getting into the work market. Companies, like mcdonalds and walmart however have taken advantage of minimum wage and now we see the results.
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what does age have to do with it?
skills and market/business forces set wage levels, not age.

prevailing wage?...for unskilled labor positions?... it's called "minimum wage".
it's not "taking advantage" of minimum wage... it's applying the very principle of the minimum wage
the wage floor is set to cover entry level unskilled positions.. always has been...always will be.
 
Thrilla said:
what does age have to do with it?
skills and market/business forces set wage levels, not age.

prevailing wage?...for unskilled labor positions?... it's called "minimum wage".
it's not "taking advantage" of minimum wage... it's applying the very principle of the minimum wage
the wage floor is set to cover entry level unskilled positions.. always has been...always will be.
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I made more than double the prevailing minimum wage as an unskilled worker back in '63, and the prevailing minimum wage at the time ($1.25) bought quite a lot more than the minimum wage does now.

It used to be a lot easier to earn a living than it is now.
 
Thrilla said:
what does age have to do with it?
skills and market/business forces set wage levels, not age.

prevailing wage?...for unskilled labor positions?... it's called "minimum wage".
it's not "taking advantage" of minimum wage... it's applying the very principle of the minimum wage
the wage floor is set to cover entry level unskilled positions.. always has been...always will be.
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the presumption from your post is that those underskilled workers should never expect to realize a living wage
then what do you propose to do to enable them to enjoy at least a minimum standard of living?
 
Dittohead not! said:
I made more than double the prevailing minimum wage as an unskilled worker back in '63, and the prevailing minimum wage at the time ($1.25) bought quite a lot more than the minimum wage does now.

It used to be a lot easier to earn a living than it is now.
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I think you and me both know this ins't the 60's anymore.:lol:
the only time in the 60's i made above minimum wage is when I worked under the table...though i didn't have my first "real" job until '66

it did buy more than it does today, sure thing....but wages are not the only factor there... cost of living levels went nuts since then.
 
justabubba said:
the presumption from your post is that those underskilled workers should never expect to realize a living wage
then what do you propose to do to enable them to enjoy at least a minimum standard of living?
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I said unskilled, not underskilled... and i'm talking about minimum wage, not a living wage..furthermore, never is a very long time.. i don't expect anyone to remain static forever, at any level.

define "minimum standard of living"?.. is that just the bare necessities of food and shelter?.... or is it more of an arbitrary thing like "a living wage"?

the advise I tend to give folks is it to work hard,work smart, gain more skills,master the skills you have, and negotiate your wages aggressively...I also tend to advise people to stay out of the retail sector if at all possible.

all of this is how we operate under our current system... if you want to talk in terms of changing our system, i advocate doing away with minimum wage altogether( as well as most, if not all of our social welfare programs) and going to a basic income guarantee for every adult citizen in the country.... but that's just a dream.. nobody is going to allow that.
 
Thrilla said:
I said unskilled, not underskilled... and i'm talking about minimum wage, not a living wage..furthermore, never is a very long time.. i don't expect anyone to remain static forever, at any level.

define "minimum standard of living"?.. is that just the bare necessities of food and shelter?.... or is it more of an arbitrary thing like "a living wage"?

the advise I tend to give folks is it to work hard,work smart, gain more skills,master the skills you have, and negotiate your wages aggressively...I also tend to advise people to stay out of the retail sector if at all possible.

all of this is how we operate under our current system... if you want to talk in terms of changing our system, i advocate doing away with minimum wage altogether( as well as most, if not all of our social welfare programs) and going to a basic income guarantee for every adult citizen in the country.... but that's just a dream.. nobody is going to allow that.
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yea, like no way we dream of going to the moon
if you can't dream it, it won't happen

in the meantime, here is a fellow who should be talked about for a national 2016 run:
This Billionaire Governor Taxed the Rich and Increased the Minimum Wage -- Now, His State's Economy Is One of the Best in the Country*|*Carl Gibson

and it would not be a difficult chore to identify what we would agree is a minimum standard of living. that data driven mechanism you decry for not being present in establishing the minimum wage
 
justabubba said:
yea, like no way we dream of going to the moon
if you can't dream it, it won't happen
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I'm a realist more than anything... I know a BIG isn't going to happen anytime soon, if ever.... it makes too much sense, it enjoys support and justification from across the ideological spectrum, and most importantly.... it slaughters far too many sacred cows.
we have a better chance at voting in a 50 buck minimum wage tomorrow than we do at enacting a BIG in the next 100 years... my dream is just that... a dream.

in the meantime, here is a fellow who should be talked about for a national 2016 run:
This Billionaire Governor Taxed the Rich and Increased the Minimum Wage -- Now, His State's Economy Is One of the Best in the Country*|*Carl Gibson
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meh, I'll take the Texas economy over Minnesota... and the weather too.
beyond that, I don't really care who this guy is or what he does in his state.

and it would not be a difficult chore to identify what we would agree is a minimum standard of living. that data driven mechanism you decry for not being present in establishing the minimum wage
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it would be incredibly difficult to do on a national basis.... standard of living costs swing wildly all over the nation.... and most likely what would happen is the same thing that happens with the minimum wage....an arbitrary number would be thrown into the ring for everybody to quibble over.
 
stonewall50 said:
No. Sorry. Have you ever shopped in a Walmart?
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I haven't shopped walmart in over 5 years... I have an HEB plus fairly close by that is far superior to Walmart in every way ( including pay)... and actually has helpful enthusiastic staff( with every checkout line staffed, complete with baggers)..HEB does it right.

I'd wager most of the Walmart employees you see on the floor, including the supervisors, steal half their wages... the 3 checkers they have scheduled at peak hours work their asses off, though... Target isn't much better, though the stores are much cleaner and nicer to shop in.
 
Thrilla said:
I'm a realist more than anything... I know a BIG isn't going to happen anytime soon, if ever.... it makes too much sense, it enjoys support and justification from across the ideological spectrum, and most importantly.... it slaughters far too many sacred cows.
we have a better chance at voting in a 50 buck minimum wage tomorrow than we do at enacting a BIG in the next 100 years... my dream is just that... a dream.
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again, if we cannot dream it, it will not happen
thank goodness the likes of JFK and FDR would not foreclose on our nation's best prospects

meh, I'll take the Texas economy over Minnesota... and the weather too.
beyond that, I don't really care who this guy is or what he does in his state.
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on a political site and prefer to remain ignorant of policy decisions with very positive outcomes
your choice
and representative of the typical texan ... but then there is a lot of sand there to cover one's head

it would be incredibly difficult to do on a national basis.... standard of living costs swing wildly all over the nation.... and most likely what would happen is the same thing that happens with the minimum wage....an arbitrary number would be thrown into the ring for everybody to quibble over.
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lots of methodologies could be used
for example, the federal employees have high geographic rate areas, and they get a pay raise for living there. such an existing standard could be used to elevate the minimum living wage for high cost geographic areas above a defined base
there is as much art as science involved in constructing effective public policy
 
justabubba said:
again, if we cannot dream it, it will not happen
thank goodness the likes of JFK and FDR would not foreclose on our nation's best prospects
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neither tried to slaughter sacred cows...


on a political site and prefer to remain ignorant of policy decisions with very positive outcomes
your choice
and representative of the typical texan ... but then there is a lot of sand there to cover one's head
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we haven't really chatted too much, but i didn't peg you for this type of poster.... now I know better.


lots of methodologies could be used
for example, the federal employees have high geographic rate areas, and they get a pay raise for living there. such an existing standard could be used to elevate the minimum living wage for high cost geographic areas above a defined base
there is as much art as science involved in constructing effective public policy[/QUOTE]

whatever.. i'm done chatting with you.... go talk to someone who gives a **** what you have to say.
 
Thrilla said:
I haven't shopped walmart in over 5 years... I have an HEB plus fairly close by that is far superior to Walmart in every way ( including pay)... and actually has helpful enthusiastic staff( with every checkout line staffed, complete with baggers)..HEB does it right.

I'd wager most of the Walmart employees you see on the floor, including the supervisors, steal half their wages... the 3 checkers they have scheduled at peak hours work their asses off, though... Target isn't much better, though the stores are much cleaner and nicer to shop in.
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If Walmart fired crap employees and paid them better they would be better off. But it may be tough to get good employees into something named "Walmart."
 
Thrilla said:
I think you and me both know this ins't the 60's anymore.:lol:
the only time in the 60's i made above minimum wage is when I worked under the table...though i didn't have my first "real" job until '66

it did buy more than it does today, sure thing....but wages are not the only factor there... cost of living levels went nuts since then.
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Nope, it's not the '60s, and never will be again.
I paid from $65 to $100 a month in rent (moved several times) before buying a house for $13,500 in 1969, bought a new '68 VW beetle for $2,000, fueled it with 25 cent gas. The cost of living was pretty stable until around 1973, when OPEC (if you're a Democrat) or Jimmy Carter (if you're a Republican) screwed the economy.
 
stonewall50 said:
If Walmart fired crap employees and paid them better they would be better off. But it may be tough to get good employees into something named "Walmart."
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I don't know if simply paying them more would make it better... in my experience, moderate wage increases don't have much of an effect on work ethic, at least in a lasting fashion... additionally, I don't think Walmart is in the habit of developing healthy work ethic among their employees.

it's a really odd when i look at the difference between these stores here locally.. i mean, the draw from the same small labor pool.. the wages aren't very far off of each other... but it's absolutely night and day.

i'm not trying to say Walmart employees suck... i'm speaking in general terms here and basically pointing out that there is something wrong in Walmarts labor management model beyond wages... it's rare to find a Walmart worker who is enthusiastic about their job, and that's generally indicative of the employer doing something poorly rather than the employees being ****ty.
 
Thrilla said:
I haven't shopped walmart in over 5 years... I have an HEB plus fairly close by that is far superior to Walmart in every way ( including pay)... and actually has helpful enthusiastic staff( with every checkout line staffed, complete with baggers)..HEB does it right.

I'd wager most of the Walmart employees you see on the floor, including the supervisors, steal half their wages... the 3 checkers they have scheduled at peak hours work their asses off, though... Target isn't much better, though the stores are much cleaner and nicer to shop in.
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It's nice that you have enough money to shop at an upscale grocery store.

Poor people don't have that choice and must pinch their resources in order to feed their families.

By the way, it's pretty sad that you accuse people you don't even know of thievery.
 
Gill said:
It's nice that you have enough money to shop at an upscale grocery store.

Poor people don't have that choice and must pinch their resources in order to feed their families.

By the way, it's pretty sad that you accuse people you don't even know of thievery.
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HEB is not "upscale" ... everybody shops at HEB .. rich and poor alike.... their prices are, more often than not,better than Walmarts.

not just thievery.. wage theft.
getting paid while not performing the job duties you are paid to perform ( ****ing off at the job, taking unofficial breaks, etc).... everybody does it, but some far more than others.
 
Thrilla said:
HEB is not "upscale" ... everybody shops at HEB .. rich and poor alike.... their prices are, more often than not,better than Walmarts.

not just thievery.. wage theft.
getting paid while not performing the job duties you are paid to perform ( ****ing off at the job, taking unofficial breaks, etc).... everybody does it, but some far more than others.
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I've shopped at HEB and their prices are most certainly higher than Wal-Mart.

You sure like to insult people less well off than yourself don't you?
 
Gill said:
I've shopped at HEB and their prices are most certainly higher than Wal-Mart.

You sure like to insult people less well off than yourself don't you?
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If you want to be thrifty, you shop where the bargains are, and this varies from store to store. There are reasons other than groceries to shop at Walmart, so I occasionally pick up a few grocery items that are competitively priced at Walmart. I also routinely buy a few items at my local Kroger because it has the best price and/or a better selection.

But H.E.B. overall has lower prices than both, at least in my experience, particularly produce.

As a bonus, H.E.B. has a great college scholarship program for its employees, just FYI.
 
nota bene said:
If you want to be thrifty, you shop where the bargains are, and this varies from store to store. There are reasons other than groceries to shop at Walmart, so I occasionally pick up a few grocery items that are competitively priced at Walmart. I also routinely buy a few items at my local Kroger because it has the best price and/or a better selection.

But H.E.B. overall has lower prices than both, at least in my experience, particularly produce.

As a bonus, H.E.B. has a great college scholarship program for its employees, just FYI.
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I find this interesting. I shop at the same grocery store based on product selection and proximity to my home. I can't that I have ever compared the price of the store I shop at to the 3 other grocery stores in a 8 minute radius.

Vegetables and meat, if you have the best, that is where I will shop.
 
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