Wal-Mart to Add Wage Caps and Part Timers

NY Times ^ | October 2nd 2006 | Stephen Greenhouse

[DonaldC]

"Why don't you instead focus on the reduction of regulation and taxes in your state and country so that industry can be more competitive?"

What a crock! Regulations could go away and taxes could go to zero, or hey, maybe the government can pay a company to come to a particular state and it would not solve the competitiveness issue. Managers today only care about the next quarter and their bonuses, and until that changes, nothing will improve.

[sandbar]

>>>So your solution is to kill that last remaining employer? LMFAO. >>>

Nope, my solution is to penalize Walmart if the majority of it's employees are on the Medicaid that my taxes pay. Walmart can make record profits, but I have to pay for it's employees medicine? I don't think so.

[gopwinsin04]

'So now instead of having the majority of workers who care about customer service and how it impacts their potential future with the company, we now have to deal with more and more untrained monkeys who curse under their breath if you ask them where something in the store is located.'

Exactly, I will be across the street at Target shopping, thank you very much!

[sandbar]

>>>What a crock! Regulations could go away and taxes could go to zero, or hey, maybe the government can pay a company to come to a particular state and it would not solve the competitiveness issue. Managers today only care about the next quarter and their bonuses, and until that changes, nothing will improve.>>>

Bravo!! My point entirely. Communities are stake here.

[af_vet_rr]

That is a universal business policy now, not just Wal-Mart's.

I was about to say, this is only newsworthy because Wal-Mart happens to be one of the biggest companies implementing it.

[ASOC]

BINGO

I was one of those older, higher paid workers.

I got the can (as did a lot of other folks), the CEO got a million dollar bonus.

But least I have not had to go to work at WallyMart.

[Gabz]

Believe me, I am paying attention. You have already swallowed the leftist claim that the majority of WalMart employees are on Medicare, so it just would follow you are blaming walmart for the lack of a competitive jobs market in your area.

[RightField]

Well welcome to the same world that the rest of us have been living in for the last decade. Every company I know of is taking steps to rid itself of older, higher paid workers either through outsourcing, internal evaluations, layoffs, and anything else they can think of. If anything Wal-Mart is late out of the gate on this tactic.

Exactly. Even public school districts have been doing this. Where's the Democratic outrage at that?

[LadyNavyVet]

We have a free-market economy. WalMart is not obligated in any way to provide health insurance for their workers; no business is. As a publicy-traded company, WalMart's primary fiduciary obligation is to their owners, the shareholders. If WalMart can recruit and retain an adequate workforce without offering medical benefits, so be it. No one is forced to work for WalMart, and if employees don't like the wages, benefits or working conditions, they are free to seek employment elsewhere at any time.

If you've got a problem with low income workers being on Medicaid, your beef is with the politicians who write the entitlement laws, not with WalMart.

Personally, I have a beef with the politicians and with WalMart employees who don't prepare themselves to compete in our economy and then complain about their situation. Note to whining WalMart employees (not all, just the whiners): If you want more money, more time off, better benefits and better working conditions, GET AN EDUCATION and get qualified for a better job. With 4.7% unemployment, better jobs are out there waiting for qualified employees.

[sanjacjake]

Heres a clue: They all do it !!!!!!!!! So quit picking
on poor old Wal-mart....friend of the down and out bargain
hunters..besides..I kinda like their style,,friendly,
smiling, helpful, and gives the best price... Jake

[Gabz]

Amen.

[sandbar]

>>>Believe me, I am paying attention. You have already swallowed the leftist claim that the majority of WalMart employees are on Medicare, so it just would follow you are blaming walmart for the lack of a competitive jobs market in your area.>>>

I am not blaming Walmart for the lack of competitive jobs...

oh forget it. When you can follow a conversation, get back to me.

[gopwinsin04]

How far the company has gone from the founding business tenets of this man...

[Protagoras]

The document was provided to The New York Times by WakeUpWalMart.com, a union-funded group that is critical of the retailer.

= zero credibility.

[unspun]

Capture the market and squeeze it for all you're worth Wal-Mart, you all too typicaly sick company. But if you don't amend your ways and innovate, specialty stores will continue to take more of your recent gains away (thankfully).

[mysterio]

It's almost as if Walmart wants unions to form. Because now that will happen for sure.

[LadyNavyVet]

Oh, no! They really have to stop fencing in our rural areas so that people can't seek jobs elsewhere! (sarcasm)

Hubby and I have moved 5 times in 16 years for a better job. Nobody is chained to a praticluar part of the country, and some areas most definitely have a better employment outlook than others. Nobody is forced to work for WalMart.

[sandbar]

>>>With 4.7% unemployment, better jobs are out there waiting for qualified employees.>>>

Umm ok. And YOU have fallen into the rightthinking idea that just because the umemployment rate is 4.7, that these are jobs that pay enough to be OFF the government welfare system.

[LadyNavyVet]

praticluar=particular (sigh)

[DonaldC]

"We have a free-market economy. ...bla bla"

I would agree with your post, but his is happening across the board regardless of the business and education status of its employees. I don't agree with the democratic/liberal solutions, but at least they are not in denial with regards to the problems, be it retirement, healthcare, education, etc.