Wal-mart pays so little that up to 80% of its employees are on some sort of public assistance. Wal-mart employees collect around $2.7 billion in welfare a year.
This is an issue that needs addressing.
Why? WalMart demands labor at the lowest end of the labor pool. The jobs performed by many WalMart workers are simply not valuable enough to be paid more than that. But the same goes for the kid I pay to rake my leaves. If I had to pay him union wages, I’d eliminate the job altogether and then I’d have leaves and he’d have no money.
If WalMart were forced to pay union wages and be subject to union stupidity, there would be fewer WalMart jobs and the welfare payments to employees who also happen to work at WalMart would increase to $4 billion per year or more. WalMart is providing a public service by creating jobs that non- or low-skilled workers can fill and thus relieve some of the burden those workers place on the public dole.
Finally, receiving public assistance is not just a function of individual income. Cost of living and family size are also factored in. A WalMart wage is fine if you live alone in a small trailer or share an apartment with someone else. It can’t support any luxuries or other family members.
So the issue that needs addressing is why people turn the equation on its head and vilify WalMart for providing jobs to people who might not have them otherwise.
Where is your proof of that statement?
“Wal-mart pays so little that up to 80% of its employees are on some sort of public assistance. Wal-mart employees collect around $2.7 billion in welfare a year. This is an issue that needs addressing.”
No it doesn’t. First, I doubt that 80% of its workers are on some form of welfare. Second, its not Walmart’s job to keep people off public assistance. Third, if it is true that they are on public assistance I would say change the requirements so that fewer people qualify.
Don't fall for that crap about 80% of its employees being on "welfare". Does that count the seniors on social security hired to supplemnt rheir incomes? WalMart employs over a million people, about half of them part time because fulltimers are not needed on some of the odd shifts the store offers for the convenience of its customers and because GOVERNMENT has made it too expensive keep full timers in low skilled jobs. Just look at the labor force on the street. It is not WalMart's fault that so many people have low skills, can't write read add or dress well, and choose to have illegitimate children and try to raise them in single parent households. Walmart offers these folks options while they train to better themselves,if they choose to do so. Many seem content to pull down $12 an hour for 5 years and more for no skill jobs and bitch about their lack of opportunity. d.oh. Two Walmart employees married to each other could bring home a combined $20-$25 an hour. Would that be middle class enough for you?
If fewer people applied too work at Walmart maybe wages would go up- so would costs. You want to pay top retail to load up on 15 pound jars of cheetos? How many Target and KMart and McDonald workers are on “welfare”? Since dam near anyone under 50K or more can get on "welfare" (stamps). There are members of the US military on welfare. If WalMart employees are really collecting $2.7 Billlion in welfare how much would they collect without WalMart? Personally I think the Waltons should be talking to Pootie about a company move- man would Russians love to have places like WalMart over there...