Posted on 10/25/2005 2:29:37 PM PDT by Crackingham
Wal-Mart CEO Lee Scott said he's urging Congress to consider raising the minimum wage so that Wal-Mart customers don't have to struggle paycheck to paycheck. Scott told Wal-Mart directors and executives in a speech Monday that he believes "it is time for Congress to take a look at the minimum wage and other legislation that can help working families."
"The U.S. minimum wage of $5.15 an hour has not been raised in nearly a decade and we believe it is out of date with the times," Scott said. "We can see first-hand at Wal-Mart how many of our customers are struggling to get by. Our customers simply don't have the money to buy basic necessities between pay checks."
Given increasing gas prices and other economic pressures on Wal-Mart customers, Scott went on to say that Wal-Mart shoppers will further be challenged to "support themselves and their families."
"While it is unusual for us to take a public position on a public policy issue of this kind, we simply believe it is time for Congress to take a responsible look at the minimum wage and other legislation that may help working families," he said.
Tracy Sefl, a spokeswoman for Wal-Mart Watch, a group that's been highly critical of the retailer, said Scott's comments on raising minimum wage were "laughable and out of left field."
"I find it disingenuous and laughable that Lee Scott makes these remarks while the company hires lobbyist such as Lee Culpepper who oppose raising the minimum wage," Sefl said.
"We would be the first to applaud real change. But when a comment on raising minimum wage is dashed off and it flies in the face of Wal-Mart's own corporate stance, that's laughable," she added.
(Excerpt) Read more at money.cnn.com ...
Even part-time employees have the opportunity to get into the company health insurance after the probationary period.
Low wages, low benefits. The fruits of free traitors.
As I said in another post earlier - I think a lot depends on local management and the local area when it comes to hours. I know a few folks here that work at the local WalMart and none are in management, yet have full tie 40 hour a week jobs, except for 1. He's retired and does not want to work 40 hours. Just last week he was talking about how the manager has been on him again to come aboard fulltime.
You are right about WM being the only company being lambasted for the origin of their products. The GE product I buy in WM is no different from the one being sold in Target or K-Mart. It's not my fault that GE is making their small appliances in china, any more than it is WalMart's.
I try my best to buy American, but when the "American" manufacturer's aren't making things here, what is a consumer to do?
I hate it when businesses call for laws to even out the grief like this and I sure didn't expect something like this out of Wal Mart! Procter and Gamble did it for a local "gay rights" law, rather than just making their in house policy what they wanted it to be.
Ebay?
No, you are misreading what I said, which was that if Wal-Mart raised wages, other employers would have to follow suit to attract employees. I thing I may have also mentioned that government intervention is unnecessary. I personally have nothing against Wal-Mart and occasionally shop there myself. I don't think it is their business to decide what other companies should pay their employees, but I recognize that they could influence those wages through free market methods without government interference.
Please tell my wife that, she's purchased t-shirts that were close to $100 before..
Wal-Mart ALREADY pays it's employees more than the minimum wage.
I don't do eBay........I got burned by them big time and learned my lesson.
LOL!!!
I do garage sales and thrift stores......but when it comes to kitchen appliances, I do prefer new as opposed to someone else's cast off that I won't know what is wrong with it until I take it home and plug it in. Manual stuff is different, but I'm picky about my electric appliances :)
UHHHHH - Dude! You can pay them whatever you like!
Many of us shop at Wal-Mart to save $$$ on the exact same brand-name high quality products that are sold for much higher prices at other stores.
And you think the chances of returning to that age are exactly what?
Please do not confuse WalMart bashers with facts - they have their minds made up :)
Um,you are wrong.
I work my 40 hour week every week and have been doing that since I started working there 7 Years ago.
BTW,I am hourly.
If sales are down ,they generally ask for volunteers to go home early and you can find those volunteers in any job, that will be more then happy to go home early.
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