Walmart Treating Their Employees Even Worse

reply to post by MildBill

Please address the question. Why do you think ALL corporations changed "Personnel Department" to "Human Resources"?

What is the subliminal reason?

Someone was trying to reinvent the wheel so to speak. There is no difference in the two and no significance in the name change except maybe in your mind. If you look up Human Resources in the Merriam-Webster dictionary it simply says PERSONNEL!

reply to post by okyouwin

I guess the rub comes when success is in abundance. The reality of Wal-Mart is that the overwhelming majority of the company, and it's huge economic importance, is the employees. If not for the vast numbers of employees acting in specific ways in a synergy Wal-Mart would not exist, So in reality who owns what?

Couldn’t the same be said of employees in any company? Just because you work for a company and that company becomes successful doesn’t entitle you to anything other than your paycheck….and it certainly doesn’t entitle you to any ownership stake in the company.

I like the compensation package you laid out A family could live on that. Without government aid, something I'm sure you're not in favor of.

For most people that would be a nice package. The thing you must keep in mind is that almost any company that compensated ALL of its employees that way would likely bankrupt itself. If checkers at Wal-Mart all made $50,000 per year with full benefits the company would promptly go broke, as would most companies.

That scenario is completely unrealistic and shows a complete lack of business acumen.

reply to post by Daedalus

the difference between walmart, and all these other companies, (which i had stated to you in an earlier post to you, which you ignored, by the way) is that walmart has been pulling this crap for a LONG time....far before there was anything even remotely resembling a logical reason....

they're greedy bastards, plain and simple...

when you can pay yourself, your fellow executives, and high ranking managers HUGE bonuses every year, while the people who made you that money in the first place, struggle to keep a roof over their head, and food in their bellies, and not feel the slightest bit bad about it, you're a greedy bastard...it's just that simple.

How is that greedy??? If you are part of the management staff you’re going to make more money than the door greeter or cashier.

The fact that you’re employed doesn’t entitle you to a certain income level. I’ve already explained that this is absolutely a pipe dream and completely unrealistic. Why in the world would any company pay someone a great salary, bonuses and healthcare for doing a job that anyone off the street could do?????

Higher salaries are reserved for professionals. Anyone can become a professional in various fields and make a higher wage but it takes more than applying for an entry level job and showing up every day.

Originally posted by seabag
Couldn’t the same be said of employees in any company? Just because you work for a company and that company becomes successful doesn’t entitle you to anything other than your paycheck….and it certainly doesn’t entitle you to any ownership stake in the company.

again, who is asking for shares of the company? and i disagree, if you work hard, and do your part to make the company successful, you should get something for it....whether it's a raise, or extra time off, or maybe just a bonus of some sort....you should get some kind of acknowledgement, and reward for your hard work....that builds morale, and it breeds loyalty..

you really seem to have something against walmart employees.....i mean, sure, they're not always the brightest bulbs in the pack, but they're still people for f**k's sake, they still deserve to be treated as such..

For most people that would be a nice package. The thing you must keep in mind is that almost any company that compensated ALL of its employees that way would likely bankrupt itself. If checkers at Wal-Mart all made $50,000 per year with full benefits the company would promptly go broke, as would most companies.

That scenario is completely unrealistic and shows a complete lack of business acumen.

if i'm running the numbers right, they COULD actually support that sort of thing, without killing the company...sure, maybe the executives wouldn't be able to have MASSIVE bonuses, but really, what do they do to actually earn them anyway? last i checked, in the real world, drawing breath didn't entitle you to a yearly 100k bonus check....

but nobody's even really asking for 50k a year to work as a checker.....anywhere between 15-20k per year, with some kind of benefits package they could afford, would be good....it would keep them above the poverty line, off government assistance (thus lowering taxpayer burden) , and able to ensure that they are fed, housed, clothed, and that their children are gonna be ok. i'm sure we BOTH agree that the less people there are on government assistance, the better...

by the way, thanks for ignoring me (mostly) again...

Originally posted by seabag
reply to post by Daedalus

 

the difference between walmart, and all these other companies, (which i had stated to you in an earlier post to you, which you ignored, by the way) is that walmart has been pulling this crap for a LONG time....far before there was anything even remotely resembling a logical reason....

they're greedy bastards, plain and simple...

when you can pay yourself, your fellow executives, and high ranking managers HUGE bonuses every year, while the people who made you that money in the first place, struggle to keep a roof over their head, and food in their bellies, and not feel the slightest bit bad about it, you're a greedy bastard...it's just that simple.

How is that greedy??? If you are part of the management staff you’re going to make more money than the door greeter or cashier.

The fact that you’re employed doesn’t entitle you to a certain income level. I’ve already explained that this is absolutely a pipe dream and completely unrealistic. Why in the world would any company pay someone a great salary, bonuses and healthcare for doing a job that anyone off the street could do?????

Higher salaries are reserved for professionals. Anyone can become a professional in various fields and make a higher wage but it takes more than applying for an entry level job and showing up every day.

You're being ridiculous..

again, nobody (real world) is advocating a "great" salary......they're advocating decent pay, and affordable health benefits...if walmart would live up to it's responsibility to take care of it's employees, we (the taxpayers) wouldn't hafta take on the added financial burden of providing EMPLOYED PEOPLE with health benefits, and SNAP cards, because their employer is too greedy to pay them enough to live on..

of course managers will make more money...management is a high stakes game, and the higher the stakes, the better the pay...

i'm not against management making more, i'm against the general staff not making enough to be able to live on, so that management can make more....that's wrong...

what you don't seem to understand is that the general staff...regular employees, are what make a company work...without them, THERE IS NO COMPANY....how can you not understand this?

i'm not saying they should get the world for their labor, but they should be treated decently, because they ARE important..

reply to post by Daedalus

Might i ask what you do for a living?

I’m a business manager. I manage a small franchise company with 4 locations and 45 employees and I'm also a small business owner with 1 location and 6 employees. I had a second small business (a promotion company) until 2011 when the economy and other commitments finally forced me to close.

Might i also ask if you were to lose whatever job you currently have, are there sufficient job opportunities in your area?

Absolutely! There are plenty of jobs in Texas and my field of work allows me to cross over into almost any business.

And might i also ask what kind of education and skill set you have?

i suspect you're Ex-Military, and if you are, that is fantastic -salute- ..but what other skills do you have?

I have a BS in Business Management.

We're not just talking about lousy wages, no access to health insurance (which shouldn't even exist), and reduced hours...

we're talking about locking employees into the store overnight, deleting hours from time sheets, to avoid having to pay for the time, forcing employees to work through breaks, forcing employees to work off the clock...we're talking about the economic burden to communities where walmart sets up, and the economic burden to every taxpayer in america, not to mention things like how they treat their suppliers, their sweat-shop-produced goods, their import of cheap chinese crap, instead of american goods......look it up, i'm not making any of this up....

So don’t work or shop at Wal-Mart!!

walmart is also not the largest employer in the world....

as of 2012, the largest employer in the world was the United States Department of Defense, followed by the People's Liberation Army, followed by China Railway Engineering Corporation, followed by WalMart....

they are 4th largest, and as to why?....well, they have 8500 stores....they don't run themselves...

OK, so Wal-Mart is the second largest employer in the US.

and to your first point......nobody's demanding "profit sharing"...they're demanding a wage that doesn't put them below the friggin' poverty line...they're looking for access to medical care. this is basic stuff that you expect from an employer in a civilized society...a wage you can live on, and access to what is needed to make sure the employee can remain healthy and productive...

as i said before, corporations pretty much ARE beholden to their employees, because without employees, the machine stops working, and NOBODY makes any money...that seems to me to be an outcome one would want to avoid, would it not?

That is a bunch of garbage. If you do an entry level job and expect a living wage you’re a moron. Living wages are reserved for people with a skillset that isn’t easily achieved. Any buffoon can work a cash register. That is an entry level position and deserves and entry level paycheck IMO. That’s how the world works. If you don’t like it, work hard, get and education, learn a skilled trade and work your way into a good paying job like everyone else who earns a good living rather than complaining about how ‘unfair’ every company is.

reply to post by Daedalus

again, who is asking for shares of the company? and i disagree, if you work hard, and do your part to make the company successful, you should get something for it....whether it's a raise, or extra time off, or maybe just a bonus of some sort....you should get some kind of acknowledgement, and reward for your hard work....that builds morale, and it breeds loyalty..

I totally agree with you and I have an incentive (bonus) program for my employees. However, employees shouldn’t bitch and complain about it or demand it. The company doesn’t OWE its employees anything but a paycheck….anything else is at the owner’s discretion.

you really seem to have something against walmart employees.....i mean, sure, they're not always the brightest bulbs in the pack, but they're still people for f**k's sake, they still deserve to be treated as such..

Not at all!! No way!!

I simply stated that if you do entry level work you deserve entry level pay. That’s fair!

if i'm running the numbers right, they COULD actually support that sort of thing, without killing the company...sure, maybe the executives wouldn't be able to have MASSIVE bonuses, but really, what do they do to actually earn them anyway? last i checked, in the real world, drawing breath didn't entitle you to a yearly 100k bonus check....

But its not your company or your money. If you want to decide what’s FAIR then start your own business. Until then you’re being very greedy by trying to tell others how to spend their money. It’s none of your business!

but nobody's even really asking for 50k a year to work as a checker.....anywhere between 15-20k per year, with some kind of benefits package they could afford, would be good....it would keep them above the poverty line, off government assistance (thus lowering taxpayer burden) , and able to ensure that they are fed, housed, clothed, and that their children are gonna be ok. i'm sure we BOTH agree that the less people there are on government assistance, the better...

Yes, less people on assistance is better. Again, I agree that would be great but its not our place to try and dictate to Wal-Mart what it must pay or provide. This isn’t a communist country, sir!

by the way, thanks for ignoring me (mostly) again...

I didn’t mean to ignore anything. Ask me whatever you’d like and I’ll give you my opinion. I aim to please!

reply to post by Daedalus

i'm not against management making more, i'm against the general staff not making enough to be able to live on, so that management can make more....that's wrong...

It’s none of your business and it’s not your money!

what you don't seem to understand is that the general staff...regular employees, are what make a company work...without them, THERE IS NO COMPANY....how can you not understand this?

What you don’t seem to understand is we have a FREE MARKET and there are 20 people lined up behind every employee, and those people are willing to do the job for less. It makes no sense for me to pay someone $15 per hour for a job that rates $7.50. If you don’t like it, step aside and let the man behind you fill that spot for $7.50.

i'm not saying they should get the world for their labor, but they should be treated decently, because they ARE important..

Look, I totally agree with where you’re coming from and I can tell by your posts you’re a caring person who wants the best for everyone. Please understand that I DO, TOO. I’m being a realist and in reality it is not good business when you make decisions from the heart rather than from the mind. Nobody at Wal-Mart is a slave and all of those employees are free to seek employment elsewhere. I wish everyone success in life but in my world your reward is what you make it…it takes hard work, education, skill and time to get to a good wage. I don’t like people who expect more than they’re worth. As an employer, I will decide what you’re worth TO ME! My criteria is simple and everyone knows how to achieve it; those who do get rewarded and those who don’t get nowhere. That’s life! If you want to call the shots then open a business and pay everyone what you think is fair. I promise you this, there will STILL be some people in your company who think YOU are a greedy SOB and not paying them enough!

So how does this work when Obamacare comes into play? Is it that only full timers have to be required to have the insurance through companies or will they make it so that any business from 1 hour a week to 40+ has to be required to give insurance?

If it's just say 30 hrs and up, I can guarantee that every job everywhere in the USA will only hire people for 29 hours and have double the workers to make up for the 40 hrs a normal worker would usually get to circumnavigate the 'need to pay out insurance'.

So either way, we'll have to work less hours, pay bills and rent ON TOP OF having to pay out of our own pockets for Obamacare?

That's disgusting. *vomit*

Originally posted by seabag
reply to post by Daedalus

 

I’m a business manager. I manage a small franchise company with 4 locations and 45 employees and I'm also a small business owner with 1 location and 6 employees. I had a second small business (a promotion company) until 2011 when the economy and other commitments finally forced me to close.

I applaud you on your success.

]Absolutely! There are plenty of jobs in Texas and my field of work allows me to cross over into almost any business.

while that is good for you, the conditions there are not the same everywhere.

I have a BS in Business Management.

that is also good.

the point of those questions (as i suspected the answers would be), is that not everyone has the education you have, or had the opportunities you had, or even has the wherewithal to access the means to achieve anywhere near what you have....sometimes walmart or mcdonalds is all they can get. they might be just as smart as you, and just as capable, but unfortunately, in today's employment environment, merit, intelligence, and skill count for very little. it's more about who you know, and what credentials you have. you could be dumb as a post, and COMPLETELY incapable of coming up with creative solutions to problems, but as long as you know the right people, and went to the right schools, and have all the right pieces of paper, you're set, no matter how much of a dumbs**t you are...it wasn't always this way..

So don’t work or shop at Wal-Mart!!

i'd rather remain "unemployed", than work at a walmart, and i haven't set foot in one in over 10 years...

OK, so Wal-Mart is the second largest employer in the US.

yes...yes they are....to me, that means something..

it means they should be leading the industry by example....they should be what other companies aspire to be....and they kinda are that, but for all the wrong reasons...

they should be a favorite of the people...but they're not.....they sleazed their way to the top, by being just another in a long line of scumbag corporations that cares more about profits, and the bottom line, than it does about the people who made the generation of those revenues possible in the first place...


part 2 coming up..

That is a bunch of garbage. If you do an entry level job and expect a living wage you’re a moron. Living wages are reserved for people with a skillset that isn’t easily achieved. Any buffoon can work a cash register. That is an entry level position and deserves and entry level paycheck IMO. That’s how the world works. If you don’t like it, work hard, get and education, learn a skilled trade and work your way into a good paying job like everyone else who earns a good living rather than complaining about how ‘unfair’ every company is.

I think there's a bit of a miscommunication here....maybe a difference in definitions...

there's a big difference between living, and living well..

to me, living, is being able to afford the basics....food, clothing, and shelter..nothing fancy, or lavish..just basic life essentials...

i mean, you said yourself, people get a job to make money....they get a job to make money, because they need money for food, clothing, and shelter......if you cannot afford those basics, then what is the point in having that job?

i'm not looking for any silly commie "everyone is equal" bulls**t....all i'm saying is that even if you're an entry level employee, you should be able to afford the basic, bare essentials....and with what they pay these people, they can't do it without government assistance, which then shifts their financial burden to the taxpayers....i think that's MORE communist than making it so the employees can afford it themselves....that's wealth redistribution, so now you, with your success, hafta pay to help support people who are employed, and should be able to pay for this stuff themselves..

even if you're working an entry level job, you should still be entitled to the dignity of being able to stand on your own two feet...even if the place you're standing isn't in the best shape, you should still be able to do that...

Originally posted by seabag
]It’s none of your business and it’s not your money!

that's partly true...

when my taxes increase to help pay for new enrollments in "welfare" SNAP, HUD, Section 8, and Medicaid, because walmart wants to lowball the s**t out of everything, that kinda makes it my business, a little bit.....because that IS my money..

What you don’t seem to understand is we have a FREE MARKET and there are 20 people lined up behind every employee, and those people are willing to do the job for less. It makes no sense for me to pay someone $15 per hour for a job that rates $7.50. If you don’t like it, step aside and let the man behind you fill that spot for $7.50.

we actually don't have a free market anymore....we have a manipulated, controlled market....just look at "too big to fail"...no business should be too big to fail, the market should be allowed to work itself out, but the government bails out corporations that SHOULD fail, and leaves us (the taxpayers) with the bill....

as long as there's such a thing as "too big to fail", the free market is an illusion...

Part 3 coming up...

reply to post by Daedalus

the point of those questions (as i suspected the answers would be), is that not everyone has the education you have, or had the opportunities you had, or even has the wherewithal to access the means to achieve anywhere near what you have....sometimes walmart or mcdonalds is all they can get. they might be just as smart as you, and just as capable, but unfortunately, in today's employment environment, merit, intelligence, and skill count for very little. it's more about who you know, and what credentials you have. you could be dumb as a post, and COMPLETELY incapable of coming up with creative solutions to problems, but as long as you know the right people, and went to the right schools, and have all the right pieces of paper, you're set, no matter how much of a dumbs**t you are...it wasn't always this way..

Though I don’t think you intended to be offensive that was a bit rude. You imply that my achievements (pretty average by most people’s standards) are somehow the result of being in the right place at the right time and knowing the right people. You also imply that simply having a degree gets you a high paying job regardlesss if you're an idiot. Both of these implications are false.

Everyone in US has the opportunity to be successful if they work at it. I couldn’t afford college so I served 8 years in the Marine Corps to pay my own tuition. I went to college as an adult while working a full time job and raising a family. I worked my arse off to get where I am and was never handed anything. While I do agree that I have been very lucky, my good fortune has more to do with my unwillingness to make exceptions or excuses than any luck. I’ve made crappy wages in my life. At one point my wife and I both worked and barely scraped by. I did what most people do! I put my pants on every morning, went to school, went to work, worked hard every day for years and worked my way up!

Yes, there are some people who are incapable of climbing the ladder in ANY profession. For people who really are mentally or physically challenged we, as a society, have set up social programs to help those people. However, I think that is a VERY small percentage of society. Most people today are capable of working their way up but would rather work less and get paid more….they don’t think its "FAIR" that they have to pay their dues and suffer on the way up. I say, “Too friggen bad!! Suck it up, Nancy!!”

Wal-Mart isn’t staffed by the mentally retarded!! There are plenty of smart people who work for that company and have no problem working their way up and earning a great living. For those who can’t, I’m sorry. But we can’t start trying to dictate to companies what they need to pay or what benefits they must provide; if that happens the free market will be officially dead. Obamacare is a great example of how government doesn’t understand the burden businesses face in the real world. Once government gets involved it will really muck everything up. You haven’t seen high unemployment yet….give it time. If they pass some of the new minimum wage hikes they've proposed you'll see 40% unemployment and $15 hamburgers at your local restaurants.

Look, I totally agree with where you’re coming from and I can tell by your posts you’re a caring person who wants the best for everyone. Please understand that I DO, TOO. I’m being a realist and in reality it is not good business when you make decisions from the heart rather than from the mind. Nobody at Wal-Mart is a slave and all of those employees are free to seek employment elsewhere. I wish everyone success in life but in my world your reward is what you make it…it takes hard work, education, skill and time to get to a good wage. I don’t like people who expect more than they’re worth. As an employer, I will decide what you’re worth TO ME! My criteria is simple and everyone knows how to achieve it; those who do get rewarded and those who don’t get nowhere. That’s life! If you want to call the shots then open a business and pay everyone what you think is fair. I promise you this, there will STILL be some people in your company who think YOU are a greedy SOB and not paying them enough!

this is true, they are free to seek other employment....the problem is, walmart might be the only game in town, or they might not be qualified for anything else, or might not be as attractive to a perspective employer as other applicants...there are a lot of variables...i'm willing to bet a lot of the people that work at the stores are kinda suck there....

and if i bent over backwards, and made almost what my employees did, JUST to make sure i was able to pay them decently for what they did, and a few of them still bitched, well, screw them.....some people really ARE just greedy f**kwits, with an overblown sense of self-importance, and entitlement......i don't think this is the case with walmart...

the point is, if you're doing right, nothing can argue with the facts...

Originally posted by seabag
reply to post by Daedalus

 

I totally agree with you and I have an incentive (bonus) program for my employees. However, employees shouldn’t bitch and complain about it or demand it. The company doesn’t OWE its employees anything but a paycheck….anything else is at the owner’s discretion.

and that is awesome, and i totally agree....a company doesn't owe it's employees anything other than the paycheck....the problem is when the paycheck is so lousy that you hafta make a decision between paying the rent, and buying groceries....that should NEVER happen. what should also never happen is forcing an employee to work through the break they're legally entitled to, deleting hours off their time card, making them work OT, and then not paying them for it...that company OWES you that money you worked for....

now, before i'm accused of contradicting myself, i said i think companies SHOULD provide some kind of affordable health insurance plan to it's employees...that's not to say walmart OWES it's employees health benefits, i'm saying they SHOULD offer it..

Not at all!! No way!!

I simply stated that if you do entry level work you deserve entry level pay. That’s fair!

ok, it just looked to me like you had nothing but disdain for them protesting the conditions and circumstances under which they're forced to operate...it felt like you painted them as undesirables, who deserve whatever crap they get. maybe i misinterpreted your words....i just got a lot of venom and vitriol from your posts about them...

But its not your company or your money. If you want to decide what’s FAIR then start your own business. Until then you’re being very greedy by trying to tell others how to spend their money. It’s none of your business!

see my post above about my taxes increasing to cover the added costs of walmart employees...it kinda is my business, and it kinda is my money....

i'm not being greedy at all, as i have no stake in the company...i'm simply pointing out morally reprehensible business practices..

Yes, less people on assistance is better. Again, I agree that would be great but its not our place to try and dictate to Wal-Mart what it must pay or provide. This isn’t a communist country, sir!

and again, nobody is dictating anything to anyone...we're all just having a discussion about a company that has a long track record of abusing it's employees...

I didn’t mean to ignore anything. Ask me whatever you’d like and I’ll give you my opinion. I aim to please!

yeah, i hadn't seen the time stamp...you hadn't really ignored me, you were still in the process of catching up on replies.. no worries.

reply to post by Daedalus

I think there's a bit of a miscommunication here....maybe a difference in definitions...

there's a big difference between living, and living well..

to me, living, is being able to afford the basics....food, clothing, and shelter..nothing fancy, or lavish..just basic life essentials...

i mean, you said yourself, people get a job to make money....they get a job to make money, because they need money for food, clothing, and shelter......if you cannot afford those basics, then what is the point in having that job?

i'm not looking for any silly commie "everyone is equal" bulls**t....all i'm saying is that even if you're an entry level employee, you should be able to afford the basic, bare essentials....and with what they pay these people, they can't do it without government assistance, which then shifts their financial burden to the taxpayers....i think that's MORE communist than making it so the employees can afford it themselves....that's wealth redistribution, so now you, with your success, hafta pay to help support people who are employed, and should be able to pay for this stuff themselves..

even if you're working an entry level job, you should still be entitled to the dignity of being able to stand on your own two feet...even if the place you're standing isn't in the best shape, you should still be able to do that...

While that sounds very reasonable, I must point out most people who make minimum wage are young people who live with their parents or have roommates. I’ve had to have roommates before so I could make ends meet. Minimum wage isn’t designed to support a person…its entry level pay. If you do entry level work you get entry level pay. People who make low wages had better work harder or work 2 jobs until they find their niche in life and work their way up! That’s life!

By the way, how many broke people have you seen driving cars with aftermarket wheels and loud stereo systems?

Maybe they should prioritize a little better??

that's partly true...

when my taxes increase to help pay for new enrollments in "welfare" SNAP, HUD, Section 8, and Medicaid, because walmart wants to lowball the s**t out of everything, that kinda makes it my business, a little bit.....because that IS my money..

You can’t blame Wal-Mart for that. In this thread I’ve shown you that MANY companies (large, medium and small) are ALL cutting hours to avoid this Obamacare crap. All companies that have entry level positions pay entry level wages.

we actually don't have a free market anymore....we have a manipulated, controlled market....just look at "too big to fail"...no business should be too big to fail, the market should be allowed to work itself out, but the government bails out corporations that SHOULD fail, and leaves us (the taxpayers) with the bill....

as long as there's such a thing as "too big to fail", the free market is an illusion...

I agree with you wholeheartedly. No business should EVER get a government bailout. If that business made bad decisions then it should go through bankruptcy and restructure or fold. Taxpayer money should never go into a private business.

reply to post by seabag


naw, i didn't mean it that way...

never meant to imply that YOUR success was the result of knowing the right people, or anything like that....

i was speaking in general terms..i've seen it more time than i can count where totally unqualified individuals are put in positions, and completely qualified people are passed over....and it was due to internal politics, relationships, and pieces of paper....

i'm sure you worked your end off getting where you are....and i'd expect nothing less from a marine...it takes a certain mindset, and fortitude to BE a marine, and if you can hack it there, you can do almost anything...

not everyone is that awesome though...and don't take that the wrong way, it wasn't meant to sound condescending, it's just a fact...not everyone can do what you've done, so they won't be as successful as you are, or have what you have, nor should they...

i was just talking about being able to afford basics.....if they can get that, maybe it puts them in a place where they can start to think "well, if i can have this on what i make, if i work harder, how much better could i make it?"...and hopefully that leads to them working harder to better themselves...

i dunno, maybe that's just how MY mind works...i'd like to think more people than just me think that way, with regards to improving one's station in life..

i'm gonna start this off by asking you kindly if you could stop rolling your eyes at me...

it's really disrespectful...kinda rude, and dismissive... almost you think i'm some kind of dumb, or something.....really not cool man..i've tried to be as respectful to you as possible throughout this exchange, i'd ask for the same respect in return.

Originally posted by seabag
reply to post by Daedalus

 

While that sounds very reasonable, I must point out most people who make minimum wage are young people who live with their parents or have roommates. I’ve had to have roommates before so I could make ends meet. Minimum wage isn’t designed to support a person…its entry level pay. If you do entry level work you get entry level pay. People who make low wages had better work harder or work 2 jobs until they find their niche in life and work their way up! That’s life!

I'm all for working harder to make more money, but when your employer won't let you, that kinda kills that option...i mean, you can put in extra effort, and work harder in that way, but there is honestly no point is putting in the extra effort if your hours are capped...why put in the extra effort for no added compensation?

maybe they;ll get lucky, and find a shot elsewhere that has actual advancement opportunities, but until then, as i said before, they're kinda stuck.... -shrug-

By the way, how many broke people have you seen driving cars with aftermarket wheels and loud stereo systems?

Maybe they should prioritize a little better??

agreed.

of course, where i live, broke people have nice stereos because they stole them out of other people's cars...

You can’t blame Wal-Mart for that. In this thread I’ve shown you that MANY companies (large, medium and small) are ALL cutting hours to avoid this Obamacare crap. All companies that have entry level positions pay entry level wages.

i sure as hell can, because i've repeatedly made the point that they've been doing this for a long time....WAY before anything like obamacare was even an idea....they have been a financial burden to taxpayers and local communities for a very long time....

this isn't new, and it's not because of obamacare.....yes, other companies are finding themselves having to make similar changes because of obamacare, but for walmart, operating like this has been the norm for something like 20 years..

I agree with you wholeheartedly. No business should EVER get a government bailout. If that business made bad decisions then it should go through bankruptcy and restructure or fold. Taxpayer money should never go into a private business.

awesome....now not to pick, or beat you over the head with your own words, or anything....

but given that we both think "too big to fail" is goddamn awful, why is it any better for the taxpayers to be forced to subsidize the operation of a corporation that pulls in MORE than enough money to take care of itself?

again, i'm referencing the added taxpayer burden of employed people being enrolled in SNAP, HUD, and Medicaid, because of walmart's low pay, intentional shafting of employees on hours, and refusal to make their insurance affordable, or in some cases, to even offer it....

reply to post by Daedalus

naw, i didn't mean it that way...

never meant to imply that YOUR success was the result of knowing the right people, or anything like that....

i was speaking in general terms..i've seen it more time than i can count where totally unqualified individuals are put in positions, and completely qualified people are passed over....and it was due to internal politics, relationships, and pieces of paper....

I’ve seen that too but it was in the Military. I’ve dealt with quite a few twenty-something, boot (newbie) officers fresh out of college who jump right into leadership positions. I didn’t like the system, which was definitely one of the reasons I got out. I know for a fact that I was held back and wasn’t able to contribute to my fullest extent because of the rank system in the military and the fact I didn’t have a piece of paper that said I was educated.

It is frustrating. I can’t speak to that in the civilian world because I’ve never worked for a large corporation but I’m sure it happens. My solution was to get that “piece of paper” and seek employment elsewhere. Since then I’ve grown professionally and I’ve never looked back!

i was just talking about being able to afford basics.....if they can get that, maybe it puts them in a place where they can start to think "well, if i can have this on what i make, if i work harder, how much better could i make it?"...and hopefully that leads to them working harder to better themselves...

Don’t people have that now? Weren’t the minimum wage laws designed to close that loop?

i dunno, maybe that's just how MY mind works...i'd like to think more people than just me think that way, with regards to improving one's station in life..

Well, you’re a caring person. I agree with most of what you say on this and other topics and I went back and threw stars on your posts here because I enjoy the conversation.

I simply don’t think Wal-Mart is any different than most companies. I think they get an unfair rap simply because they are so large (they’re a large target). The goal of any company is to make profit, not to provide jobs and paychecks; those are byproducts of work not company goals. I would hope that most manager understand that their team’s success is their success, and I hope they recognize and reward their employees who excel. I certainly try to do right by my employees and pay them as much as my budget allows. I also try to fast track people who really perform above average. I have a promote-from-within policy and NEVER hire outside management. I think larger businesses simply loose site of the little things. I probably wouldn’t do well in that environment.

reply to post by Daedalus

i'm gonna start this off by asking you kindly if you could stop rolling your eyes at me...

it's really disrespectful...kinda rude, and dismissive... almost you think i'm some kind of dumb, or something.....really not cool man..i've tried to be as respectful to you as possible throughout this exchange, i'd ask for the same respect in return.

It’s not meant to offend you…just being expressive!

I'm all for working harder to make more money, but when your employer won't let you, that kinda kills that option...i mean, you can put in extra effort, and work harder in that way, but there is honestly no point is putting in the extra effort if your hours are capped...why put in the extra effort for no added compensation?

maybe they;ll get lucky, and find a shot elsewhere that has actual advancement opportunities, but until then, as i said before, they're kinda stuck.... -shrug-

That would be true if that was the case but nobody has proven that’s the case at Wal-Mart. I’m quite confident that I could move up the chain of command at Wal-Mart if given a chance to start. I could be wrong but I’m pretty confident. It’s been my experience that most people make a decision (every day) about how they will conduct themselves at work and how much effort they will put in. I totally agree that if someone feels they aren’t being given enough opportunity for advancement then they should leave….I did….but I don’t think anyone is “stuck”. It’s a free country still….kind of!

agreed.

of course, where i live, broke people have nice stereos because they stole them out of other people's cars...

Well, that’s one way to get it!

I’ve had many lower wage employees paying $500 per month car payment on nice sports cars and then hit me up for a raise because they’re struggling. Their decisions outside work aren’t my problem. Some people just need to learn responsibility.

i sure as hell can, because i've repeatedly made the point that they've been doing this for a long time....WAY before anything like obamacare was even an idea....they have been a financial burden to taxpayers and local communities for a very long time....

this isn't new, and it's not because of obamacare.....yes, other companies are finding themselves having to make similar changes because of obamacare, but for walmart, operating like this has been the norm for something like 20 years..

So then don’t work or shop there! It’s their business how they operate and it’s your choice not to participate or facilitate. Obviously most people don’t agree with your assessment or Wal-Mart wouldn’t be the second largest employer in the US.

By the way, do you have any idea how much the average Wal-Mart Supercenter pays in state and local taxes?? The money generated from those stores by states and local counties is astronomical. Those funds go to making your community better…better schools…better roads, etc. Not to mention the jobs they provide.

but given that we both think "too big to fail" is goddamn awful, why is it any better for the taxpayers to be forced to subsidize the operation of a corporation that pulls in MORE than enough money to take care of itself?

again, i'm referencing the added taxpayer burden of employed people being enrolled in SNAP, HUD, and Medicaid, because of walmart's low pay, intentional shafting of employees on hours, and refusal to make their insurance affordable, or in some cases, to even offer it....

Wal-Mart pays the same as every other retail company! They are required by law not to pay less than minimum wage. I pay new employees (entry level technicians) at some of my stores $7.25 (minimum wage). At my personal business I pay instructors $20 per hour. The difference being the type of work and the skills required to do the very different jobs. The market dictates the prices!

Example – If every retail store in your area paid $15 per hour for cashiers except Wal-Mart which only paid $7.50 per hour for cashiers, how many people do you think would even apply at Wal-Mart??

Originally posted by seabag
reply to post by Daedalus

 

Don’t people have that now? Weren’t the minimum wage laws designed to close that loop?

i'm guessing if they need to be on SNAP, and Medicaid, then no....they don't have that now.

the problem with minimum wage, is that it is never adjusted for inflation.....because of inflation, fractional reserve banking, and our current fiat currency, everything costs MORE than it did 10. or 20, or 30 years ago...but the minimum wage doesn't change relative to the inflation....so now everything costs more, and you're not making enough to cover the increases.

if you raise minimum TOO much, now companies make less money, and because executives (for large corporations, not you) are greedy, not at all humble, have grown accustomed to a a lavish lifestyle, and having excessive amounts of money, and are completely unable to process the concept of sacrifice, or tightening one's belt, they instead decide to cut costs, and maintain their lifestyle, by taking from the very people who make their lifestyle possible...so we have THAT going for us....

so that'd be increased unemployment, or drastically reduced hours, so now that minimum wage increase means jack s**t, because you're making EXACTLY what you were making before the increase, because they cut your hours..the only potential benefit is that because you now have more time on your hands, you MIGHT be able to secure a second (or third) job, which MIGHT allow you to make more money...

the bottom line is, it's almost as if we NEED some form of government intervention when it comes to large corporations, because government is the only entity that can actually touch them, and someone has to, because they can't be trusted to do right by their employees....i dunno..it's a huge mess, and there is no ideal way to fix any of it....and it all stems from certain people's just raw greed, and indifference...their inability to give a s**t about anything that isn't about them, for even just a minute....

Well, you’re a caring person. I agree with most of what you say on this and other topics and I went back and threw stars on your posts here because I enjoy the conversation.

I simply don’t think Wal-Mart is any different than most companies. I think they get an unfair rap simply because they are so large (they’re a large target). The goal of any company is to make profit, not to provide jobs and paychecks; those are byproducts of work not company goals. I would hope that most manager understand that their team’s success is their success, and I hope they recognize and reward their employees who excel. I certainly try to do right by my employees and pay them as much as my budget allows. I also try to fast track people who really perform above average. I have a promote-from-within policy and NEVER hire outside management. I think larger businesses simply loose site of the little things. I probably wouldn’t do well in that environment.

thanks...i like to think i'm a decent person....i used to be a COLOSSAL a**hole, but that attitude cost me dearly, so i worked really hard, and changed myself......15 years ago, or even as recently as like 18/19 years ago....if it didn't hafta do with me, i wouldn't have cared in the least, and i wouldn't have given a damn about the suffering of others...it was all about me...lol, i really was an a**hole.....

but as i said, it cost me a lot, and i came to the realization that that was no way to be...so i stopped being that way....in any event, i tossed you some stars as well, it's nice to have a decent conversation now and again....


i mean, if you study walmart, you'll find that they really are very different from other companies, in how they treat their employees..that really is the crux of it all..it all comes back to employee abuse...they just don't know how to treat people....honestly, how many other large corporations do you hear about abusing employees like walmart? just in big-box stores you've got target, best buy, costco, toys r us......how many of them do you hear these kinds of horror stories from?

i contend that while all large corporations do things that are not exactly good, that walmart is just a bit worse..

i mean, look at it this way....i've heard some bad things about best buy, target, and costco...but i still give them my money, because what i've heard about them, PALES in comparison to what i've heard about walmart....they're so bad, i boycotted them.....that says something, at least insofar as i'm concerned..

reply to post by Daedalus


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