in response to charges that workers can't make ends meet, upmc opens employee food pantry (Pittsburgh: lenders, luxury)

[ferraris]

Originally Posted by SteelCityRising

UPMC is tax-exempt. They aren't required to pay taxes. Even factoring in taxes Wal-Mart still reaps billions more annually in profits than UPMC and pays its employees less. Judging by how packed their parking lots are locally I'm guessing Wal-Mart's employees matter less to most Pittsburghers than UPMC employees. For those claiming UPMC's office environment is more stressful I'd like to ask how many of you have worked for years in retail interfacing with an increasingly boorish general public? I have, and I'd champion the plight of a Wal-Mart associate who made $9/hr. and couldn't afford benefits ANYDAY over a UPMC secretary making $13/hr. after already factoring in benefits deductions.

I was just explaining why people pick on UPMC. They feel like UPMC is cheating everyone because they are wrongly categorized as tax exempt. (Not my opinion necessarily, just saying what many people think)

[sparrowmint]

Originally Posted by SteelCityRising

So, essentially, if I initiated unionization attempts at my employer in an attempt to secure better compensation and publicized my exaggerated plight of "struggling to buy food" I'd receive immunity because subsequently firing me after such attempts would create a terrible "black eye" for the organization? My employer and UPMC are similar on many fronts. My employer doesn't pay as well as UPMC. Why, then, does the general public hate UPMC so much more when they treat their employees better? I've struggled since moving here to understand why UPMC is hated so much by everyone when they provide so much in terms of stability for the local economy, not to mention cutting-edge research, charitable contributions, and relatively decent pay. Perhaps if I understood why you all hated UPMC so much I wouldn't feel so clueless?

Well, that's up to your employer, isn't it? That's the whole point of my post. They hold all the cards and workers have few rights. UPMC has made a choice. They could choose to make a different one, but they're trying to save face. Your employer might make a totally different choice, just like how Walmart closes down locations if a location unionizes. That's the choice Walmart makes, and it's one they get away with because a hell of a lot of people can't afford to shop anywhere else and others don't care about other people. They get away with this despite contributing heavily to America's conversion into a low wage service economy.

As for the rest of your post, don't look at me. You're the one that's inconsistent, complaining about your wages but attacking anyone else who's low income who dares to speak out against the race to the bottom. It's not just UPMC I hate, but considering this is a Pittsburgh forum, they tend to come up a lot.

[SteelCityRising]

Originally Posted by sealie

PNC is not universally loved either, if that makes you feel any better, Paul. When jobhunting, glassdoor.com is your friend.

Contrary to what people may have gleaned from this thread, though, I absolutely love PNC. They really could stand to pay slightly higher salaries to help retain talented front-line workers instead of shrugging their shoulders nonchalantly at high turnover, but I feel fortunate to work for one of the world's "greenest" corporations that also has invested millions to improve the lives of children as well as those who live in less fortunate areas. My benefits aren't as good as what UPMC offers, but at least I have benefits, which I feel blessed for. My partner's employer pays him so little he can't even afford health insurance. Ditto many of our friends, which should be alarming to those who champion Pittsburgh for having an excellent job market.

Look, I know I come off as a jerk, but I'm not heartless. I just don't understand why people love to single UPMC out for underpaying their employees when numerous other Pittsburgh employers pay similar or lower wages. As I said the University of Pittsburgh typically pays lower salaries than UPMC, yet they have a positive connotation in the eyes of many Pittsburghers. They are also tax-exempt. My one and only direct run-in with UPMC was after a severe car accident in Fall 2011. I walked into UPMC Shadyside Hospital's ER with neck pain and was treated with the utmost compassion, respect, and dignity.

Other than not paying taxes why else do so many of you hate UPMC? Just curious to see how this witch-hunt originated. I feel like those attempting to unionize at UPMC are enjoying additional support from the general public simply because people already had negative thoughts about UPMC. I happen to feel as if the base wages for the positions in question are fairly average. The era of expecting massive and highly-profitable entities to have as much concern for employee well-being as shareholder well-being is over, and it's not coming back.

[sparrowmint]

Originally Posted by SteelCityRising

Contrary to what people may have gleaned from this thread, though, I absolutely love PNC. They really could stand to pay slightly higher salaries to help retain talented front-line workers instead of shrugging their shoulders nonchalantly at high turnover, but I feel fortunate to work for one of the world's "greenest" corporations that also has invested millions to improve the lives of children as well as those who live in less fortunate areas. My benefits aren't as good as what UPMC offers, but at least I have benefits, which I feel blessed for. My partner's employer pays him so little he can't even afford health insurance. Ditto many of our friends, which should be alarming to those who champion Pittsburgh for having an excellent job market.

Because they don't see you, or your coworkers, as talented. They see you as replaceable and low skilled.

[SteelCityRising]

Originally Posted by sparrowmint

Well, that's up to your employer, isn't it? That's the whole point of my post. They hold all the cards and workers have few rights. UPMC has made a choice. They could choose to make a different one, but they're trying to save face. Your employer might make a totally different choice, just like how Walmart closes down locations if a location unionizes. That's the choice Walmart makes, and it's one they get away with because a hell of a lot of people can't afford to shop anywhere else and others don't care about other people. They get away with this despite contributing heavily to America's conversion into a low wage service economy.

As for the rest of your post, don't look at me. You're the one that's inconsistent, complaining about your wages but attacking anyone else who's low income who dares to speak out against the race to the bottom. It's not just UPMC I hate, but considering this is a Pittsburgh forum, they tend to come up a lot.

In regards to Wal-Mart I don't buy the notion that people can't afford to shop elsewhere. Yesterday I went to the Goodwill Store on East Carson Street and bought a nice Express dress shirt for $3.99 and a pair of dress pants for $3.99. We find great deals at garage sales and dollar stores. Using coupons we can shop relatively inexpensively at Target, which pays its employees better than Wal-Mart.

I used to work for Lowe's for years. When I left I was making about the same selling grills and lawn tractors as I do now selling credit cards and loans. If Lowe's, Target, Wegman's, and many other big-box retailers can pay their employees well, then so can Wal-Mart. I have little respect for someone who will shop at Wal-Mart right after bashing UPMC for not compensating its employees fairly. I haven't made a single purchase at Wal-Mart since I received a copy of the documentary "Wal-Mart: The High Cost of Low Price". It was an eye-opener for me, as I grew up in a town that revered Wal-Mart.

[SteelCityRising]

Originally Posted by sparrowmint

Because they don't see you, or your coworkers, as talented. They see you as replaceable and low skilled.

What they also don't realize is the negative backlash that high turnover can create with consumers. When I started working at my location I was the latest in a revolving door of bankers. People still like to build relationships with those who are entrusted with their finances, and people were genuinely saddened and upset to learn that my predecessors had left for greener pastures and were initially very reluctant to work with me. Constantly seeing new faces at your bank can be really irritating, especially when that new person has the audacity to ask for your identification. It can be like a dagger to your heart when you've been a loyal consumer for years. Why executives at professional entities don't seem to care about the psychological effects high turnover can have upon a client base is beyond my realm of comprehension.

[sparrowmint]

Since when is the only thing purchased at Walmart clothes? They're also a grocery store and a home goods store. I've worked there. 90+% of the stuff that comes down the belt are cheap foods.

Target does not pay better than Walmart. They're essentially equal. They only present the illusion of being a "classier" place but workers are not treated better, nor do they hire at full time hours at better rates than Walmart. I don't know anything about Lowes, so I won't comment on them, but typically there's only one major national retailer pointed to as being actually good for employees, and that's Costco (which is where I try to maximize my grocery spending, accordingly).

[alex_jones]

Originally Posted by sparrowmint

Because they don't see you, or your coworkers, as talented. They see you as replaceable and low skilled.

Most are.

[ferraris]

Originally Posted by SteelCityRising

I just don't understand why people love to single UPMC out for underpaying their employees when numerous other Pittsburgh employers pay similar or lower wages. As I said the University of Pittsburgh typically pays lower salaries than UPMC, yet they have a positive connotation in the eyes of many Pittsburghers. They are also tax-exempt.

As I noted earlier, I think the primary reason is that they are not taxed. But it's also because they are perceived as predatory and self serving (closing hospitals where the community needs them, building them where competitors already serve the community). There's also a lot of negative perception about their overseas and out of market expansion as well. Pitt may or may not be raking in the dough, I have no idea; but they aren't closing hospitals while pulling in record "profits" and acting in a hyper competitive way like UPMC. Then there's people who have had bad financial experiences with UPMC and bad health experiences with UPMC; those people are frustrated because there are relatively few non-UPMC options available in the area.

Also UPMC is the 2nd largest employer in the state; a very large target compared to Pitt or anyone else for that matter.

[Clint.]

Originally Posted by SteelCityRising

The era of expecting massive and highly-profitable entities to have as much concern for employee well-being as shareholder well-being is over, and it's not coming back.

Well, let's all stop the whining then and happily bend over and take it. I for one welcome our new overlords.