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Walmart gets an unfair shake IMO. They provide very low cost items for poor people including fresh fruits and veggies and lean protein that many poor people can't get. Walmart allows poor people's dollars to go further.
Nonsense.
They are no less expensive, and honestly more expensive in many cases, for fresh protein and produce than my local supermarkets.
And, they are much more apt to sell low quality items in both categories.
Yes, the people in D.C. need more places to shop, but, no one needs to be held hostage to Walmart or any other corporation.
So they expect part time low skilled workers who're paid a little above minimum wage to be paid $3 to $4 above minimum wage? Really? I'm not familiar with the job market, but doesn't it seem stupid to require one business to pay part time cashiers $12.50 an hour?
Nobody is being given anything. Wal-Mart is not being subsidized. Wal-Mart is hiring people who do not have the skills to demand a higher wage, and paying what the market will bear.
The outside circumstances of said peoples' lives who may or may not require them to take welfare are completely and totally irrelevant. This is not Wal-Mart's problem. Period. Hiring someone does not make you responsible for that person's well being. It makes you responsible for what is agreed upon in your hiring contract.
"The idea that Wal-Mart employees can just up and quit and go somewhere else if they aren’t making enough money doesn’t work. In suburban and rural areas, Wal-Mart is often the largest employer around and they set the status quo for wages. "
I've heard that the Washington DC City Council is passing a law called a "Living-Wage Law", that says someone working for a large retailer like Wal-mart in the city, must be paid at least 1-1/2 times the city's Minimum Wage. The purpose, they say, is so that the person can support a family (I presume a family of 4?) on his wages.
What if his work (clerking or stocking or whatever) doesn't increase Wal-mart's revenue by that much?
What cosmic law suddenly made Wal-mart responsible for this person's family? I thought Wal-mart was founded to sell good and make a profit for the people who risked their money to invest in it and set it up?
Did God hand down a new commandment, saying that a family's needs must be supplied by working as a clerk or stocker for Wal-mart?
As far as I know, that kind of work has never been sufficient to support a family of four. Someone who tries to support such a family while only working for Wal-mart, is himself guilty of neglect. It's no different from trying to lift a 50-pound weight by using only a piece of kite string.
Does someone think they can change that by passing a law?
Well gee if I can get a 12 pack of Coke for $2.50 at Wal-Mart and my local grocery store sells the same thing for $5 why on earth would I but the grocery store Coke? I mean maybe you like throwing money away but I prefer budgeting it and directing it to other uses.
Can you get gas rewards at the Walmart?
How about $7.99 lb steaks - buy one get two free? Or chicken breasts? Or pork chops?
There are so many ways to cut costs shopping at places other than Walmart. But, of course, if Walmart is the only game in town, too bad for you.
Poverty in DC is 28.5% higher than the national average.
Violent crime is 4X the national average.
Cost of living is almost 50% higher than the national average.
It doesn't look like folks in DC are doing just fine.
Yeah...and the new Wal-Mart is just the panacea for all those ills.
Look, build it or don't...I don't give a damn. I'm simply saying that a Wal-Mart (or even a hundred Wal-Mart's) isn't any real difference maker in a place like D.C.
Wal-Mart I'm sure IS a difference maker in other places, and that's fine by me...for better or worse. I'm not a big box guy, so I could care less.
Wal-Mart is a multi hundred billion dollar organization, and they can afford to advocate for themselves without my help. They certainly aren't going out if their way to kiss my ass.
You really believe that the presence of Wal-Mart is gonna change anything in D.C. for the better? How?
Folks will have more access to cheap Chinese made products that they seem to be doing fine without right now.
Whether they build it or not, this isn't earth shattering one way or another. No one is gonna be lifted out of their present state by Wal-Mart. Lol...I don't know why you folks are so emotional about it.
We got our new shiny Supercenter about 3 years ago...no one here is screaming hallelujah about it. Folks lost interest a month after it opened.
I'm not anti Wal-Mart, I just reject the notion of them being the coming messiah and saviors of the poor.
I reject the notion that the are saviors of the poor they are a business. However their business does help the poor by keeping staple items affordable and providing jobs. DC will survive however the poor, Black parts will continue to muddle along with no major investment or jobs but who cares eh?
You call it "overpaying." It's my choice, so what's it to you? Do you have stock in Walmart?
Of course, it's also my choice to call you cheap and short-sighted.
Carry on. It's working so well for our national economy and wellbeing to continue saving a few bucks at WalMart.
it is overpaying
if a 24 pack (case) of BRAND NAME coca cola (not sam's cola) is 5.98 at walmart. but is 7.50 at A&P. yet A&P pays its employees the same or less than walmart...you are overpaying at A&P
the the very same Dan River sheet set is 24.99 at walmart, but 34.99 at Macy's...you are overpaying at Macy's...esecially since they pay their people the exact same hourly rate
if that pair of Nike's is 50 dollars at walmat, an is 75 dollars at Nordstron, or fashion footwear..then you are overpaying at $75
on the same note..walmart, a+p, pathmark, foodlion, all have gallon milk over $4....so I go to Walgreens (yes the drug store) for milk (was 2.99 last week on sale)
Last edited by workingclasshero; 07-11-2013 at 10:47 AM..
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A "living-wage law"?
