The walmart

[modelageek]

over the years the unions in Detroit put pressure on the politicians to enact laws that would favor the unions. The state had so many crazy regulations that it become impossible for car company's to build there. Who else would get a guranteed lifetime job? They all went to the south where it was favorable. it has become a win/win for the most people building cars in the south. Detroit dug there own grave. sorry if I am not sugar coating it.

 

[adsm08]

I'm more or less with Beast.

My uncle works for PA's DEP, he didn't want to join the department union, mostly because it would help keep him from getting furlowed if the budget didn't pass on time, but its a closed shop deal so even if he didn't join he'd still have to pay something like 80% dues, for no protection at all.

My mom refuses to join the union at the school district she works for because they support a lot of political causes that she opposes, she gets harrassed every time the district holds out on the new contract with the union members.

And Wal-Mart is evil. Giant bought up half the free land in my home town and lets the previous owners keep using it for free just to keep walmart out.

 

[351Mazda]

So what you're saying is that you have never worked union and therefor know nothing about what you are talking about? Untill you work a union job you really have no idea what's going on inside, just what the media portrays. 2 years ago the media was bashing the Pittsburgh port authority union for their contract. They asked for a 3% annual raise, less than inflation, and the media made it sound like they were a bunch of greedy union workers who are trying to bankrupt the city. 3%!!! On top of all this they were willing to reduce their health care benifits and raise the retirement age. But the unions are greedy. right.

 

[adsm08]

over the years the unions in Detroit put pressure on the politicians to enact laws that would favor the unions. The state had so many crazy regulations that it become impossible for car company's to build there. Who else would get a guranteed lifetime job? They all went to the south where it was favorable. it has become a win/win for the most people building cars in the south. Detroit dug there own grave. sorry if I am not sugar coating it.

Well you aren't wrong.

UAW kinda shot everyone in the foot, especially that deal they struck with GM over retiree pay and benefits. I'm not against the original idea of unions, and I think that they are still necessary to a point but that they have too much power now. And I never would have signed that deal as GM.

 

[adsm08]

So what you're saying is that you have never worked union and therefor know nothing about what you are talking about? Untill you work a union job you really have no idea what's going on inside, just what the media portrays. 2 years ago the media was bashing the Pittsburgh port authority union for their contract. They asked for a 3% annual raise, less than inflation, and the media made it sound like they were a bunch of greedy union workers who are trying to bankrupt the city. 3%!!! On top of all this they were willing to reduce their health care benifits and raise the retirement age. But the unions are greedy. right.

I'm not saying that they are all bad. I cited a few examples that I am familiar with where they either do more harm than good, or try to force people into joining either through theft in my uncle's case (and don't try to say that it wasn't), or harassment and ostracizing practices in my my mom's case.

She has been told on several occasions by members of the teacher's union that she is lower than dirt for not joining. But in her case the union isn't going to do a whole lot for her because she is happy with her salary and benefits, has specialized skills that can't easily be replaced, tenure, and her particular job requires her to float from building to building anyway, so they won't even be able to keep her in one spot.

 

[351Mazda]

I understand that in your mom's case the union isn't going to do a whole lot for her. How much do you think her not joining is hurting the union though? Is she paid and treaded the same as the union in her school? If so that's directely because of the union being there. The school wouldn't just magically come up with the same number for her as they do for the rest of the workers. And with your uncle if you sign up to work in a union business then you work union in said business. That's where the union gets their bargining power from. A strike and negotiations are worthless if only half the shop walks out.

 

[naford]

I don't shop at Walmart my nephew does work at one I only shop at one if I can't find anyplace else. I saw a show on PBS and Walmart actually forced some companies to use foreign labor to make goods. Not like they held a gun to there head but they said if you want to sell at Walmart you have to use our suppliers. I'm surprised that nobody has mentioned that Walmart got caught having employees work off the clock on breaks. They've been accused again. Or that Walmart closed down their meat departments in southwestern states rather than go union.

 

[bmonee5]

walmart is the kind of company that will give you benefits and PTO and insurance for full time employee's. Then they will hire alot more people and give them like 5 hours short of full time so they don't get any of that. All they care about is making more money and they don't care about the small guys. I saw a documentary about walmart how they overtake small towns and drive out the mom and pops of the world. BUT when times are down and you need work not much else you can do....but if you could find anything else i'd try. I would recommend trying to get into a construction trade when things start getting back up and running cause the money is their and with time and experience when times get slow you can stay busy...good luck!

 

[Spitfire1975]

Ahhhh walmart.... don't worry. Maybe we will see the beast fall a little. They are starting to price themselves out of profitability. They have been placed recently on the "sell" list when it comes to investments. My fund got rid of 'em. I try not to go there.
As for unions, I will say only this....I have been a member of a union (for a short time) and have worked closely in a heavily unionized industry. I will neither support a union nor call for their abolition. And as we sit here arguing over percentages, "rest breaks" and how much of our health care premiums we will be paying for, China and India are preparing to run all over our asses. But hey, my microwave only cost me $25.00.

 

[BlackBII]

Capitalism at it's finest...

The only thing that ANYONE cares about is money. Wal-Mart is just good at making it.

What we have here is just a bunch of whiners. You have a problem with them, either ignore it or do something about it.

No one is going to just hand stuff out, yet we have all these people just wanting handouts...It's not like WalMart is making money 'just because'...

There are a lot of people working really fawking hard to make it the most profitable business possible, props to them for making a money making company and employing a lot of people at the same time (both here and overseas)

Money is all that matters, that's why its a business

 

[feellnfroggy]

To the OP.
All their products are produced over seas by slave wage labor. They pay their employees very little with little to no benefits.

Its funny you mention this. We have a very good payscale compared to other countries. However what Americans dont realize is what we consider a "slave wage" is a pocket of gold for these other countries. In Iraq we pay teh interpreters 400 dollars a month. My interpreter was a vetrinarian in bahgdad. He quit is his practice to become an interpreter and makes more money now than he ever did. My other interpreter has 4 BMW's and a very large house, also in bahgdad. If you go to these other countries where we pay them 2-4 dolars an hour, it is their equivalent of 15-25 dollars an hours. I dont know why people cant understand this.

The only problem with outsourcing is that it takes jobs from us.

Thats said Im from down south where anything you need can be found a walmart superstore. However, I have a friend who works there. Listing the prices is one of her jobs and they mark up there products rediculously so they can mark them down and still charge more.

 

[Spitfire1975]

The only "real" problem I see with Wal Mart is how low they have driven the gross profit margins. If I am remembering correctly (so don't quote me) I believe they have gotten down to around 8%. Mom and Pops can't compete with that. Instead of a nation full of self reliant, business owning, responsible citizens, we are turning into a nation working for less than it takes to survive working for a huge corporation (no I don't have a problem with CEO's making 5-6 million) and needing government assistance to get by. Can't afford health care, school, food, housing, let alone retirement. And if you don't take assistance the other half has to work, kids are in daycare being raised by someone else and the fabric of the nation just starts falling apart. Obviously this is a way simplified view of it........But basically we are hitting a point where the problems we have can't be fixed. Wal Mart is just one symptom.

 

[Captain Ledd]

I don't have any particular malice toward either Wal-Mart or Unions.

Though, I don't particularly care for Wal-Mart's business practices or how they treat their suppliers, and I don't shop there. Simple as that, no activism or anything.

Unions... I have worked both with, for and without unions. They're not that nessecary now days. Breaks were ridiculous, I usually ignored mine 4/5 times. Neither time with a union made doing my job easier. Too much of a "good ol' boy" attitude (the union leaders seemed like really shady folk, both places).

If I had a preference, I'd never work for a union again. Too much politics like mentioned earlier.

They had there place and made alot of good (also like mentioned earlier). But that's just it. they did all these great things we should be thankful for decades ago. The only thing they've done recently is clog up your job, the system and be greedy.

I'm just glad I have a job period (in Michigan no less), even without ridiculous pay and spectacular benefits.

 

[TheBeast]

Well walmart gets tax breaks from the towns they move into for a certain period of years. When they build another one down the street, its because as they move out into another district or county, the time limit for the tax breaks are ending and they are getting out before paying a dime. Crooks.

 

[feellnfroggy]

The only "real" problem I see with Wal Mart is how low they have driven the gross profit margins. If I am remembering correctly (so don't quote me) I believe they have gotten down to around 8%. Mom and Pops can't compete with that. Instead of a nation full of self reliant, business owning, responsible citizens, we are turning into a nation working for less than it takes to survive working for a huge corporation (no I don't have a problem with CEO's making 5-6 million) and needing government assistance to get by. Can't afford health care, school, food, housing, let alone retirement. And if you don't take assistance the other half has to work, kids are in daycare being raised by someone else and the fabric of the nation just starts falling apart. Obviously this is a way simplified view of it........But basically we are hitting a point where the problems we have can't be fixed. Wal Mart is just one symptom.

It is simplified, but it is exactly the problem. To simplify it even more. The whole nation is stricken with selfishness.