Low Wage Workers and the Minimum Wage

Posted on February 15, 2013 by jway

In light of President Obama’s mention of increasing the minimum wage to $9/hr in his State of the Union address, the spotlight has turned to low wage workers and the companies that employ them.

On Wednesday, Business Insider published a piece citing the top 20 companies with the largest low wage work force. Perhaps unsurprisingly, Walmart came in as number one, with its astonishing workforce of approximately 1.4 million workers.

Meanwhile, Slate published a piece highlighting the positive impact that increasing the minimum wage could have on companies like Walmart in addition to its impact on workers. As the piece states:

“It’s a complicated issue with many moving parts. But one thing investors might want to consider is how minimum wage affects lower-class spending habits — and which companies could benefit if and when an increase takes place.”

Despite the complexities of the economic debate, one thing remains clear: Walmart workers understand the importance of a living wage as well as anyone. Regardless of what legislation is passed, community members still need to keep pressure on Walmart to treat their workers ethically and pay a living wage.

Comments

  • tompnoonan1961

    let get Walmart change into United
    Food And Commercial Workers Unionize Walmart Store for all Walmart Cashier
    Workers and for all Walmart Produce Workers and for all Walmart Deli Department
    Workers and for all Walmart Bakery Department Workers and for all Walmart
    Pharmacy Workers, let get Walmart change
    into Teamster Unionize Walmart Store for all Walmart and Sam’s Club Truck
    Driver Workers and for all Sam’s Club Forklift Driver@Stock Person Workers and
    for all Walmart Stock Person Workers and for all Sam’s Club Cashier Workers and
    for all Sam’s Club Meat Cutter@Meat Wripper Workers and for all Sam’s Club
    Produce Workers and for all Sam’s Club Deli Department Workers and for all
    Sam’s Club Bakery Department Workers and for all Walmart Customer Services Desk
    Workers and for all Sam’s Club Membership Desk Workers and for all Walmart
    Courtesy Association Workers and for all Sam’s Club Cart Attendance Workers and
    for all Walmart Maintenance Association Workers and for all Sam’s Club
    Maintenance Workers and for all Sam’s Club Pharmacy Workers, let get Walmart
    Change into Communication Workers of America Workers Unionize Walmart Store for
    all Walmart and Sam’ Electronics Workers, let get Walmart change into United
    Auto Workers Unionize Walmart Store for all Walmart Tire@Lube Express Workers
    and for all Sam’s Club Tire@Car Battery Installment Workers right of away and
    right now please by make Walmart give all Walmart Workers and all Sam’s Club
    Workers a Living Wage With Affordable Health Care Right of away and right now
    please without close down all the Walmart Store and without close down all the
    Sam’s Wholesale Club

    Think You Very Much

    From Tom P Noonan

  • floridanativee

    Congressman: Look, a minimum wage of $9.00 per hour isn’t much.

    Socrates: I’d like to know how you arrived at that
    figure. Was it some sophisticated equation, divine revelation or toss of
    the dice? Why didn’t you choose $20.00, which is not only a nice round
    number but also a lot more generous?

    Congressman: Well, $20 would be too high, for sure. Too much of a jump at once.

    Socrates: It sounds like you think the cost of labor
    might indeed affect the demand for it. Good! That’s progress. You’re not
    as oblivious about market forces as I thought. What I want to know is
    why you apparently don’t think higher labor costs matter when you raise
    the minimum wage from $7.25 to $9.00. Do you think everyone, regardless
    of skill level or experience, is automatically worth what Congress
    decrees?

    Congressman: Now hold on a minute. I’m for the worker here.

    Socrates: Then why on earth would you favor a law that
    says if a worker can’t find a job that pays at least $9.00 per hour,
    he’s not allowed to work?

    Congressman: I’m not saying he can’t work! I’m saying he can’t be paid less than $9.00!

    Socrates: I thought we were making progress, but
    perhaps not. Can you tell me, if your scheme becomes law, what happens
    to a worker who is worth only $7.00 because of his low skills, lack of
    education, scant experience or a low demand for the work itself? Will
    employers happily employ him anyway and take a $2.00 loss for every hour
    he’s on the job?

    Congressman: Businesses need workers and $2.00 isn’t much, so common sense and decency would suggest that of course they would.

    Socrates: So employers who employ people are too greedy
    to pay $9.00 unless they’re ordered to, but then when Congress acts,
    they suddenly become generous enough to hire people at a loss. Who was
    your logic instructor?

    Congressman: Can we hurry this up? I’ve got other plans for other people I have to think about.

    Socrates: I give up. You congressmen are incorrigible. You’re the only people on whom my teaching method has no discernible impact.

  • tompnoonan1961

    bject: Forward this email:

    Tom P –

    If Republicans in Congress don’t act by Friday to stop the so-called sequester, there will be far-reaching consequences on our economy.

    These disastrous consequences are completely avoidable, and the President has a balanced plan to stop the sequester.

    Share the graphic below to make sure your friends know we need to stop the sequester — the more people who spread this information, the better chance we have of convincing Republicans in Congress to avoid these harmful spending cuts:

    http://my.democrats.org/Stop-the-Sequester

    Not on Facebook or Twitter? Just forward this email to your friends.

    Thanks for your help,

    Patrick

    Patrick Gaspard
    Executive Director
    Democratic National Committee

    Paid for and authorized by the Democratic National Committee, http://www.democrats.org.
    This communication is not authorized by any candidate or candidate’s committee.

    Democratic National Committee, 430 S. Capitol St. SE, Washington DC 20003
    Contributions or gifts to the Democratic National Committee are not deductible as charitable contributions for federal income tax purposes.

    Click here to unsubscribe from this mailing list.

  • tompnoonan1961

    Why Wal-Mart is its own enemy

    Wal-Mart(WMT)drastically changed after the deaths of Samuel Moore Walton[Mr. Sam] and James Lawrence Walton["Bud"]. Daniel Mora and Joey Simplicio are examples of ambitious,greedy,and power hungry managers.

    About Me

    NAME: GADFLY_OF_BENTONVILLE_ARKANSAS LOCATION: KOBE, ARKANSAS, UNITED STATES

    The true reasons of this blog is to hopefully change the persons that are being criticized harshly in here into becoming better persons. We moved from Glendale California and when I used to work at Sam’s Club # 6625 in San Fernando California. I quit because I almost had a stroke from the problems created by management,so this is therapy for me. It is better than to do a “Post Office” or gp “Postal” on Joey Simplicio and I do not go to jail for life,so I just write him out of my mind for tranquility. Sincerely Mr. Roger Simpronio

    View my complete profile

    TUESDAY, AUGUST 22, 2006

    How Wal-Mart Makes Money

    Disclosure,Disclaimer,and Intent

    I will pray for them to become better employers,
    so please join me on my nightly prayers for eternity!!!

    The content in here by courtesy of the clause of Free speech written in 1st Amendment found in the US Constitution. Nobody likes to be criticized,so live with it.

    This site is pure criticism and designed so that they see their selves in a different way.

    So what you read is designed to see how the people being criticized here can read how others view them. Those doing criticizing can do it anonymously without fear of retribution or vengeful acts.

    We hope that these persons will change their views

    Harold Lee Scott,Junior is a big liar who is always quoting Samuel Moore Walton “Mr. Sam”

    In the international conglomerate money is life and without it they will go out of business,however,
    some of them such as Dell and Wal-Mart always think about executive board members and
    Owners/majority shareholders.

    Samuel Moore Walton “Mr. Sam” hated unions with passion and so do all Wal-Mart managers.
    They belong to WALPAC,Wal-Mart’s Political Action Committee.

    Managers at Wal-Mart/Sam’s Club,and other Wal-Mart owned always find petty,BUT legal ways and means as to not to giving a good payraise. They take almost two hour lunches and never complete tasks such as filing the Product Recalls on time. All of the managers are lazy and do not follow the rules they create for the Non-Management associates except the brown nosers.

    Does Wal-Mart do good things for people? Yes, but not without problems
    How Wal-Mart makes money

    Payroll reductions is always the number 1 priority and that is how the prices are low.

    0) Have everything made in the People’s Republic of China[PRC] or known to some as
    RED CHINA,

    1) Forcing people to wait one year before qualifying for health and dental insurance,

    2) Having to wait 7 years before becoming 100% vested,

    3) Understaffing,

    4) Buying cheap tools and software with no warranties,

    the following is one of the secret of their profit
    5) Always legally reformulating accounting practices,

    here is the real secret of their profit
    6) Started a “club’ within a “club.” it means that every department has to pay rent and their tools. The managers do not pay for their office space and their supplies
    [the real formula of the profit is this one you just read],

    7) Really stupid regulations such as the door greeter not allowed to moved off a pad.

    8) Delaying repairs on eqipment and holding on supplies,

    and finally

    9) Part time associates get their work hours severely reduced.

    “Bud” Walton Co-Founder of Wal-Mart had the courage to tell the Wal-Mart Executive Board his opinion of this practice. To read what happened to him after his stand

    buy the following book

    In Sam We Trust: The Untold Story of Sam Walton and Wal-Mart,the World’s
    Most Powerful Retailer(Paperback) by Bob Ortega of the New York Times
    http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/product-description/0812932978

    http://sayanythingblog.com/2004/12/28/walmart_selling_anti_walmart_book/

    An excuse for low raises is that the company has obligations of pay backs loans,but especially share owners.
    The Walton Family own about 61% of the company shares and the Executive Board keeps a lot of money.
    They have an anti-union staff to go where people want to form a union.
    Wal-Mart has been forced to leave South Korea and Germany.
    In the People’s Republic of China,people might succeed in forming a trade union.

    Why Sam’s Club 6625 SUCKS

    Daniel M Rodriguez of the tire shop,was “legally” fired after being accussed of stealing $300 by Club Manager Daniel Mora.

    Danny won Manager of the year 2005 and received a bonus of around $100,000 and the bonus received by Non-Management Associates: $0.00. Danny’s yearly salary is $100,000 and only likes people that kiss his butt. His pet is Jesus “Jesse” Carillo since he came with him from Texas.

    Danny,Fidel and Jesse are salaried managers

    and do not work their full 10 hours/day and

    50 hours/week.

    They take 2 hour lunches,but are authorized 1 hour.

    The following managers do Danny’s dirty work. Fidel Jacobo,Co-Club Manager,
    Esperanza Lopez,Assistant Manager ,and
    Ana Montano-Ordaz,Assistant Manager.
    Every manager at Club # 6625 only care for their bonus and salary.
    Danny Mora is the greediest General Manager

    in history at this location. He is followed by

    Bob Ortega”hispanic wanna be a white boy” of Oakland,

    Steve “Real white boy” Reeves,

    and

    Ronald M Nitti with Mary “Scary Mary” Hudson,also white people.

    Sam’s Club #6625

    12920 Foothill Blvd

    San Fernando CA 91340
    Telephone:(818)365-7710 and (818)365-2256

    Fax:(818)365-0690
    Cash office:(818)365-7710 ext 110,this is where the managers hide and make outgoing personal phone calls since the phone is NOT monitored.
    Located in
    Los Angeles County,but in the City of San Fernando California

    A greedy,power hungry,and ruthless sorry excuse of a man is Joey Simplicio

    Joey Simplicio,Junior

    Giuseppe Simplicio,Junior

    Sam’s Club manager November 1992 through May 2005

    Joey Simplicio of Sam’s Club # 6625 relationship with associates was like this. Associates always asked him why people do not get a decent raise along with the recognition such as Associate of the Month or for doing favors for him. Joey’s remark was ‘What do you get every two weeks? A paycheck and that is your reward’ while he received a bonus anda payraise.

    He never admitted mistakes and always tried to find it in others.

    Around September 2003,Club Manager Leo Ruelas from Texas had a training meeting for all of the Partners

    [Employees are called Associates at Wal-Mart,but they are called Partners at Sam's Club]

    to ensure that everyone knew how to do their jobs with respect to member “satisfaction.” Joey’s lecture was on how items can be located whether at Club # 6625 or another Sam’s Club. After the lecture, people from the Meat Department as to how to get access to Item Locater on the computer and scan gun. Not everyone is allowed access to this feature,it must be added
    by a manager. Joey refuse their request.

    Leo Ruelas was essentially at the club to “clean” the warehouse of duds,they forgot to get rid of Joey. Brenda M Caldera the Director of Operations for Region 54, demoted Stephanie from a salaried pay Business Manager to an hourly paid Bakery Manager and transferred to
    Sam’s Club #6455, 2401 North Rose Ave,Oxnard CA 93036-060201 (805) 983-2442 in Ventura County. Joey should had been demoted but was not because he was lucky in betraying Ms Stephanie Reynolds.

    He kept only promises that made him look good and helped his pay. Always quick to becoming angry,a bully, and ambitous on becoming a general manager of a warehouse,but with the way he intimidated and mistreated people;thus, he was NEVER considered the
    Warehous GM position. Joey started at Sam’s Club # 6629 of Woodland Hills California. He is now at Porter Ranch California near a Wal-Mart store.

    If you ever see Joey Simplicio,tell to SHUT UP.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Criticism_of_Wal-Mart

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walmart

    http://www.newsmeat.com/billionaire_political_donations/S_Robson_Walton.php
    http://www.newsmeat.com/billionaire_political_donations/Alice_Walton.php

    http://www.newsmeat.com/billionaire_political_donations/Helen_Walton.php

    http://www.newsmeat.com/billionaire_political_donations/Jim_Walton.php

    http://www.newsmeat.com/billionaire_political_donations/John_Walton.php

    http://www.newsmeat.com/
    http://www.davelippman.com/walmart/whyihatewalmart.html

    http://www.lawmall.com/rpa/biblio.html

    Read some books about Wal-Mart (WMT)
    How Walmart Is Destroying the America (And the World)
    By Bill Quinn

    Megamall on the Hudson: Planning, Wal-Mart and Grassroots Resistance
    By David Porter, Chester L Mirsky

    In Sam We Trust:
    The Untold Story of Sam Walton and Wal-Mart,
    the World’s Most Powerful Retailer
    (Paperback) by Bob Ortega
    http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/product-description/0812932978http://www.intellectualpoison.com/WalMartisPureEvil.html

    http://www.globalwatchwalmart.com/

    http://walmartwatch.com/blog/archives/wal_mart_executive_resigns_over_nazi_ad/

    http://www.smokr.info/capitalism/bb_wal-mart-1.htm

    in 2005,Wal-Mart made around $288,000,000,000[288 Billion US Dollars] but only spent
    420,000,000,000[4.2 Billion US Dollars] on associate’s health care.

    The true reasons of this blog is to hopefully change the persons that are being criticized harshly in here into becoming better persons. We moved from Glendale California and when I used to work at Sam’s Club # 6625 in San Fernando California. I quit because I almost had a stroke from the problems created by management,so this is therapy for me. It is better than to do a “Post Office” or gp “Postal” on Joey Simplicio and I do not go to jail for life,so I just write him out of my mind for tranquility. Cuahutemoc “Joe” Ochoa who worked 21 years for them was happy to have retired and will move to Jalisco Mexico in October 2006 PERMANENTLY

    I will pray for them to become better employers,
    so please join me on my nightly prayers for eternity!!!

  • Benjamin

    I know for a fact Walmart could pay a more decent wage and do just fine. I have worked for the company 4 years now and I see as much as half of my paycheck going right back into the store. They have their workers by the balls… Pay them low wages, give sub-par benefits and then get back a large percentage of the pay through employee purchases.

    • floridanativee

      Lincoln already freed the slaves. Nobody is forced to work at Wal-Mart. Do they sell cars, do they rent apartments, do they sell insurance, do they do childcare, or many of the other things folks spend money on. Employee sales are a very small part of their business and employees spend most of their money elsewhere. Wal-Mart pays about the same as their competition and their benefits are similar. They do better than most Mom and Pop stores. If Wal-Mart increased costs, they would have to increase their prices and they would lose business .Remember when Sears and K-Mart were huge? This whole 2 decade unsuccessful waste of union members money isn’t about the employees at all, but about the millions of dollars that the union bosses are losing. At least be honest about it.

  • floridanativee
  • twintuitive

    I’m just wondering how continuing to work for, & then spend your entire measly paychecks @ Wal-Mart is ever going to change anything here. Wal-Mart doesn’t care. Stop shopping there and stop working for them for near-nothing. Start your own business! Do something! Just STOP shopping there! DUH!
    I watched Wal-Mart destroy my hometown in 15 years.
    I don’t need any of their cheap Chinese merchandise and my town doesn’t need any more citizens it has to foot the bill for on Food Stamps & Medicaid. Stop working for these slave drivers. Simple. Stop shopping there and they DISAPPEAR!