Wal-Mart steps up PR offensive, supports minimum wage hike
Just a day after unveiling a new "low cost" health insurance plan for its employees (which includes, critics note, a $1,000 deductible), Arkansas-based Wal-Mart came out with another startling revelation, noted in today's Wall Street Journal news roundup via Arkansas Daily Blog:
So you might call this enlightened self-interest on Wal-Mart's part: throw a little more to workers, and maybe they'll step up their spending this holiday season.
The announcement drew a couple responses at the Arkansas Daily Blog:
Wow -- this is a full-court press.
Taking on critics of its treatment of employees while acknowledging the needs of working-class customers, Wal-Mart Stores Chief Executive Lee Scott, called on Congress to consider raising the minimum wage.Ah, the dilemma of the corporate class -- when is squeezing workers dry not such a great idea, since it means they can no longer buy your stuff? This basic contradiction of our economy has been delayed by "the plastic safety net" -- i.e., working families going into billions of dollars of debt to make up for low wages and economic insecurity. But with the bankruptcy bill kicking in, ringing up the credit cards isn't such a hot option for ordinary families, either.
In a speech to Wal-Mart directors and executives, Mr. Scott unveiled a series of initiatives designed to present a kinder, gentler face for the world's biggest retailer, which has come under stepped-up criticism for everything from its wages and benefits to its impact on small businesses, The Wall Street Journal notes.
But the proposal to lift minimum wage "is particularly likely to raise eyebrows," the Journal says. Though Wal-Mart pays above the current $5.15 an hour minimum wage -- the average hourly wage among its 1.3 million U.S. workers is just under $10 an hour -- some of its smaller competitors don't pay as much. As a result, a boost in the minimum wage could pressure the profitability of Wal-Mart competitors, the paper says.
So you might call this enlightened self-interest on Wal-Mart's part: throw a little more to workers, and maybe they'll step up their spending this holiday season.
The announcement drew a couple responses at the Arkansas Daily Blog:
Wow does Wal-Mart have this game figured out or what? Mark your prices so low that your competitors MUST pay their employees minimum wage to compete and then push for an increase in minimum wage so that you further their demise. What a fool-proof plan!And:
Lee Scott will be believed when supporters of raising the minimum wage in Arkansas can collect signatures for the ballot inititive outside WalMart stores without being arested for criminal trespass.UPDATE: Somehow I missed this -- the company has also announced it's going green:
Wal-Mart Stores Inc. has unveiled an environmental plan to boost energy efficiency, cut down on waste and reduce greenhouse gases tied to global warming as part of a wider effort to address issues where it has been pummeled by critics.
Wal-Mart Chief Executive Lee Scott said the world’s largest retailer wants to be a "good steward for the environment" and ultimately use only renewable energy sources and produce zero waste.
Wow -- this is a full-court press.
2 Comments:
Wal-Mart's average pay may be above minium wage but that is because of Sam Walton, not the curent board, I am an employee of wal-mart,I have been with the company for more than 14 years. There are many of us and we throw the real picture out of wack, We have not had an adjustment in pay when minimum goes up, and the board has changed our yearly pay increase form 5% to 0.50 cents, as of this year I take a pay cut for giving Wal-mart more than 10 years of my life, comming in on my days off, not calling in sick when I am, staying late when we are bussy, and none of this can be overtime, you are written up (not a good thing) if you work more than 40 hours, also the last general wage adjustment done in the company, anyone who had worked of Wal-Mart for 10 years or more got $0.00 increase..I was told that the reason for this was to decrease the big gap in the stores wages..My way of thinking..there should be a really big gap..as things stand now I make about $5.00 more than minimum wage. With the price of living increases, and minimum wage increases, I make pretty much what I did when I first started, if not less.
I have worked for wal-mart for 7 years and for the minimum wage pay... that is not true. Remember when wal-mart says their average employee makes ------they include all employees including salary employees and store managers. Of coarse that would seem as if they pay well! Seven years and the highest raises that I can get and I am making $6.80 an hour.....that isn't much more than minimum wage. By the time you subtract my health insurance from my pay I bring home less than $400.00 every two weeks. I pay my childcare and can almost put food in the house.
Wal-mart works people very hard for what they get paid. They have cut their own throats because now they have long timers that get paid extreme amounts and spend more time on breaks, and talking while us flunkies work to keep the store running. Wal-mart has no smypathy for family issues, health concerns, and would rather schedule your vacations than you ask for one. They can refuse your vacation and can make you reschedule if for some reason they need you do to someone quitting or illness.
Wal- mart needs to step up to the plate. If Sam Walton was alive this would not be happening and I bet he has rolled over in his grave more than once. They use to care . They care about money-----they hate to give full time to people because they would rather work people as part time. They have not given many work incentives unless you call the 10% discount only on General merchandise. NO Food what a joke wal-mart workers at times have to bring their own coffee mugs because they are to cheap to buy cups for them. That is what some of us have for lunch because we can't afford to eat and pay bills. I know many workers that work only for health insurance. Let wal-mart lie to you but ask employees they could care less if we starve or not!!!!! The only reason they would care if we died is that it would leave them short handed for a couple of days until we were replaced.
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