Minimum wage general strike

[BrownBrokeDown]

And less restaurants not named McDonalds, Burger King, etc, because none of them can afford to pay $15/hour plus Obamacare-level benefits. Also greater unemployment for teenagers/college kids, because if you can work for McDonalds instead of UPS, and make the same pay, why the hell would you work for UPS?

Spending other people's money is one of the easiest things in the world to do. What about when it's your own money? What about when it's not only a Big Mac that costs $10, but your Gym membership goes from $20/mo to $50/mo, because of the wage increase? What about when Boxer-Briefs go from $5/each to $12/each because Target now offers UPS-level benefits?

This post has way too much emotion in it, and not enough of anything that even approximates a plan to make these wild ideas actually work. Reading through here, you'd think the only places that underpay people are multi-billion dollar corporations--but the Mom&Pop Bed&Breakfast down the road is suuuurely paying its workers $15/hour plus benefits plus a pension.....right? No. Not right. Not even close to right. Like, Right is Seattle and you're standing, roughly, in Jackson, Mississippi.

Just take Costco vs Sam's for an example. Costco's employees are Teamsters, Sam's are not in a Union. Costco employees make near double what Sam's make after the same amount of time, have union insurance (which is better than 95% of corporate America), pension, etc, and Sam's doesn't have any these that are comparable to the Teamster benefits. The 2 companies could not be more different in their employee compensation and are in direct competition where both companies operate in the same area. Guess what? Despite all of that, Costco is not going out of business, they are in fact holding their own. Despite everything their employees get, they have just as cheap of prices as Sam's. I'm not even saying all companies need to meet the Costco criteria (would be nice though), but most large companies that are properly run (not Kmart the way it was run 10 years ago for example) could find middle ground with little to no problems and still make large profits. I would hazard to guess, that the shopping experience would improve also as most employees that are happy with their wages tend to work harder (UPS is an exception, lol).

 

[Catatonic]

Just take Costco vs Sam's for an example. Costco's employees are Teamsters, Sam's are not in a Union. Costco employees make near double what Sam's make after the same amount of time, have union insurance (which is better than 95% of corporate America), pension, etc, and Sam's doesn't have any these that are comparable to the Teamster benefits. The 2 companies could not be more different in their employee compensation and are in direct competition where both companies operate in the same area. Guess what? Despite all of that, Costco is not going out of business, they are in fact holding their own. Despite everything their employees get, they have just as cheap of prices as Sam's. I'm not even saying all companies need to meet the Costco criteria (would be nice though), but most large companies that are properly run (not Kmart the way it was run 10 years ago for example) could find middle ground with little to no problems and still make large profits. I would hazard to guess, that the shopping experience would improve also as most employees that are happy with their wages tend to work harder (UPS is an exception, lol).

In reality, Costco is higher than Sam's in identical items. However, Costco and Sams do not compete head to head.
Sams caters to the less affluent and small business owners while Costco locates their stores in more affluent areas.
Costco has upscale items for sale compared to Sams.
I belong to Sams and Costco and BJs as well.
I have compared prices at all three and Sams is the cheapest and Costco the most expensive.

That being said, I shop at Costco more often, if I am close (30 miles away), as I like the experience and the quality of their goods and their photography printing services are superior to any print other than using Nations or Mpix who takes 2 or 3 days to arrive via mail.
I shop at Sams for generic items such as paper products, seasonal specials, and everyday needs (10 miles away).
We also belong to BJs (25 miles away) primarily for a frozen fish line of products we like. BJs is cheaper on tires on occasion except for the high end tires my wife's car uses.
I use Amazon for almost everything else (over 80% of goods I buy are through Amazon).
​

 

[brown_trousers]

Yes, we do have to change our habits as a country, you're right. We are not as hopeless as you say though. Go eat at the independent diner instead of fast food. I work for Fedex but when I buy things online I specifically ask for UPS shipping. We do have choices. They may not be convenient, just take a second to think of how you spend your dollars.

It goes far deeper than just where you buy the item. It also includes who manafactured the item, and then where that manafacturer got their parts. I would venture to say that EVERY piece of electronics is in some way manafactured by a business that exploits their workers. Even the "good" manafacturers have to buy their parts (capacitors, diodes, etc...) from somewhere, and then those manafactures have to buy their raw materials from somewhere also. Eventually all roads lead to china, and we all know how well their workers are treated

 

[oldngray]

It goes far deeper than just where you buy the item. It also includes who manafactured the item, and then where that manafacturer got their parts. I would venture to say that EVERY piece of electronics is in some way manafactured by a business that exploits their workers. Even the "good" manafacturers have to buy their parts (capacitors, diodes, etc...) from somewhere, and then those manafactures have to buy their raw materials from somewhere also. Eventually all roads lead to china, and we all know how well their workers are treated

Far too often "made in America" only means "assembled in America" from imported parts

 

[klein]

Just got this job for tomorrow. It won't be hard giving away free bars. Actually, it'll be fun !

Need one more promo rep for Sept 5
$16/hr!

Edmonton, AB, Canada

We are adding one spot for a Cereal Bar promotion in
Edmonton tomorrow (Sept 5) from 6am-12pm and pays $16/hr!

You will be
educating the public about a new breakfast product and handing out free
samples. We will have more dates coming up if you do a great job!

We
will be having interviews today and tonight downtown if you are available.
Please reply for more information and keep checking your email as this is last
minute.

 

[UnconTROLLed]

Sam's Club IS Wal-Mart as far as I remember. It's no wonder Sam's Club has the best prices, it's Wal-Marts cheap labor w/ generally no benefits for workers.

 

[UnconTROLLed]

And less restaurants not named McDonalds, Burger King, etc, because none of them can afford to pay $15/hour plus Obamacare-level benefits. Also greater unemployment for teenagers/college kids, because if you can work for McDonalds instead of UPS, and make the same pay, why the hell would you work for UPS?

Spending other people's money is one of the easiest things in the world to do. What about when it's your own money? What about when it's not only a Big Mac that costs $10, but your Gym membership goes from $20/mo to $50/mo, because of the wage increase? What about when Boxer-Briefs go from $5/each to $12/each because Target now offers UPS-level benefits?

This post has way too much emotion in it, and not enough of anything that even approximates a plan to make these wild ideas actually work. Reading through here, you'd think the only places that underpay people are multi-billion dollar corporations--but the Mom&Pop Bed&Breakfast down the road is suuuurely paying its workers $15/hour plus benefits plus a pension.....right? No. Not right. Not even close to right. Like, Right is Seattle and you're standing, roughly, in Jackson, Mississippi.

One of the reason our culture (and economy) is so messed up is that in general, people are trained to become mindless, unthinking replicants from a young age. Kids should (outside of school)be learning a skill, a trade, mastering something which will better themselves. Societal expectations are weird and well, bass-ackwards. Again, none of these crap food joints should exist to begin with if they can't pay a decent wage.
Learning how to flip a burger and be subservient to a arrogant "boss" is generally not a learned skill to be proud of. For some reason, Americans cherish this mentality. That whole industry could disappear for all I care.

 

[Brownslave688]

My wife was talking to me about this the other day. She said they would be making like $2 an hour less than what she made as a nurse with a bachelors. Saying they deserve $15 an hour is no differen than if the employers were to say they deserve $3 an hour.

 

[klein]

My wife was talking to me about this the other day. She said they would be making like $2 an hour less than what she made as a nurse with a bachelors. Saying they deserve $15 an hour is no differen than if the employers were to say they deserve $3 an hour.

Wouldn't that be saying the same that your wife earns half as much than a UPS driver without any degree at all ?

 

[Brownslave688]

Wouldn't that be saying the same that your wife earns half as much than a UPS driver without any degree at all ?

U should know not everyone can hack it here. We had a seasonal ask how u know what side of the road a house is on (he had no clue one side was even and one was odd). These are the ppl that flip burgers. While I may not have a degree I most certainly have a skill set. No different than a heavy machinery OP or lineman or railroad worker.

Yes my wife made half what I made when she was a nurse. After grad school she will double me up. So who cares.

 

[brown_trousers]

And everyone here who preaches to people to not shop at walmart, is typing this stuff on a computer built in china, by some poor chinese guy who makes pennies on the dollar with no benefits.

When you look at the big picture... walmart is a small offender compared to the others

 

[UnconTROLLed]

And everyone here who preaches to people to not shop at walmart, is typing this stuff on a computer built in china, by some poor chinese guy who makes pennies on the dollar with no benefits.

When you look at the big picture... walmart is a small offender compared to the others

#1 or #2 Fortune 500 co. being a small offender. Really?

 

[parttime_loader]

In reality, Costco is higher than Sam's in identical items. However, Costco and Sams do not compete head to head.
Sams caters to the less affluent and small business owners while Costco locates their stores in more affluent areas.
Costco has upscale items for sale compared to Sams.
I belong to Sams and Costco and BJs as well.
I have compared prices at all three and Sams is the cheapest and Costco the most expensive.

That being said, I shop at Costco more often, if I am close (30 miles away), as I like the experience and the quality of their goods and their photography printing services are superior to any print other than using Nations or Mpix who takes 2 or 3 days to arrive via mail.
I shop at Sams for generic items such as paper products, seasonal specials, and everyday needs (10 miles away).
We also belong to BJs (25 miles away) primarily for a frozen fish line of products we like. BJs is cheaper on tires on occasion except for the high end tires my wife's car uses.
I use Amazon for almost everything else (over 80% of goods I buy are through Amazon).
​

In my area Costco and Sams absolutely compete head to head. For what it's worth in my area Costco are not teamsters and still get paid union like wages due to the company's philosophy.

 

[brown_trousers]

#1 or #2 Fortune 500 co. being a small offender. Really?

Paying someone minimum wage in america doesnt even compare with working conditions in china. It was so bad that the chinese Apple plant had a rash of on-the-job suicides because of the poor working conditions.

Walmart may be a huge corporation that pays below average wages and benefits, but that isnt even on the same level as some of the others.

So if you think you are doing the world a favor by helping workers at walmart, while at the same time supporting these horrible working conditions elsewhere in the world, you should take a syep back and look at the big picture

 

[UnconTROLLed]

Paying someone minimum wage in america doesnt even compare with working conditions in china. It was so bad that the chinese Apple plant had a rash of on-the-job suicides because of the poor working conditions.

That is no different than Wal-Mart, still don't see your point.

 

[Catatonic]

In my area Costco and Sams absolutely compete head to head. For what it's worth in my area Costco are not teamsters and still get paid union like wages due to the company's philosophy.

Not knowing what your local area is and whether that area is in an affluent neighborhood, I'll take your word.
Sam's is pretty much everywhere Costco is but Costco is not everywhere Sam's is.
Perhaps that is a more clear (???) way of stating the location selection relationship between the two.

Perhaps an explanation of what "head-to-head" competition means.
Costco has a different line of products that are more upscale than Sam's.
Costco does not try to compete head to head with Sam's in offering the same products.
If you buy Gillette Mach 4 shavers at Costco, you will pay more than you will at Sam's.
I have priced many such items and Sams was the same or cheaper per unit of the exact same brand item than was Costco.

My comparison is based on the items I am interested in and or specific to my local area.
I don't know how they compare across the country.

 

[BrownBrokeDown]

Not knowing what your local area is and whether that area is in an affluent neighborhood, I'll take your word.
Sam's is pretty much everywhere Costco is but Costco is not everywhere Sam's is.
Perhaps that is a more clear (???) way of stating the location selection relationship between the two.

Perhaps an explanation of what "head-to-head" competition means.
Costco has a different line of products that are more upscale than Sam's.
Costco does not try to compete head to head with Sam's in offering the same products.
If you buy Gillette Mach 4 shavers at Costco, you will pay more than you will at Sam's.
I have priced many such items and Sams was the same or cheaper per unit of the exact same brand item than was Costco.

My comparison is based on the items I am interested in and or specific to my local area.
I don't know how they compare across the country.

Maybe I didn't state my point in the best possible way. Costco is in no danger of being put out of business by Sam's at the current time despite significantly higher wages, pension, better healthcare, etc. I am not stating that the minimum wage should be increased to Costco starting wage level, nor stating that the average worker with average tenure in like job sectors should make what Costco employees make. What I am saying is that bottom end paying companies CAN afford to pay higher wages/have better benefits and still be reasonably priced. Somewhere between current minimum wage and jobs like Costco, there should be a sweet spot. 2 problems. Finding that wage sweet spot, and convincing companies that $2.5 billion dollars of profit is still acceptable instead of $4 billion dollars or convincing them that the top 1% of wage earners in the company can make less than 3000 times what the bottom wage earner in the company makes. While prices would rise, it is not necessary to raise them to the extent that most companies would. I personally believe that a $10 federal minimum wage is actually a fairly efficient number. People saying $12-$15 are not realizing how companies would react to an overnight doubled minimum wage.

I also really liked the idea of using the inflation % to raise the minimum wage.

 

[Lineandinitial]

Walmart, Sam's, Costco, the local malls, etc. all provide an entertainment diversion for many, many people.
In the Walmart near me, I see some of the Indian women that I buy coffe from at McDonalds every Saturday morning. They seem completely happy with their kids and their friends looking at the Chinese clothing and buying school supplies. Besides the entertainment feature, there is also an element of convenience that draws people to these mega stores and then the science takes over to make them spend their money.
Rather than try to resurrect the American dream our parents had, maybe some union people need to adapt and evolve with the times. Bitching on BC or walking a McDonalds picket line in support of some ideal really is a wasted effort. You'd be better off waiting for the Aliens to return to the desert.

 

[brown_trousers]

That is no different than Wal-Mart, still don't see your point.

If you cant see the difference, you have truly lost touch with reality.

 

[PiedmontSteward]

Speaking of Walmart...

Walmart Workers Flash Mob in Raleigh, NC from 9/5/13:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=FuCNH7dqZxg