CA To Wal-Mart: Enough! No More Taxpayer Subsidized Profits For You (Needs to be National)

[TalkingDog]

http://www.forbes.com/sites/rickungar/2013/06/03/california-to-wal-mart-enough-no-more-taxpayer-subsidized-profits-for-you/

Legislation is now making its way through the California legislature—with the support of consumer groups, unions and, interestingly, physicians—that would levy a fine of up to $6,000 on employers like Wal-Mart for every full-time employee that ends up on the state’s Medi-Cal program—the California incarnation of Medicaid.

[steve2470]

1. k&r n t

[femmocrat]

2. Great idea.

Why should we subsidize Wal-mart when the Waltons are gazillionaires?

[alittlelark]

3. I would love to see this become law!

[bahrbearian]

4. So Wal-Mart will just have part time employees

[geckosfeet]

8. And it will become even a bigger dump than it already is.

The only thing worse than unmotivated underpayed full time employees, is unmotivated underpayed part time employees. You need more of them and the turnover is higher...

[corkhead]

12. then they'll get a good and well deserved slap across the face by the "Invisible Hand"

Karma is a bitch.

[rhett o rick]

16. Abso-fucking-lutely. The state is doing their part, the employees need to step up and do theirs.

If they are willing to work part time with no benefits, there is nothing Calif can do to help them. If you volunteer to be a slave, I guess that's your right.

[cstanleytech]

19. I think you are overlooking something rhett.

That is that not everyone who works part time doesnt do it because they want to but because they cant find a full time job.
A perfect example is my brothers girlfriend, she has been trying to find a full time job anywhere for 2+ years with zero luck and right now she is working at walmart part time not because she wants to but because its all she can find.
No what really needs to be done is something needs to be done to incourage both higher wages and for companies like walmart to rely less on part timers and to hire more full timers.
My personal opinion on how to do both of those things would be via taxes.
Do away with every single loophole and set the corporate tax rate at 20% and have it climb the higher and higher depending on the % of full time vs part time workers and the same with wages, make it so the % of taxes climbs higher and higher depending on how big the gap is from the lowest paid workers vs its highest paid employees.

[rhett o rick]

22. I totally agree with you. But at some point the workers have to stand up for themselves.

I realize they are in a tight place.

[delrem]

54. Can't work without a union.

[Jeff Murdoch]

68. And the cameras

are there to target employees trying to unionize rather than customer safety.

[Rebl]

92. That are

still not being paid a living wage. Fine them for not paying a living wage.

[pscot]

5. K&R

[Gidney N Cloyd]

6. Include guidelines on ...

...how many full-time employees they should have if they're paying for X-# workhours.

[Bibliovore]

35. Very nice.

[tokenlib]

7. You need to get them on part time workers somehow...

..they'll just reduce more workers to part-time. Need to find a way to penalize them fo the number of employees on aid--regardless of job classification. I was happy when I first heard this..then realized it will not have the intended effect.

[JeffHead]

10. Exactly! +1000

All they will do is reduce everyone's hours to skirt the law. How many "full time employees" do they employ anyway?

[Stardust]

47. What a great gif, JeffHead! nt

[Cha]

9. thank you, Talking Dog!

California's not playing around. Course, walmart workers might not be happy with only getting part time work.

But, at long last and in a move gaining popularity around the nation, the State of California is attempting to say ‘enough’ to Wal-Mart and the other large retailers who are looking to the taxpayers to take on the responsibility for the company’s employees—a responsibility Wal-Mart has long refused to accept.

It’s about time.

[Marie Marie]

11. 'Bout time.

[SheilaT]

13. Good. And there should be some kind of legislation about the percentage of workers who

can be part time. While part time work is reasonable, a huge outfit like WalMart should hire far more full-time employees than part timers, and pay them decently while giving reasonable health benefits.

I work part time out of choice, but I have benefits: health, 403b (it's a hospital, a non-profit), paid leave time. As I type this I'm on vacation, lucky me. Oh, and my health care is remarkably good. I do happen to be offensively healthy, and almost never use it, but a co-worker who has various health issues is also happy with our coverage. This is the way it should be everywhere. Full time, part time, you should have benefits.

[creeksneakers2]

36. Not fair to me

I work part time at Walmart. I work part time because I have another full time job. I couldn't work full time at Walmart too, so I'd lose my job if Walmart switched to all full time workers.

I'm happy, Walmart's happy, or at least satisfied enough that they don't fire me. I get my health care from my full time job. What business is it of anybody else what deal I set up with Walmart?

[SheilaT]

51. Yes. We can't have only full time workers,

just as we can't have only part time workers, although for totally different reasons.

[sulphurdunn]

58. It becomes the business

of the state of California when it pays for social services that should be borne by a corporate employer which ranks only behind the US Department of Defense and the People's Liberation Army of China in the size of its global work force.

[leftyohiolib]

66. everything's fine with him so therefore everything's fine with everybody so quit yer bitchen bitches

[Iggo]

93. .

[raccoon]

69. THat will happen when pigs fly. "if Walmart switched to all full time workers." nt

[CrispyQ]

64. I've never understood the attitude that part time workers don't deserve benefits.

Many businesses, retail especially, depend on part time workers for evening & weekend shifts. Walmart would have great difficulty running it's business on full time only employees, so why shaft the part timers who make your business possible? Oh, my bad. Profit, of course, America's one. true God.

[leftyohiolib]

67. they do - at ups i got benefits and vacation - the difference? UNIONS

[CrispyQ]

75. As a part time grocery clerk, back in the day of good union representation, I got those things too.

When I first started working at the grocery store, the store only guaranteed part timers 16 hours a week, but you needed 24 to qualify for benefits. They'd schedule you 16 hours, knowing you'd come in on-the-fly at least one day, maybe two, to get that magical 24 hours. The first negotiation I witnessed changed that. The union fought for & won a guaranteed 24 hours, so all part timers qualified. This was before Reagan.

[HiPointDem]

14. kr

[lunasun]

15. "and, interestingly, physicians"—one of the reasons may be they see these people

who think they are covered under Walmart and when they get sick find out not really unless they have the first 10K out of pocket(& remember> they work at Walmart so unlikely) becuase they don't understand their coverage is such a very high-deductible plan .

[BrotherIvan]

17. Yes!

So proud of my state. I know HellMart will do all they can to screw their employees if this passes, but it is a first step to say, No More. I hope the unions find some leverage on this as well.

I so missed Democrats acting like Democrats!

[ReRe]

39. Hey... I like that...

... CA giving Democrats everywhere "How To Be A Democrat" lessons!

[BrotherIvan]

41. And hopefully leading the way for the rest of the nation

Restoring our once great educational system, our infrastructure and manufacturing, and maybe single payer! We can do it!

[ReRe]

46. We absolutely CAN!

2014! 2014! 2014! 2014! 2014! 2014! 2014! 2014!

[Swede Atlanta]

18. Agreed.....

We need to reduce corporate welfare....

Some of it is out in the open such as subsidies to the oil and gas industries. Some are nuanced in terms of tax benefits to financial institutions. These, such as underwriting the social costs of subsistence wages, are less visible.

We need the public to understand that, in addition to paying $3.20 for XXX product, the country is paying $YYY to provide the employee with the basic necessities of life such as food, a roof over their head and health care.

The American public, in general, are totally unaware of this. Unfortunately my attempts to explain this to people has been difficult. It was difficult because these people could not understand anything larger than themselves. I truly believe that our fantasy coonskin capped Daniel Boone would understand these issues better than the average Joe Blow on the streets.

[Half-Century Man]

20. MATAKU...

Just take the first step already...Then we can take the next and then the next, until we get to be where we need to be.
The corporate take over of America started in the sixties with the beginnings of commercial media deregulation (the telecommunications act of 1966; allowing an increase of ownership up to 35% of a given market). And year after year the corporate rats have been gnawing regulations to shreds bit by bit. they have made a shit load of tiny changes over the last 45 years (which added up to a huge overall change). It is going to take time to find and undo all the knots in the system.

[newmember]

21. This won't help anything

My company stopped hiring full time employees.
Everyone hired there in the last 6 months is called an on call employee

No benefits and no set schedule.
You have two choices , take the job or be without a job

There's not a whole lot of jobs out there to chose from.

And the companies know it.
If this law was to be passed here they would make everyone on call.

[ForgoTheConsequence]

23. Similar experience here.

Significant other works for the school district, to avoid paying for health insurance they had their hours cut to 4-5 a day maximum. Sounds like its going to come out to about a 300 a month cut in pay, plus no benefits.

[newmember]

28. It's happening everywhere

I haven't heard one peep about from Obama.

why.......

[SoCalDem]

59. There is a way around it.. Set up a special "walmart" fund that augments the aid given by the state

and just call it a "Walmart Tax"

The tax breaks given to Walmart, in exchange for running off local businesses & supermarkets need to be paid by fines TO Walmart AND an additional sales tax collected by counties that open their arms to Walmart.

Inviting a glutton to a family dinner pretty much assures that someone's going to get less food.. at the very least make the glutton pay something so everyone gets to eat, or take up a collection from the ones who invited the glutton in the first place.

Make people aware that those low low /falling prices do COST them money in the long run

[sulphurdunn]

60. Millions unable

to make ends meet working for billionaires. Sound familiar. How did it come to pass that so many working people passively accept or even support that relationship?

[SoCalDem]

63. They are too busy to spend time worrying about it..and many have been "convinced"

that there's nothing they can do... and then they head inside a discount store & buy those $4 jeans & $1 flipflops made in Bangladesh..

[sulphurdunn]

65. That sounds about right.

[xtraxritical]

71. It creates jobs for auditors, great!

[newmember]

24. How about have President Obama call a press conference

and say that Walmart is not a success story but a failure for American workers.
He could say Walmart is the largest private employer in the country but
the way they treat their workers by having them rely on government assistance is a disgrace.

If he really wanted to make a difference in peoples lives he , Obama would take the lead on this.

Why doesn't he?

And if he doesn't why do we support him still?


Oh and ' I don't feel happy every morning when I wake up because Obama is president..............

[L0oniX]

27. LMAO ...yea right ...who was it he just selected to serve from the Walfart foundation?

[newmember]

30. And that's why he's a phony

Oh and I'm sure my post will be hidden by a jury but it's the truth about him.

[NBachers]

29. Tell us - - When will you be announcing your Great Big Press Conference?

If you really wanted to make a difference in peoples' lives you, newmember would take the lead on this.

Why don't you?

[newmember]

31. Apologists already

that didn't take long

[NBachers]

34. Keep chumming the waters

[Skittles]

52. that one is a hoot

really been losing entertainment value lately though

[oldandhappy]

25. Yippee!!

I am glad to know this.

[L0oniX]

26. Allrightythen. Let's go nationwide with this.

[1StrongBlackMan]

32. I didn't read the article ...

But I can predict the "job creators'" response to this law, should it go into effect; they will simply make all of their lowest paid employees, part-time.

[ReRe]

43. If they do that...

... "make all their lowest paid employees part-time", then maybe CA will just kick FailMart out of their state!

[WillyT]

33. HUGE K & R !!!

[nolabels]

37. I haven't bought a damn thing from walmart for over thirteen years

I didn't buy much before that because i knew them to have anti-worker business practices. The Teamsters Union that I'm in says that we shouldn't shop there, so I don't

[BrotherIvan]

42. The teamsters tell their members not to shop at Walmart?

Good on them! At least somebody gets it.

[demosincebirth]

50. Not to buy Coors beer, either.

[oxymoron]

38. K&R (nt)

[mountain grammy]

40. Yes, Walmart will make more employees part time,

yes, the corporation will continue to abuse and underpay employees. But the tide is turning. The word is out. Even though the corporate media has protected their corporate friends in the retail industry, the word is spreading.
People are starting to understand what's happened in our country and why. 2014 could be the big awakening.

[1StrongBlackMan]

44. We can only hope. n/t

[ReRe]

45. That bill would be absolutely perfect....

K&R

.... if they just omitted the word "full-time." Yeah, baby! USA! USA! USA!

[SCVDem]

48. Awww! Poor WalMart.

Do you think they will leave the state?

Will the Republicans apologize to the Waltons for how we are treating them?

Think how many small business will reopen if they leave!

BTW. Screw you California haters! We like our regulations.

[mick063]

49. You got to hand it to California

When it comes to innovative law, they come up with it. Often their bills are a model that other states follow. An example would be their medical marijuana legislation. They also dictated auto emission standards that forced Detroit to build cars to suit a sizable California market, hence the entire nation realized the reduced emissions.

Further, their Attorney General has done more to investigate the 2008 mortgage collapse than just about any other AG outside of New York. If only Holder had the balls, although the California AG happens to be a very competent woman.

With the Democratic super majority in state legislature, ALEC probably has less influence there than most other states. Of course they still do have influence.


I tip my cap to California. They may set the standard that will lead us out of this plutocracy. Obviously, the corrections must start at the state level and typically, they start in the great state of California.

[Niceguy1]

53. thank you CA

For doing your part to create more part time jobs

But hey, it sure felt good, right? That is all that matters.

[stuffmatters]

55. Raise minimum wage to $15/hr in Ca & fine Walmart $3-6000 fo Every employee forced on medi-cal

Yeah, letting them just reduce hours or call employees "free agents"/consultants"...their greed will always find a loophole.

[Firebrand Gary]

56. THANK YOU!

[on point]

57. They need to pro rate it to hourly for part timers to take away that way of cheating too

They should be forced to pay on per hour basis for EVERY employee, full or part time into medical care at the same rate they pay for the CEO and execs to take awat the cheat of going to part time employees

Once that is done, I'll bet the full time count goes up...

[ColesCountyDem]

61. Didn't Maryland do something similar, a few years back? n/t

[erpowers]

62. I Like It

It is something that should be done nationwide. It seems this would also help the national economy if it were done nationwide. If all of the retail workers (Wal-Mart and other stores) were paid enough money to stay off government support the government would spend less money providing support to low-income individuals. In addition, those workers would then have more money to put into the economy.

[Coyotl]

70. Will this produce employer discrimination against large families, etc.

[AndyA]

72. It's insulting that a big corporation like Walmart has gotten away with this for so long

While stockholders make a fortune, the American taxpayers subsidize their business by taking care of its employees.

Same goes for the oil companies with their huge subsidies.

Add to that all the other corporations that pay a zero tax rate due to loopholes and sneaky accounting procedures that allow them to profit at the expense of the American taxpayer.

There shouldn't be a free ride in this country for anyone. We should provide assistance to help individual people get back on their feet again, and to small businesses to help them get established, but not to big corporations that are already making huge profits.

[santamargarita]

73. Finally! Way overdue.

[hootinholler]

74. Do this nationwide and see how fast Single payer becomes popular n/t

[merimint]

76. three cheers for California

Now to get something like this in EVERY STATE..!

[renate]

78. welcome to DU!

[xxqqqzme]

77. Medical only costs $6000

a year? Make that fine hurt. A $6,000 'fine' is next to nothing.

A great idea just need some wrinkles ironed out.

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

79. Isn't this part of the Affordable Care Act?

I thought that employers with workers at 30+ hours had to either provide health care or pay a penalty. I thought this kicked in next year (or 2016, so something like that).

As has been pointed out, employers will simply keep their people at less than 30 hours to avoid the mandate.

What we need is a requirement that says an employer with the equivalent aggregate of 50 fulltime employees (or whatever number you prefer) has to provide healthcare. So it won't make any difference how many hours an individual employee works -- as a company, once you're over the magic number, you start providing health care.

This would actually create a financial incentive for companies to employ people fulltime -- One person fulltime + one healthcare coverage is less expensive than two persons halftime + two healthcare coverages.

[Ian_rd]

80. So ... how does this work?

My initial reaction is "fuck to the yes," and I like the idea to be sure. But this seems like a strange thing to do. Wal-mart apparently isn't breaking any laws with regard to worker pay or treatment. In a way, health benefits and worker pay are all wrapped up in the same category: worker compensation. So is this a way to vote for a higher worker compensation without just voting for higher worker compensation?

I'm certain our redunkulous healthcare system makes this issue complicated, but it seems like there'd be a more direct approach to addressing how businesses offset the cost of their workers to the tax payer.

[SalviaBlue]

81. Great!

[SleeplessinSoCal]

82. YaY! The Walmart heirs make way too many people sick enough as it is.

gonna be sharing this with family and friends.

[gopiscrap]

83. Yes it's time to quit giving welfare

to these corporations...In fact fucking Wal Mart should be nationalized and the profits go to the US Treasury!

[SunSeeker]

84. K & R

[blkmusclmachine]

85. .

.

[blkmusclmachine]

86. OH NO

What will the savvy businessmen do now?!?!

[zappaman]

87. Big REC and KICK! n/t

[SHRED]

89. what is the Bill number?

[TalkingDog]

94. If it's not in the Forbes article, I could not begin to tell you.

n/t

[SHRED]

95. lazy journalism

You would think they would link it.

[Beartracks]

90. An awesome response to WalMart's "work-to-welfare" business model.

Wal-Mart proves that the so-called "job creators" can easily be "welfare creators," too!

=========================

[Honeycombe8]

91. It's about time! This needs to be a wave across the nation! nt