Companies paying Americans the least

[KamaAina]

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/companies-paying-americans-least-152116554.html

In the wake of mounting protests from labor groups, numerous U.S. localities have approved minimum wage increases, including two of the nation’s largest cities, Seattle and San Francisco. Yet, especially among many of America’s largest employers, the remarkably low wages of most workers are in stark contrast with the compensation of shareholders and executives. And while the average hourly earnings of an American worker was $24.53 as of September, these companies pay most of their workers far less....

8. Starbucks Corporation (SBUX)

> U.S. workforce: 137,000 (company-owned only)
> CEO compensation: $17.2 million
> Revenue: $16.4 billion
> Net income: $2.1 billion
> No. of U.S. stores: 7,303 (company-owned only)

Starbucks is one of America’s most ubiquitous restaurant chains, and the company continues to post dramatic growth rates. According to the company, Starbucks opened nearly 1,600 net new stores worldwide in the most recent fiscal year, bringing the total number of company-owned and licensed stores to 21,366 in 65 countries. Comparable store sales also rose 5% globally in the most recent quarter. While Starbucks is among the companies paying Americans the least, COO Troy Alstead announced in October pay raises for starting employees and a somewhat more relaxed dress. The changes will take effect in January 2015.

7. Darden Restaurants, Inc. (DRI)

> U.S. workforce: 202,920 (est.)
> CEO compensation: $4.3 million
> Revenue: $6.3 billion
> Net income: $286 million
> No. of U.S. stores: 2,174

Darden restaurants, parent company of multiple full-service restaurant chains such as Olive Garden, LongHorn Steakhouse, and -- until recently -- Red Lobster, reported revenues of $6.3 billion last year. The sale of Red Lobster was completed in July, for $2.1 billion in cash. For many investors, the sale was an outrage, triggering a shareholder lawsuit and contributing heavily to investors’ decision to replace the entire board of the company. While non-employee members of the since-ousted board took home hundreds of thousands of dollars last year, regular employees were hardly paid as well. The average host at Olive Garden earns just $9.45 an hour, according to Glassdoor.com. The sale of Red Lobster may preclude Darden from being on this list in the future. The company reported having more than 206,000 employees in its latest annual report, but on its website it now pegs that number at roughly 150,000 employees....

1. Wal-Mart Stores Inc. (WMT)

> U.S. workforce: 1.4 million
> CEO compensation: $5.6 million
> Revenue: $476.3 billion
> Net income: $16.0 billion
> No. of U.S. stores: 4,990

Walmart is run by America’s wealthiest family, and it employs more people than any other public company in the world. The majority of the company’s 2.2 million employees, as of last year, worked in the United States. Walmart’s U.S. workforce of roughly 1.4 million dwarfs that of every other American business. Walmart reported revenues of $476.3 billion last year, the largest of any retailer worldwide, as well as roughly $16 billion in net income. Walmart’s financial success has frequently been attributed, at least in part, to its workers’ low wages. While Walmart may benefit from the low wages it pays its employees, taxpayers may not. According to several studies, Walmart employees are among the most likely to rely on government subsidies and assistance programs.

[yeoman6987]

1. There has to be other reasons besides money

That people continue putting in applications and accepting the terms of the job. I know Walmart gives stock options, but can't imagine that being a reason for applying. For every Olive Garden, there is an Outback, Texas Roadhouse, or TGIF so you have to wonder. I can't believe that they don't know what the hourly wage is when they seek out these jobs and them proudly post on Facebook that they got the job. I have seen it plenty on FB.

[BlindTiresias]

2. Desperation?

And the pay really isn't that much better for most places, so...

[yeoman6987]

3. True

But they are choosing the lowest paid places. There has to be other perks. Close to home maybe. I don't know but it has to be more than money.

[BlindTiresias]

7. Probably just desperation

The places with higher pay only have marginally higher pay anyway, and they are all pretty bad to work at.

[LanternWaste]

8. They may also be choosing the first company that calls them with an offer

"But they are choosing the lowest paid places..."

They may also be choosing the first company that calls them with an offer due to having been unemployed too long. All things being equal, I don't see any real reason why it would be anything else.

[Kingofalldems]

5. So you are blaming the workers themselves?

[Initech]

4. We need to have a serious dialogue about profit.

I seriously think corporate profits need to be capped until they get it through their thick skulls that their employees need to be paid more. How much profit is too much? And why are we putting up with this bullshit? This is larceny on a truly grand scale.

The billionaires and corporate fucking greed is destroying the global economy and sinking us into a new great depression, and I'm afraid that it's one we'll never be able to reverse because our stupid supreme court has given corporations more rights than people.

[bigwillq]

6. There is no excuse

for multi-million dollar companies not paying their employees more than minimum wage.

Such greedy bastids.

We need to do more about income inequality. We need a living wage.